Dwti Draig

One of the best things about the camping spot we found is that it is only 0.4 miles from Bruges train station, so we were able to visit the lovely city of Ghent. Again this was not to be our first visit as we have visited several times before, especially to visit the Ghent Festival of Light, where a 7km walk around the city is filled with fabulous light installations. The last one was in February 2024 and they take place every 3 years.

We walked to the train station and hopped on the next train, which cost us 32E for a return journey. We then caught the tram into the centre, and quickly found that the trams layout has had a massive reroute since we last visited.  

Once we were in the centre we started our well trodden walk around to find our favourite haunts. We were starving, so our first stop was to the tiny Himschoot bakery in the Groetenmarkt. It is the oldest bakery in Ghent, since 1880 and often has a queue outside as it is so small. It is like visiting someone’s front room, that is if their front room was filled with cakes and bread! We knew exactly what we wanted, and I had eyeballed my favourite Notentaart in the window. Imagine my sheer horror when the man in front of me bought the last remaining one! Hold me back! I had to make do with a pecan tart instead, whilst Lyn had broodpudding and a cherry strudel. We returned later to buy bread,and I bought a nut loaf, so all was not lost. 

After eating our spoils on some steps in the square it was straight into Ghent’s smallest bar, and our favourite, T’Galenhuis, or the Gallows House. It has been a non stop cafe since 1776 and it used to be the tripe house where the poor people could buy entrails whilst convicts waited to be hanged at the rear. The terrace outside is bigger than the inside, and although tempting to sit outside in the sunshine we headed inside. The ground floor sits 13 and the upstairs seats about 7. We headed up the tortuous narrow spiral staircase, holding onto the rope, and I ordered my favourite hot chocolate, which consists of hot milk poured over chocolate chips. Bliss. Lyn opted for a beer. No surprise there! We sat and  chilled, watching the comings and goings outside the windows. 

From there we wandered around the beautiful buildings and along the river. One of the most beautiful streets is the Graslei, along the River Leie. One of the most famous photo stops is the view of the Three Towers of Ghent; the towers of Saint Nicholas Church, The Belfry and Saint Bavo’s cathedral. Add these beautiful buildings to the Castle of the Counts and you can see why we love Ghent. 

Not only does Ghent have beautiful buildings it is also lively and quirky. It is less touristy than Bruges and a bit more urban and gritty, especially as it is an university town. It also is famous for beer and chocolate. We tried to visit another of Lyn’s favourite bars, the Trollkelder, but it was closed. Imagine a dark bar filled with mythical trolls and over 300 beers? Lyn’s idea of heaven, mine of hell. We did manage to agree on a different common shared love; a visit to a Leonidas chocolate shop, where we had the agonising choice of deciding on 10 chocolates each. Lyn’s was easy; he went for 10 of his favourite manon chocolates, whereas I went for a variety. Now, to try and eek the bloody things out and not eat them too quickly. 

Our visit ended with a visit to my favourite bar/restaurant, Mosquito Coast, which is a travel bar. A huge bookcase of old travel guidebooks and old National Geographic magazines. What’s not to love? Lyn had a beer and I had a hibiscus mocktail, and I had some humus and crispy Lebanese flatbreads and Lyn had nachos. 

We were finally ready to head back to the truck, on a rush hour double decker train which was on time, spotlessly clean and had a seat for everyone, including a load of children on a school trip. Just like the trains in the UK, right??