Traveling to Belgium...Papaver help!!!!

[papaver]

And if you want to spend a day in the country, you can always ask me to drive you guys around. It's no biggie.

Maybe we can visit the most important places of the spring classics.

[krisl6]

Just to throw in my two cents: I live in Holland which is similar to Belgium and as an American I find the streets here (especially in the city centers) very narrow and crowded and the parking spaces are a lot smaller too! Not to mention all of the bikes, pedestrians, scooters, cars, etc. It can get pretty hectic and stressful, especially if you don't know exactly where you're going. That being said I've found the public transport systems in Holland, France and Belgium to be very good. Take the train and that way you can relax and enjoy your honeymoon and not argue about directions, driving, etc.

[papaver]

Oh, he'd most definitely learn to drive a stick before we went to Europe. That said, the idea of trying to navigate in a foreign country doesn't appeal to me terribly. One of my friends who had a bad experience with renting a car in France had a GPS for the car, and she said it come in VERY handy.

Papaver, Gent is one of the places we wanted to drive to. Beyond being more centrally located than Bruges, why do you prefer it? A few years back, Budget Travel magazine did an article on Gent and I remember thinking "I must go there," but I can't remember much from it. I remember that it was very cycling-centric. I like the idea of renting bikes for the day and tooling around.

Thanks for all the help. If you have any suggestions regarding where to eat, what to see, etc., I'd certainly welcome them.

Bruges is beautiful, no doubt about it. But it's also dead in the evenings. Ghent is just as beautiful, it's less touristical and very vibrant during the night. It's a great balance between culture, cuisine, shopping and just fun. I know a great B&B in Gent. What to visit? Just walk around and be amazed. There are so many medieval buildings, little streets (like Patershol). And the centre of the city (that's almost 65%) is entirely car free. And you can cycle to Sint-Martens-Latem (15 kms or so). That is a very very pittoresk place. A lot of artsist lived there at the beginning of the 20th century.

On Sunday mornings there are small markets everywhere in Gent (the flower market with live music, a champagne & oyster stand > extremely popular and very cosy). Bookmarkets, antiques... Great stuff.

Everything in Belgium is very closeby. So if you only visit cities, it's a bit silly to rent a car. There is a slight difference between drivers in the States and Europe (ahum). They are a lot more agressive.

If you take the Thalys (high speed train) from Paris to Brussels, it only takes 1h20 mins (yes only 80 minutes). And you have no traffic jams whatsoever. I never go to paris with my car because it's so much easier. And i hardly ever visit a city by car either. The train is so much easier.

To visit the cities, count a day per city. And then you can decide which city you can go back to (you'll definately want that). Between Bruges and Gent it's only 45 kms or so. More or less the same between Gent and Brussels and Gent and Antwerpen.

This is a very handy site to plan your trip by train.
http://www.b-rail.be/main/E/

If you would do this by car you'll have lots of traffic jams, and you'll loose lots of time searching parkingspace. I personally would never do it.

You can fly back to the states from Brussels airport (it has its own trainstation), or you can take the Thalys back to paris (which will be cheaper, i think).

This is the site for the high speed train. http://www.thalys.com/

The earlier you order your trainticket, the cheaper it'll be.

[papaver]

Oh yes and if you want to drive in Belgium.... ahum... there's one minor confusing thing. If you are in the french part of Belgium you'll have to follow the signs: Bruxelles, Anvers, Bruges, Louvain or Gand, depending if you want to go to Brussel, Antwerpen, Brugge, Leuven or Gent. The same goes for the dutch part of Belgium. If you want to visit Liège, Namur or Bastogne... you'll have to follow the signs Luik, Namen, Bastenaken.

Oh yes and we have another rather strange rule. If there is a street on your right, stop and let the other drivers coming from that street pass... Maybe Kris can explain you that one.

[krisl6]

Oh yes and we have another rather strange rule. If there is a street on your right, stop and let the other drivers coming from that street pass... Maybe Kris can explain you that one.

Haha. Yeah that was a new one to me. Almost got myself killed on more than one occasion! Strange rule indeed. And right turns can be pretty scary too if there's a bike coming up behind you. Stick with the trains I say!

[papaver]

oh yeah and if you hit a pedestrian or a cyclist with your car, you are ALWAYS responsible for their medical bills, and no you don't get a discount.

[indysteel]

Thank you so much for all the helpful advice. You've sold me on taking the train. I've travelled by train fairly extensively in Ireland and the UK and loved it. I'm sure Brian will, too. I was really only considering renting a car for our days in Belgium, but it seems that everyone agrees that it's likely not worth the trouble. No way would we drive in Paris. I'd die of a heartattack for sure.

Papaver, you're making Gent sound VERY attractive. I did a few searches on the other cycling site I frequent and several people on that forum said they prefer Gent to Bruges as well. I'll share all of this with Brian. In the meantime, if you want to forward your B&B recommendation to me, that would be great.

I'm sure to have other questions at some point!

[sfa]

If you are in the french part of Belgium you'll have to follow the signs: Bruxelles, Anvers, Bruges, Louvain or Gand, depending if you want to go to Brussel, Antwerpen, Brugge, Leuven or Gent. The same goes for the dutch part of Belgium. If you want to visit Liège, Namur or Bastogne... you'll have to follow the signs Luik, Namen, Bastenaken.

It took me six years to realize that Aix-la-Chapelle (which I learned about in my French classes) was the SAME PLACE as Aachen (which I learned about in my art history classes). OK, not a Dutch/French difference, just a border town thing.

Sheesh.

[papaver]

This can be helpfull...

http://www.bedandbreakfast-gent.be/_en/home.php

Look at the extras.

[papaver]

It took me six years to realize that Aix-la-Chapelle (which I learned about in my French classes) was the SAME PLACE as Aachen (which I learned about in my art history classes). OK, not a Dutch/French difference, just a border town thing.

Sheesh.

If i go one mile to my left I live in Tirlemont-Gossencourt, if I go one mile to my right I live in Tienen-Goetsenhoven.

[Grog]

Ok, nobody has mentioned the movie. Papaver did say that Bruges is a bit quiet at night.

I had a lovely time there, but would definitely not spend four days. So Ghent, Antwerp sound like a great idea! BUT: do see the movie, I think it's funny (in a weird kind of way): In Bruges http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0780536/

[papaver]

He (the character of Collin Farrell) is right though... nothing happens in Bruges. It is absolutely beautiful, but not if you want to see some nightlife. Bruges is a museum, Ghent and Antwerp are vibrant.


A very funny but still handy site: http://www.use-it.be/ghent/

[indysteel]

So, I think we worked out our itinerary. We're spending six nights in Paris, one in Brussels and three in Gent. We'll take the train to Bruges one day and hopefully spend another tooling around the countryside on bikes, weather permitting. Otherwise, we'll figure out how to spend that third day (Antwerp, another day in Gent or Bruges?) once we get there and get a stronger sense of what's most appealing to us. Of course, your suggestions are still very much welcome.

Thanks for your input!

[papaver]

If you want to cycle outside of Bruges maybe ride to Damme (wich is beautiful!!!!). http://www.damme-online.com/gb.htm

If you cycle in and around Gent, go to Sint-Martens-Latem/Deurne/De Pinte. Very nice too. For the exact route you can go to the "Dienst Tourisme". They'll give go a map with some really nice bikeroutes.

This is another site.
http://www.visitgent.be/eCache/VGG/3...GFuZz1FTg.html

[indysteel]

If you want to cycle outside of Bruges maybe ride to Damme (wich is beautiful!!!!). http://www.damme-online.com/gb.htm

If you cycle in and around Gent, go to Sint-Martens-Latem/Deurne/De Pinte. Very nice too. For the exact route you can go to the "Dienst Tourisme". They'll give go a map with some really nice bikeroutes.

This is another site.
http://www.visitgent.be/eCache/VGG/3...GFuZz1FTg.html

Wonderful! Thank you! Damme was already on my radar assuming we stayed in Bruges, but I was hoping we might be able to ride directly from Gent now that we're staying there. Maybe we'll have time to do both!

We're both so excited. What a bummer we have to wait until May. We do have our wedding (well, elopment) to look forward to next month though!!!!