Beguinages, bridges, bikes and beer

A note: You can now see our total progress, on a map, at http://www.kerr.net.au Just hover over the first small map and the orange line shows where we have been so far.

Heading west, we rejoined the very busy Albert Canal briefly beofre turning onto the relatively new (1950s) Nete Canal and River, finally heading south for a detour via the Leuven Canal to the University (founded 1425) city of Leuven. The canal system is quite intricate and just before each intersection we find a large green direction sign, like those we are used to on the roads. It's very helpful and often necessary to avoid going miles in the wrong direction. We've had good visits to Lier and Leuven and also caught the train from Leuven to Brussels, as the latter is not very boat friendly.

Main square and very impressive town hall, Leuven
We have explored museums (especially enjoying the Musee des Beaux Arts in Brussels), churches and in all three, beautiful town squares. We have also been intrigued by the "Beguinage", a feature of Flanders which we have not seen elsewhere. In the city of Leuven, for example, the Grand Beguinage was established in 1205 when unmarried and widowed women formed themselves into communities probably for mutual support and safety, to escape the suspicions attached to unattached women. These were not convents although the women in them often devoted themselves to work associated with churches. Accounts vary about to the extent that they were religiously based. Probably at that time paid work for a woman was most likely to be available from the Church rather than from private individuals. The women kept their own possessions and earned their livelihood. The wealthier women had their own houses, others lived in communal houses.

The communities were quite large: in Leuven the Grand Beguinage reached its peak in the 17th century with 360 members in a community that occupied about 3 hectares. UNESCO has recognised the importance of 13 beguinages throughout Flanders and we have enjoyed walking through several, in Leuven and in Lier, to see the old beautifully preserved houses, cobbled streets, gardens and water pumps, a town within a town.  We later found that Brussels and Ghent each have at least two beguinages, so they have been an important feature of Flemish life. They are no longer used in this way (the last resident in Ghent died in 2006) but the buildings are generally preserved. In Leuven the Grand Beguinage is used for accommodation at the university, mainly for senior visiting teaching staff. As 40,000 extra people are added to the usual Leuven population of 88,000 during the University year the need for accommodation for staff and students is always pressing.

Beguinage in Lier
Bridges have been a big feature of our travel in the North of Belgium. There are many bridges across the canals and rivers which need to be lifted to allow our passage. This is quite embarrassing as all traffic halts for us to go through, especially on the Canal to Leuven where it seems as if Canal traffic has absolute priority. Each bridge was opened remotely from a control tower as we approached it. Cars, buses, trucks and cyclists all had to wait while we carefully passed underneath the lifted span. On an earlier canal, we created maximum havoc with hundreds of cyclists waiting while we passed through. Not for us the inconvenience of waiting for a scheduled bridge opening time!

Cyclists held up by our 3 minute bridge opening!
With the weather fine, sunny and warm, cyclists continue to be seen in large numbers. One spot seemed to be very popular with cycle clubs and we saw dozens of groups with different uniforms, each 20 or 30 strong. There are huge groups of young people, of the middle aged, people riding with big saddle bags and camping gear, and for us the most impressive of all, the mothers riding with two children, sometimes one on the seat and one in a trailer, or else a "twin trailer" towed behind.

We ended up in Leuven near the Stella Artois brewery and Penny was taken back in time by the smell, so like that from the breweries she passed every day on her way to school, travelling along on Parramatta Road, Sydney. Perhaps that is why she does not like beer, but she enjoyed a "fruit beer", rather like a cider, she sampled in Leuven. David, also not a noted beer drinker, enjoyed sampling one or two local beers. We have not yet let our heads go with Belgium's other notable product, chocolate. We are keeping that for cooler days.

We were stopped near the brewery. Strong beer smell!
Bread continues to be an issue. There are very few bakeries and they don't open early so there have been many breadless days or days of eating days- old bread. Also, one has to be very quick to stop the bread being sliced. We find it keeps fresher if left whole but in Belgium, it's off the shelf and into the slicer without a second in between.

(Part of) the Royal Palace, Brussels
After  two days off in Leuven we will be back on the main system, heading towards the West.

We continue to be puzzled by the complete separation of Belgium into two language areas. Most people in Flanders profess to speak no French and presumably the same is true in the French- speaking areas. It must feel strange for a Belgian travelling in his own country not to be able to read signs or to be understood in shops.

Best Regards,

Penelope and David