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

Fighting the Cobbles - My trip to Belgium in 2018, Part 36 in Gembloux

this blog continues the previous Part 35,
https://gerdiwanninger.blogspot.com/2019/01/fighting-cobbles-my-trip-to-belgium-in.html

Saturday, June 30, 2018

“Better to see something once than hear about it a thousand times”

Anonymos

   After the picture from the Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech University I turned around and continued on the Grand'Rue. The road continued downhill and I passed a part of an old wall, possible the remains of the old abbey. 

    Right after it I came onto an open place which was 'decorated' with a War Memorial reminding the citizens and visitors of the fallen heroes. I stopped for a moment to take a picture...

Gembloux War Memorial

   After this memorial the road became narrow, reminding me of many European cities of the Middle Ages. The houses were built very close to each others, a dangerous environment for fires destroying many inner cities. 

   It would be so comfortable to walk through the downhill road in the shadows of the buildings - except for the cobbles. I passed some shop windows and thought for a Saturday morning the streets were very empty...Until I reached the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall Square) which hosted the Weekend or Farmer's market. Local and traveling traders offer their goods ranging from free range poultry to local hand made delicacies, from shoes to clothing and everything in between.

   As the name of the place suggest there is the town hall nearby. I took a picture of the old House of the Bailli (originated in the 12th century) which is the current town hall. This building made of sandstone and limestone rubble was rebuilt in the late sixteenth century. partly on two cellars dating from the twelfth and thirteenth century. It belongs to the town of Gembloux since 1951.

House of the Bailli

   Turning back to the Grand'Rue I just followed the narrow streets. A blessing for pedestrians the Grand'Rue naturally forces the drivers not to explore the town by car. And if they do so they have to slow down significantly. At one point I left right into the flat Rue Léopold which lead me to the Place de l'Orneau, another open space but its main purpose was to create parking.

   At the Rue Moulin I stumbled upon a reminder of ramparts as a part of the defensive city wall. In the Middle Ages Gembloux was on the border of two rival territories, the Duchy of Brabant, to which the town belonged, and the County of Namur. In 1152, Frederick of Hohenstaufen, who would become the Germanic Emperor Barberousse, authorized the small city to be surrounded by ramparts. These ramparts had a length of approximately 1 km and included an area of ​​about 7 ha, three of which devolved to the former Benedictine abbey. From these ramparts nowadays remain two towers and a section of wall that flanked the door from above.

One of the remaining two Rampart of Gembloux

   At the Rue Moulin I stumbled upon a reminder of ramparts as a part of the defensive city wall. In the Middle Ages Gembloux was on the border of two rival territories, the Duchy of Brabant, to which the town belonged, and the County of Namur. In 1152, Frederick of Hohenstaufen, who would become the Germanic Emperor Barberousse (1122-1190), authorized the small city to be surrounded by ramparts. These ramparts had a length of approximately 1 km and included an area of ​​about 7 ha, three of which devolved to the former Benedictine abbey. From these ramparts nowadays remain two towers and a section of wall that flanked the door from above.

   The Rue du Coquelet led me away from so much history through very narrow streets. It led me e to a roundabout right in from of the Gembloux train station. For convenience I went into the modern building, went upstairs and used the overpass leading me over the tracks. From there I had a nice view of the town. With this last sight and I left the old part of Gembloux.

(to be continued@
https://gerdiwanninger.blogspot.com/2019/01/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! If not convenient to subscribe on Blogger.com, I've started my own homepage @ https://gerhardwanninger.wixsite.com/travel

Fighting the Cobbles - My trip to Belgium in 2018, Part 35 from Perbais to Gembloux

this blog continues the previous Part 34,
https://gerdiwanninger.blogspot.com/2019/01/fighting-cobbles-my-trip-to-belgium-in.html

Saturday, June 30, 2018

“You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover is yourself.”

Alan Alda (Jan. 28, 1936) American actor, director, screenwriter, comedian and author

   Walking through the fields between Perbais and Ernage somehow the time blurred away until I finally discovered first roofs on the road far a head. After a slight left turn I faced the first buildings after a very quiet time passing the fields. 

Take me Home, Country Roads...

   From the right side of the road a car drove out from the pathway, the first reminder that I've returned to civilization. Sill walking I discovered some red dots on and beside the road with cherry stones squashed by some vehicles. Looking up a tree I've discovered indeed dark cherries grown on a wild tree which no one seemed to care about...I picked up a view from a lower branch and enjoyed the gift of a sweet morning snack.
  Before a document from 1293 mentions today's name 'Ernage' former Latin texts provided names Asnatgia or Asntatagia (946), Asnatica (around 1040 and in 1136) Esnagia or Estnagia (1213). The Romanesque form Esnage appeared between 1194 and 1229. In its historical topography of Walloon Brabant published in Amsterdam in 1692, Antwerp Jacques le Roy spells this area Ernaige and Erfnage. 

   As I walked parallel to the main road it was not difficult to return through the houses and found the way back to the Chaussée de Wavre, as this part of the A4 is named in this area. Coming to the intersection there were some cows just opposite of the road, an opportunity for taking photos which I would not like to miss. 

Young Cows grazing beside the Road

   I turned right and followed the main road and enjoyed and easy flat walk until I passed the Snack Factory (www.snack-factory.be), an American Style grill and diner directly beside the road. The sun was still on the rise and the restaurant closed. But the interesting light let me take a photo of the American styled neon sign behind a swinging Elvis.

   Still walking through the countryside I've notice a big truck standing at the right sight of the road loading potatoes. A conveyor system forwarded the potatoes on the truck with the earth falling off into containers or on the floor. Knowing that French Fries or 'frites', as they are called in Belgium, are a basic food staple in this country, seeing this had no small meaning. As there is a steady demand for potatoes this loading is a significant sight for tourist like me. While I stopped to watch the procedure and to take a picture the truck driver and the worker waved to a me as a friendly gesture to the interested tourist hauling his sports bag along...

Loading Potatoes in Belgium

   The next larger city, Gembloux. was not far away and a relative leisurely walk. The city has only around 22.000 inhabitants but is very well known for its Agricultural University, the Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech.
   As I walked along the main road I've noticed a lot of police motorcycles and cars with policeman securing the road. I suppose some important person/s wanted to visit the town or the university but I a not much sure about that. 

   I passed some older and newer buildings and followed the Rue Sigebert into the city center. As along the whole way there were many road signs and as the Belgians are good educated people the only problems were the cobbles which were not only on the roads but also on the sidewalks. 
   The road name changed into the Grand'Rue and I passed a Tourist Office but did not pay much attention to it. As the road went a little downhill I've discovered the main entrance of the before mentioned Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech University on the right side. There is a gate and through this gate I took the picture below. The University is housed in the historic Abbey of Gembloux which was founded about 945 by Saint Guibert of Wibert and dedicated to Saint Peter and the martyr Saint Exuperius (died around 410).

   After the French Revolution (1789-1799) the monks were expelled and the abbey sold. In July 1860, the Agronomic School of Thourout was transferred to Gembloux; in 2009 it was merged with the University of Liege and renamed into Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech (wikipedia).

Main Building of the Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech housed in the former Abbey of Gembloux

   As a son of uneducated parents, a violent alcoholic father and an even more violent Nazi mother, I longed my whole life for knowledge and still admire every person who could and can have a university education which was never possible for myself. 
   My tyrannical mother thought of herself to be a big planner. As in Germany the education is decided after the fourth grade her plan stood in my to open the path to a higher education. She wanted to leave the family as soon as possible after the children became independent and have their own income. Learning at the secondary school (German: Gymnasium) is a requirement to study at a university in Germany would take too many 'additional years' she had to spend with this family. So she decided against her children to pursue a higher education for the sake of a fast income.
   After my school graduation, I got an apprenticeship as a "Wholesale Businessman" at a local Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche Dealer. This education included one part vocational school and one part working to gain experiences and a small salary. My mother was, of course, very happy because I was able to pay 1/3rd of salary as 'living expenses' directly to her.
   I remember the first day at the vocational school when we had to write a report to introduce ourselves and why we've decided to pursue this career as homework. I've written my assignment and gave it to the teacher. One week later he returned my homework and told me "I've read your paper and wonder what are you doing here? You should study at a university, not learn here at the vocational school!" "My mother wanted me to come here and earn some money!" was my sad reply. She shook his head and left...

   This is one of the many reasons why I like to spend some time to catch the atmosphere and make photos from universities whenever I pass them...

(to be continued@
https://gerdiwanninger.blogspot.com/2019/01/fighting-cobbles-my-trip-to-belgium-in_22.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