When my plans fell through at the last minute, I didn’t really put much thought into things and just hopped on a train to Ghent. I wasn’t at all prepared but at least I remembered enough from my last visit to get around – out of the train station, onto a tram and down to Korenmarkt. Then wander around for a while trying to locate Gravensteen – for a castle, it’s surprisingly difficult to spot!
I’d arrived too late to actually go inside the castle (did that last time anyway) but it was nice walking along the canals with the sun getting low in the sky. I’m so in love with Belgian architecture (and that’s not even the Belgian beer talking, although that is a love affair of its own). It’s such a beautiful country and the people are great. I’m really not sure why I waited seven years to come back.
Ghent was clearly where all the tourists were (bearing in mind I hadn’t been to Bruges yet). The center of town was buzzing and all the bars were full of people enjoying a beer in the sunshine. And if you can’t beat them…
My impromptu trip to Ghent ended with a tasty dinner of pumpkin soup and goat cheese salad. There was a Food Truck Festival in town but unfortunately I didn’t spot that until after I’d eaten. So instead it was back to the train station and home to Brussels. (Which really does feel more like home every day.)
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