Chapel and windmill

If you drive from Brussels to the Belgian coast on a weekend when the weather is nice, the chances are great that shortly before Ghent you will be stuck in traffic and will be much better off leaving the highway and trying to find an alternative to waiting in a queue. On the secondary roads you pass through towns like Eeklo where the chapel will grab your attention because of the statues on its façade. 

The chapel, inaugurated in 1900, is an example of regional neo-gothic. It is situated accross the street from a cimetry. The three statues are archangel Michael and two angels with trumpets.

Just a little bit further this magnificent stone windmill catches the eye.

After class

After school scenes. exam preparation or dealing with exam stress, relaxing or waiting for the bus.

Pepermolen en De Goedendag, restaurants of Lissewege

Impossible to leave Lissewege without talking about some of its well known restaurants. One of the great pleasures for many tourists at the Belgian coast is to travel a very short distance inland to the wonderful little towns also known for their exquisite cuisine. 

The Lissewege restaurants are often run as a family business.  Several restaurants are worth a special trip. I took a photo of de Pepermolen (the Pepper Mill) and had the pleasure of trying out de Goedendag (the Good Day), a charming restaurant in an 18th century farm restored with knowledge and good taste. Chef Luc De Winter owns and runs this treasure together with two daughters.

Lissewege, the white town with the flat tower

Beautiful quiet Lissewege,  close to Bruges and the Belgian coast, is definitely worth a detour.

A lovely tranquil town, its streets are lined with white chalked houses grouped in a circle around the church and lined along the narrow canal.

The name Lissewege was recorded for the first time in 961 and the village owes its existence to the construction of dikes that served as a protection against the sea. 

It was textiles that made this village rich in the Middle Ages.

The church, Onze Lieve Vrouw kerk, is an early gothic brick-stone with a flat tower and was built between  1230 and 1270.

How is it possible that such a small village could build such a large church? There are several stories trying to explain it. Most likely to be true is that it was constructed under supervision of the Templer Knights. These knights had to protect the pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela, Rome and Jerusalem. For pilgrims coming from the North, their long journey began in Lissewege. Probably the church was financed by sacrificial gifts from the many pilgrims that passed this place. 

Today Lissewege is a very pleasant quiet little town with several nice restaurants (see tomorrows post).

http://www.damme-online.com/gb/arounddamme/lissewege.htm

Chocolates at la maison du lin

I would like to refer "This is Belgium" readers to the blog of Jerôme on http://mamaisondelin.blogspot.com/

Today, Jerôme has a very colorful posting on everything you ever wanted to know about Belgian chocolates, in particular Marcolini's

Enjoy !

Tapestry De Wit Mechelen

In Mechelen, a Flemish town between Brussels and Antwerp, De Wit Royal Manufacturers, founded in 1889, has been restoring tapestries for over a century. It is the world's leading restorer for museums. Unfortunately, one needs an appointment to visit the collection of antique tapestries and to see the people at work.  I tried without one but didn't succeed. Therefore, unfortunately, I can only show pictures of the outside of the premises, I had just a peek inside and glanced at thousands of colorful yarn neatly stacked up on shelves against a huge wall. More to be found on the following website:
www.dewit.be

Tram and bus