Ghent, Belgium
Ghent was once the biggest city in Europe north of Paris back in the Middle Ages, with about 65,000 people living inside its walls. The city is famous for its three historic towers; St. Bavo’s Cathedral, St. Nicholas’ Church, and the Belfry. Ghent also played a major role in the medieval cloth trade, and the masterpiece Ghent Altarpiece by the Van Eyck brothers is still housed in St. Bavo’s Cathedral.
Train from Amsterdam
Sat, Aug 20
Took several trains today: Amsterdam to Rotterdam, then to Antwerp, and finally to Ghent. Fairly easy, just the usual stress of making connections.
Met two nice ladies from India on the last leg, really enjoyed chatting with them.
Arrived in Ghent
Ghent (Gent, Gand) is steeped in history and is a truly fascinating place.
It has a very different feel from Amsterdam: less gritty, more down-to-earth, fewer people (although many more than we expected), fewer smokers, and noticeably cleaner.
Checked into our hotel, then started walking. We're getting 12k-15k+ steps most days.
Saturday Evening
Had a lovely dinner at an Indian restaurant, then wandered the streets a bit more.
Castle & Church
Sunday, Aug 31
Started with a calm morning at a coffee shop in Gent, enjoying pastries and coffee. Strolled around the city and grabbed lunch at Panda, which turned out to be a pleasantly unique experience.
Gravensteen Castle
After breakfast, visited Gravensteen Castle, a medieval fortress built in 1180. The castle once belonged to the Counts of Flanders and has seen life as a residence, prison, mint, and cotton factory before its restoration and transformation into a museum. It was amazing.
Walking through the square in front of Gravensteen Castle in Gent really makes clear how brutal medieval life could be. This space was once a public site for beheadings, hangings, beatings, and torture—punishments that took place right next to the bustling fish market. People shopping for meat and fish would have heard the cries and screams from the castle’s holding cells and the executions happening outside. The castle itself had dank dungeons and torture chambers where prisoners faced devices like the iron maiden, racks, and thumb screws. Medieval justice was harsh!
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, it started raining, so we stopped into a coffee shop for a break.
Adoration of the Mystic Lamb
Ok, this was something we'd never heard of. Also called the Ghent Altarpiece, it's a painting by Jan van Eyck and Hubert van Eyck. At first, I dismissed it. Wasn't interested. But Kelley thought we should check it out and I'm so glad we did.
First of all, the church in which is resides, Saint Bavo's Cathedral, is incredible.
The original Saint Bavo’s Cathedral began as a church built in 942. Over the centuries, it was expanded and transformed.
The painting is much larger than I expected. And more impressive. It has been sold and stolen multiple times. Pretty incredible story. One panel is still missing.
Ended the day with dinner by the canal, sharing small plates and soaking in the beautiful alpenglow.
Day Trip to Bruges
Monday, Sept 1
Ronnie
So Many Tours
Tuesday, Sept 2
Tuesday was tour day. Scott and Carie had completed two tours before we left the hotel. Then we all hopped on a boat tour (after coffee and croissants). The guide was super funny, so glad we got him.
After the boat tour, we regrouped and did a two hour walking tour. Sophie & her pup were good company. There was a lot of duplicated content, but there is a lot of history here.
Last night in Ghent
Great dinner by the river, followed by the best desert in my life around the corner.
Headed to Brussels
Wed, Sept 3
Travel Day
Best breakfast of the trip at Le Pain Quotidien. Then took a train from Gent-Sint-Pieters to Brussels Airport where we, sadly, parted ways with our buddies Scott & Carie. They headed back to Copenhagen, then eventually back to SFO.
Off to Switzerland
Ronnie