War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. Faramir, a reluctant warrior in Part 2 of Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien.
It's hard not to look back to World War I when approaching Ypres and this from Tolkien felt appropriate.
I was staying at a B&B last night which means a good breakfast this morning. There was a generous breakfast table laid out for me and, only slightly worryingly, two lit candles and fresh roses from the garden. The scene reminded me of the film Misery which stars Kathy Bates who does everything to stop her guest (played by James Caan) from leaving. I shouldn't have worried as part of the way through my meal my host announced that she had got my bike from the garage so I was 'free to leave'; and this was said with no trace of malicious intent.
Lots of barges transporting materials and most have a car or two so the crew are mobile.
It is morning still and I should have recorded the frightful din the frogs were making. It often takes me a while to work out that it's a frog chorus as it's such a grunting, honking, squealing noise.
Yesterday the canal had an industrial feel to it but not so today.
I should have been patient and waited for a cyclist to ride by in silhouette.
Eventually I spot a place I recognise.
This means I have left Wallonia behind and have entered Flanders; certainly the language on signs has changed and I make a mental note to stop my attempts at speaking French; for the time being at least.
I see signs for the Vlaanderenroute but my route follows an old railway embankment into Kortrijk.
Cycling is a religion in Flanders.
Kortrijk is a good stop as I am ready to eat something and I get a sandwich which is really very good. Then I walk, yes walk, over to the Grote Markt, the Market Square.
Now you can see why all my photos are landscape.
The central area is pedestrianised and people - on foot and on bike - manage to use and share the space quite happily. This prioritisation of the cycle and cyclist means for many journeys it is just so much easier to cycle. Sitting on the edge of the pedestrianised area there isn't a large volume of traffic and the cyclists are having a better time of it. I was starting to wonder if I had mixed up my Flandrien towns but then I saw Kortrijk's signature Two Towers which coincidentally is also the name of Part 2 of Lord of the Rings trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien.
On the 20-mile route from Kortrijk to Ypres my navigation tool has selected the shortest route rather than following the Vlaanderenroute which would have been more scenic but longer. This allows me arrive in Ypres in good shape and I get a glimpse of Flanders when you are not on a carefully curated route. There are excellent cycle paths the full distance, you always knew where to go and you tended to have priority. My entrance to Ypres is via the Menin Gate which was covered in scaffolding last year when I was here.
It is at the Menin Gate where they have a daily act of remembrance culminating in bugles playing The Last Post. You can participate, for example as a choir, bugler, or wreath layer and you can also attend though it gets busy and you need to arrive well ahead of the 8pm service. At 7:10pm all is quiet, at 7:15pm people who have done their research have arrived and secured their place at the front of the cordons, from 7:30pm more people drift in including school parties so by 7:50pm the available pavement space is full ready fir the steely pensioner with sharp elbows to wriggleher way to the front. Then the road is closed and late comers can stand at the 'ends' on the road. The service lasts about 15 minutes, some few words, bugles and wreath laying by associations, groups and families.