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

Fighting the Cobbles - My trip to Belgium in 2018, Part 21 - In Tervuren (1)

This blog continues the previous Part 20,

https://gerdiwanninger.blogspot.com/2018/09/fighting-cobbles-my-trip-to-belgium-in_5.html

Tuesday, June 26, 2018

     

   Back into Tervuren I still had to figure out my way to continue the walking tour to Namur. 

   As it was already late afternoon I tried to find a shop where I could buy something to eat. I've discovered a Carrefour (super) market (Hoornzeelstraat 12, 3080 Tervuren) in which I stacked up food and drinks for dinner and breakfast. I went to the market place in front of the Sint-Jan Evangelistkerk Church and had a late lunch or early dinner on a bench in the shadows.

   Not far away from the place I have just eaten I've discovered a police station and planned to ask there for my way. When I went through the door into the station there were two windows through which people can talk to the police officer on duty. One lady was in front of me so I put my rolling sports bag in the corner and had to wait for my turn.

   To my surprise the officer on duty could speak English. After I inquired about the way he invited me to come into the police station! It was fun to walk between policemen, he lead me to and typed something into a computer. He showed me the way on a map and explained me how to go there. But somehow he came to an impasse with his English and asked another policeman to joined us. He explained me that I had "to pass one 'arch', turn right, follow the street through a forest until I come to the 2nd 'arch'. After it I had to turn left and on the right side of the road there is a clearly marked walking path through another forest!" Three of us had a small chat and a laugh, finally I left the police station with my sports bag still waiting for me!  

The 1st Arch on my Way to Duisburg

   I followed the advice and passed the 1st arch which lead me to a road named 'Rijkunst' (English: horsemanship), from there I had a nice walk through the refreshing air of a forest. I followed a very old wall protecting some houses behind. As the road name changes to Capucijnenpoortdreef (English: Capuchingatelane). I suppose that these historic walls were originally protecting a monastery or another religious institution of the 'Order of Friars Minor Capuchin' within the Catholic Church. 

The 2nd Arch or rather Gate on my Way to Duisburg

   At the end of the road I came to the 2nd arch. I turned left and crossed the very empty main road, the Duisburgsesteenweg. I could walk into the forest but the sinking sun worried me. In the dark through an unfamiliar forest? Forget it!

   So I've decided to walk into the town of Duisburg to find a suitable place for the night. Shortly before Duisburg the road name changed into Tervuursesteenweg. Upon arrival to the town I turned left to the Sportcentrum van Defensie. I walked until I came to a another forest but did not find a suitable place. So I turned back and followed the main road. After the last houses I turned left and came upon some fresh cut fields. I thought I found a suitable place but after I sat down I got 'attacked' by many flies. I continued and came upon a crossroad and walked straight ahead, later I would turn right.

   There, between fields and the crossing of two rural roads, I discovered a large linden tree with two wooden benches and a table under the tree's branches and a garbage box. There was enough space between the bench and the tree for my small tent; I've decided that this it 'the' place for the night! 

My Camp for the Night!

   First of all I gave a prayer of thanks to our Lord for providing me with such a nice place and asked for His protection during the night!

   I 'claimed' the benches and the table for myself, opened my bag and started building my tent. While I was busy out of nowhere came an old farmer and tried to talk to me in Dutch. He looked a little confused but not scary. I could not speak his native language and even he served in Germany for two years with the Belgian Army he could not speak any German at all! But with good will and gestures with our hands we tried to communicate. In moments like this I was glad that we wanted to communicate and made the same efforts to try to understand each other. Feeling that we do not come very far we said finally farewell to each other...

   Trying to get familiar with the environment I've discovered a map with mountain bike trails around the town of Duisburg which shows me that the Belgians make efforts to invest into their own country and to improve the lives of their citizens. 

Map of the Mountain Bike Cycle Network

   The 2nd discovery was a statue of Virgin Mary, the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, within a memorial. I am not a Catholic but this showed me that people living in this area have a reverence for their religion beliefs and thus confirming that this would be a safe place for the night.

Statue of Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ within a Memorial blessing the Fields around

   As the sun went down I crawled into my tent and sleeping bag with my sports bag serving as a pillow. I know, my tent is very small but it was my home for the night and provided me  with a simple shelter which I longed for. It is strange but under my small roof I felt very happy and even I was very tired I could not fall asleep right away. Too many impressions, too many things to be appreciated and thankful about during my 1st day of walking. Finally I felt into a good and positive dream only to be disturbed by some cars stopping by and throwing their own garbage in the provided public garbage bin sometimes. But I did not care too much, I slept like a baby...

(to be continued@

https://gerdiwanninger.blogspot.com/2018/09/fighting-cobbles-my-trip-to-belgium-in_12.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