Belgium – Ypres (En)
Ypres is a city in the Belgian province of West Flanders. Battlefields surround it, and numerous cemeteries, monuments, and war museums pay tribute to the battles in this area during the First World War. After being destroyed in the war, many buildings were rebuilt, including the Gothic-style St. Martin’s Cathedral and its imposing spire.
Where to stay
We stayed at Camping Jeugdstadion (50.846926, 2.897595 lat, long), and paid 23 euros per day all-inclusive. The showers and toilets are good and with toilet paper. The plots are big and you can open your porch. There is no washing machine. Very close to the centre by walking along a very nice path where you cross the river. Also, close by car to the ferry and the tunnel in France to cross to England. The employee who attended us is very friendly and they give you an information package with discounts to enter sites and museums. Recommended!
What to see
This city is best known for what happened here over a hundred years ago. It is the unofficial capital of Flanders Fields, the scene of many battles during the First World War. We walked to the centre with Asha, along a pretty path with sheep and you reached the river where you came across the first sculpture of the Allies. You cross a bridge with very nice views and go through a tunnel in the medieval walls and when you come out you come across the Monument to the Missing, in memory of the soldiers and officers killed in the First World War.
Then we walked through the centre full of shops and bars until we reached a square where we found the Town Hall and the magnificent Cloth Hall, originally from 1214.
Ypres was destroyed during the fighting and was later rebuilt in its original style. Notable structures include St Martin’s Cathedral (13th century), which houses the tomb of Cornelius Otto Jansen, Bishop of Ypres and founder of Jansenism and which we visited inside; the medieval ramparts, rebuilt by Sébastien de Vauban in the 17th century; and the Lille Gate.
Then we went to the Menin Gate, a memorial to British soldiers who died in World War I, and where night after night, the Last Post is played in tribute to fallen soldiers. We went to see the memorial, where many English people gathered and where they played trumpets in silence. I made a video and it started playing in the middle of the memorial. Everyone was looking at me and I tried to turn it off! I had to run away from there and I was dying of laughter!
Our visit to Belgium ended here and we went to catch the ferry to cross to England.
Our first stop in England is Margate, a city on the south-east coast of England known for its sandy beach which you can see in the following blog!
