Fighting the Cobbles - My trip to Belgium in 2018, Part 23 - Leaving Tervuren

This blog continues the previous Part 22,
https://gerdiwanninger.blogspot.com/2018/09/fighting-cobbles-my-trip-to-belgium-in_12.html

Wednesday, June 27, 2018

     

   Enjoying the companionship with Rene felt like being with an old friend sharing the good things in life and having a good time. He did not hold back to share his experiences, gave me a lot of advice and I felt that he wanted to help this foreigner as much as he could even we knew only for a few minutes. 

My friend Rene in his Wineyard

   At around 9:00 his wife, a late riser as Rene joked, joined us. I have to admit that her English was much better than Rene's... She helped him to find their hiking maps and Rene was surprised that I did not have any on me. So he opened several maps on the breakfast table and showed me a nice trekking trail to the city of Wavre, the next big city on my way. I took some picture but mainly noted the names of the towns and the numbers of the trekking routes in my small red notebook (no, not Mao's Bible!).

   As I had to leave Rene and his lovely wife made me some sandwiches and crashed some walnuts which he put in a beautiful real waxed paper bag for 'the road'! These few hours were a great experience and restored my faith in the human nature. But I also felt a little uncomfortable because I mostly received but could not give a lot in return.

   Finally I hugged both of them, thanked again and went with my messenger bag, the sports bag on rolls and with a heavy heart on my way...

   As mentioned before Belgium has a nice system of road numbers marking each trail with a number which is clearly shown on the right side of the road. When you know the number you surely find the 'right' way to your destination.

Route Numbers for Cyclists and Pedestrians

    After leaving Rene I headed for the linden tree which gave me shelter during the last night. After greeting my 'old friend' the tree for the last time I followed country roads crossing some hilly terrain with fields as far as my eyes could see. I am not a country boy and therefore can only imagine how much work and effort goes into these fields insuring ample food supplies not only for Belgium but also for the whole European Union and their products are even exported into the world. 

   It felt great walking after meeting great people, sharing a good breakfast and travel with a ton of advice through this landscape crossing smooth hills. There were no cars and only occasionally few bikers. Pulling my bag I sensed a kind of freedom and was very curious what would happen after the next corner.

   After a while I've decided to put on my sun glasses because the sun burned on me and the fields around. I was glad that I wore a long sleeved shirt; I always trek in long pants. For my neck I had a round cloth which could also function as a headpiece, on my head I wore a bright yellow cap for others to see. All this equipment has on this day only one function: to protect me from the sun! Nothing would be more painful than a sunburn during holidays.

Biker passing my Sports Bag on Wheels with the Messenger Bag attached on its Handle

   Sometimes the design of the country road separates the motorways from the bikers and pedestrians. For me this shows how much blood, sweat and tears the various Belgian governments invest into their country for the people to enjoy...

   Belgium is not a big country, on one side you feel a sense of freedom but on the other side you are never too far away from the next town. Following a path downhill I finally left the countryside and came to the main road; turning left will lead me to the city of Huldenberg.

   Not far away from this intersection I noticed a statue of several colored race bikers beside the road. Belgium is a country not only famous for but even more crazy for cycling and this is clearly shown here.

Racing Bike Statue near Huldenberg

   The reason why these riders are here because the town of Huldenberg (berg = mountain) is part of many Belgian bike races. There is a steep mountain climb in this predominant flat country.

(to be continued@

https://gerdiwanninger.blogspot.com/2018/09/fighting-cobbles-my-trip-to-belgium-in_25.html)

Disclaimer: I traveled Belgium by myself, I am not sponsored by anyone. Interested subscribers and/or followers in traveling an in this small but beautiful country are more than welcome! 
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