Streets of Gent
The Graslei, Gent
Brugge, Venice of the North
One of Brugge's waterways
Oostende at nightYup, I'm finally back posting again about the way overdued europe trip. (^^;) Anyway anyway...
Instead of spending another day looking at touristy stuffs in Brussels, we decided it would be better off taking a one day trip to small towns around Brussels, going from Gent to Brugge and then to Oostende. And it was definitely worth the trip. Sceneries by the railways were superb. A much more peaceful and calm Europe that you do not see elsewhere.
As for Gent, Brugge and Oostende, they were great! One thing for sure, there were less tourists!! Streets were not packed, and things were definitely not as commercialised as in the big cities. And it was good to be able to just wander around, looking at the daily lives of the locals, and buy BIG, CHEAP strawberries! *big grin*
The people were VERY VERY VERY helpful and friendly. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that I just left Paris where I met the rude lady who practically looks down at everyone at the bus counter. But where else can you find people who offers you help even when you never ask for it?
Anyway, in short, the small towns were nice. The people, nicer.
Instead of spending another day looking at touristy stuffs in Brussels, we decided it would be better off taking a one day trip to small towns around Brussels, going from Gent to Brugge and then to Oostende. And it was definitely worth the trip. Sceneries by the railways were superb. A much more peaceful and calm Europe that you do not see elsewhere.
As for Gent, Brugge and Oostende, they were great! One thing for sure, there were less tourists!! Streets were not packed, and things were definitely not as commercialised as in the big cities. And it was good to be able to just wander around, looking at the daily lives of the locals, and buy BIG, CHEAP strawberries! *big grin*
The people were VERY VERY VERY helpful and friendly. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that I just left Paris where I met the rude lady who practically looks down at everyone at the bus counter. But where else can you find people who offers you help even when you never ask for it?
Anyway, in short, the small towns were nice. The people, nicer.
2 comments:
Scotland and Ireland!!!! I mean, you can find people there you offer to help even when you havent ask for help... When we got to Edinburgh (by truck... hitchhiking) and we were walking with our backpacks towards the camping site, it was beginning to rain, and after we ask for directions in a supermarket, a lady came closer to me and asked me "are you going to the campingsite? I can give you a ride"... she had seen us on the way with our backpacks, so when she saw it was beginning to rain, she thought she would give us a ride, and she took us all the way to the camping site...!!!!! that was probably the best welcome we had in any city!
Then in Ireland... well we went around Ireland all by hitchhiking, one woman with her son even let us stay at their place for two nights, they went out of their way to take us to the places we wanted to go... etc.... and one day when it was raining (but we had left our backpacks in this woman's house) we though we would go walking to a mountain close to the house, but on our way there, first one car stopped asking us if we were hitchhiking so we told him we were just walking, and then another man stopped and told us "hop on, I'll give you a ride", he asked us where we were going, and he took us up the mountain to the beginning of the walking trail!!!! The best thing is that after finishing our walk in the mountain, the day was clear, so we decided to try to get to some cliffs we really wanted to go but because of the rain we thought we wouldnt be able to make it... then when we were asking for a ride, the same man stopped and took us all the way to the cliffs (he was heading farther south by another way...)!!! it was so amazing, and unbelievable! it made me think how the world would be if everyone just did something each day to help someone else... and hope I can help someone when I have the chance... not living always on a rush, and ignoring everyone around you... though in cities so crowded and with strange people around is not so easy... but at least I will give it a try! just try to make someones day better everytime I can!
Well... now this message became almost like my blog... jaja anyway... I just though I would write about it when you asked "where else can you find help even when you dont ask for it..."
Gent and Brugge are the cities I liked most. Walking there is really relaxing. Amd I particular like the tram system in Belgium. It is better thatn the metro which you can only see commercials and dark outside.^^
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