Fighting the Cobbles - My trip to Belgium in 2018, Part 25 - From Huldenberg to Terlanen

This blog continues the previous Part 24,
https://gerdiwanninger.blogspot.com/2018/09/fighting-cobbles-my-trip-to-belgium-in_25.html

Wednesday, June 27, 2018

   Even the most enjoyable lunch ends at one point so I packed my stuff and continued my way. I still had to finish the steep hill in Huldenberg but after the rest and with a full stomach it was a 'piece of cake'. The road became flat and there were many newer houses beside the road decorated with fresh flowers and bushes in their front garden. Not far away from these buildings I've noticed the sign indicating the end of the town.

   After a short walk I've discovered a big tree across a main road passing me from left to right (or the other way). I've watched some bikers passing me from the left and turning left riding down a hill. Crossing the road and noticing that the field behind it was freshly harvested I'v decided to take a short nap under the shadow of this beautiful tree. I took my sweater as a blanket and indeed slept for a few moments...After I woke up I cleaned up everything and double checked as a gesture of thanks to the owner and the tree, seemingly grown there for me...Thank you! 

Shadow spending tree

   I followed the previous bikers down the road and passed a small but very thick forest. Passing the trees the environment become very rural, only a few farm houses but some horses many cows greeting me beside the road. I felt like a free country boy roaming the streets I just missed some country music. There were big machines working in the fields, one caused some traffic jam while moving on the main road from one field to another.

   Not much later I arrived to a farm town Terlanen; it is so small that even the internet does not reveal a lot of information about it. On the left side I've discovered the dominant Catholic Sint-Michieliskerk (Saint Michelis Church), with a statue of Jesus on the cross nailed right on a wall for everyone to see.

Catholic Cross

   The general difference between a Catholic and the Reformed or Christian Church is the depiction of the cross. The Catholic emphasize a suffering Jesus on the cross with a hurting face and bleeding wounds all over his body. Especially in the Middle Ages the 'suffering' took on absurd forms in Europe. People believed that they should accept and endure the same sufferings and sacrifices as Jesus did and decided to beat and torture themselves for the forgiveness of their sins. The Catholic Church itself set good examples to follow by burning witches, encouraged everyone 'to root out and purge the Christian civilized world of heresy and crimes against God'. They sent Templar knights to kill the Muslims for the ‘forgiveness of sin’ and sold indulgences as compensation for sins ‘left by too much good deeds from Saints’.

   The Reformed Christians do not show Jesus on the cross; the cross is empty because 'He is not here; he has risen, just as He said (Matthew 28:6).' Jesus is alive, 'A new command I give you: Love one another.' (John 13:34). But the most important question asked the teachers who were against Jesus Christ: 'Who can forgive sins but God alone (Mark 2:7)?'
   The road led me to the center of the small town. I passed a seemingly empty tavern with a tin beer commercial. In front of a kindergarten building, I suppose, I ran into the 'Little Free Library', two small book cases with many books behind glass doors for everyone to open. A great idea... 

Little free Library

   From the road I was walking there is a left junction with the direction showing 'Ottenburg', my next goal of the day. I trekked along and crossed a picturesque river beside a non working mill. I leaned my luggage on the brick made railing and took my picture. 

Suddenly a group of elder people with one guide pushed themselves in front of me. Everyone was looking town to the river while the guild explained something in Dutch. After they were finished an elderly lady asked: 'Who's luggage is this?" In this moment I stepped forward and said "This is mine!" and everyone looked a kind of strange and surprised to me,  obviously noticing me for the first time!

Elderly curious Citizens...

   Looking at the photo I noticed that the men carry messenger bags like me on this tour and the women carry backpacks. By the way, the man with the green messenger bag is covering my sports bags on wheels, the red zipper can be seen between his legs...

(to be continued@
https://gerdiwanninger.blogspot.com/2018/10/fighting-cobbles-my-trip-to-belgium-in_8.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 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! 
If not convenient to subscribe on Blogger.com, I've started my own homepage @ https://gerhardwanninger.wixsite.com/travel