Medieval GhentGhent was a great first stop for our Rick Steves Tour, bringing together both historic and modern elements of Belgian life. The city is known for its gorgeous Medieval architecture, but buzzes with energy as it is Belgium's largest university town. Ghent also introduced us to a few things that would become overarching themes of our tour:
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Sailing Around TownWe arrived in Ghent on a rare sunny day. The canal was swarming with university students, sitting along the stone edges to dangle their feet near the water. Throughout our trip of Belgium and Holland, we learned to treasure sunny days. Our tour guide, Nina, called rain-soaked, windswept hair a "Belgian hair day." We took a boat cruise through the city, enjoying a fresh perspective on its ancient buildings and canal-side cafes, before enjoying an awesome group dinner with Belgian beer and a bevy of chocolate desserts. As we strolled back to the hotel, we heard shouts and cheers from Belgians watching their team in the EuroCup.
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The Adoration of the Mystic LambThe pinnacle for the art enthusiasts in Ghent was The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb residing at the beautiful St. Bavo's Cathedral. The creation of this religious masterpiece was by brothers Jan and Hubert van Eyck. It is massive in size and has an extremely exciting history. Learning about the number of times parts of it have been stolen and then recovered, we are amazed that all but one of the twenty-four panels are original. It has survived the destruction of the iconoclasts, damage by fire, numerous thefts, and even spent a large portion of World War II in a salt mine under control of the Nazis. There is now a great effort to preserve this altarpiece for the future. Most of the panels reside in a climate-controlled box, while a few of the panels are being restored in intricate detail at the Fine Arts Museum across town. Our group was able to watch the restoration which was fascinating.
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Our tour took place only three months after the Brussels airport bombings, which claimed the lives of 32 people. In recognition of the fears of some travelers, the tour eschewed the normal trip to Brussels in favor of a more in-depth visit to Ghent. The extra time was well worth it, allowing us to see some of the best of Belgian culture and explore a thriving college town. In addition to walking the cobblestone streets, we saw the works of Flemish masters (some of the best painters of the 15th to 17th centuries), explored modern artistic genius is a Ghent Design Museum (including some very fancy Belgian bikes), snacked on waffles from a sidewalk stand, sipped local beers, and climbed to the top of Gravensteen castle for breathtaking city views.
Picks of the Litter
Fun photo of the day:
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Movie pick:
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Going outta my comfort zone:
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