Fighting the Cobbles - My trip to Belgium in 2018, Part 37 from Gembloux to Namur

his blog continues the previous Part 36,
https://gerdiwanninger.blogspot.com/2019/01/fighting-cobbles-my-trip-to-belgium-in_22.html

Saturday, June 30, 2018

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”

Helen Keller, the first deaf-blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. 

   After crossing the rail road bridge I left the old part of Gembloux and came to a development area with big markets beside the main road and housing area with newer building behind. I went into a supermarket but it was a membership store only selling in big quantities - a wholesale club. I also checked out a Sports One store but as their bike department was very limited I did not stay for long.
   I followed the N29, or Chaussée de Tirlemont as it is called here, until I came to a roundabout. I turned left to the N4 or Chaussée de Namur which I walked further north this morning and yesterday. 
   Not far away I discovered an Aldi store. This cheap supermarket chain store is well established in Germany due to its low prices so I had to go in and store up my food and drink supplies. I was a nice experience and I planned to look for a suitable to place to have a nice lunch.
   After a Chinese Restaurant I discovered a shadowy place under some coniferous trees and had a feast. While I ate an elderly Chinese passed me, looking nervous and mumbled some unclear Chinese words. I don't know the meaning of moving abroad and stay there unhappily.

Eating my favorite smoked Ham Bread beside the Road

   I finished my meal, packed my garbage properly and wanted to dispose it at the next fitting possibility. While I walked the very flat road I've discovered an industrial building on the other side of the road with a large ING insurance commercial, Chaussée de Namur No. 87. There was a big black garbage box on rolls beside the road which I thought is a good solution to dispose my garbage. I opened the lid, threw the bag inside and closed it. As I wanted to leave suddenly a Mini stopped beside me with squeaky wheels and an over-sized blond lady insulted me with some French vocabulary through the open side window. As I don't understand French I approached the car and asked in a polite manner: "What's the problem?" The lady shouted to me very angrily, this time in English: "This is my garbage box!" So I turned to the box, took my garbage out and shouted "Are you happy now?" She did not answer, stepped on the gas and drove away!

   I am not clear what's a big deal with garbage in Belgium but fighting over garbage should be quite embarrassing for this lady, not for me! By the way, on the next possibility, I threw the same garbage in a container with four wheels and a lady was smiling at me...

   The road continued to be flat and I made good progress. Occasionally I passed some houses with beautiful ladies sitting in the windows waiting for customers; one was clearly waving at me. This road might be famous for this kind for services but there were not many customers in sight, meaning the road was empty.

   After some time passing fields beside the road I came unto a road sign saying 'Namur', showing a photo with a rock and a river, the final destination of my walking part of the trip. I was excited that I found the way without GPS or map but at the same time, I was a little sad because this section of my trip was soon over.

   I came to a roundabout, one road was turning right to an industrial area but I chose to continue straight on the Chaussée de Bruxelles, an older road. which later became the Route Nationale. The field was not more open but lined with trees beside the road. The road went downhill and was over-passed by a highway, the A15.

   I still continued straight and stumbled upon a road sign saying Namur 8km. The road became very busy and, after looking at my watch, I realized it was already time for the evening rush hour. Only later it occurred me that it was Saturday but the traffic still became very busy.

   Finally, I came to the first houses in the district of Namur and the road lead me downhill. The traffic became so busy that the cars came often to a standstill. In a Quick restaurant, I called my wife and informed her that I am o.k.

   I came to closely built houses older houses marking Belgrade, not in East Europe but in the suburbs of Namur. This part was indeed named after the same-named city in Serbia to commemorate the Austrian empire's conquest of the city from the Ottoman Turks. The duchy of Namur was at that time a dependency of the Austria-ruling royal house of Habsburg (wikipedia).

   The road, still part of the N4, seemed to be endless but finally I reached the city of Namur, my final destination...

(to be continued@
https://gerdiwanninger.blogspot.com/2019/03/fighting-cobbles-my-trip-to-belgium-in.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! If not convenient to subscribe on Blogger.com, I've started my own homepage @ https://gerhardwanninger.wixsite.com/travel