InvictaMoto's Red Pepé Blog

Another update. As the route would take me through Ieper/Ypres/Wipers anyway I will stop in the Grote Markt for a short time and visit the Tourist Office and also I might have time to get across the the British Legion shop across the road.  Always a sucker for a new pin badge! I don't want this to become a whistle-stop tour but I need the gate code from the Tourist Office to get into the St Eloi Crater park.  Although if it is anything  like Bayernwald,  when I got there someone had left the gate unlocked and slightly ajar so the code wasn't needed. If time starts to get away with me after Palingbeek I can always cut one or some of the stops out of the route.   When I used to plan these trips for the Kent Centre SOC and then the Meldrews I think I used to build in too many places to stop and then had to remove some on the hoof as it were.Probably better than too few and having to pad the trips out!! My p...

Once I had booked the Shuttle and gave myself plenty of time to get there and back I then started work on a bit of research of where to go. As long as there aren't too many delays getting across then I expect to arrive in the Ypres area about 1200 to 1230. Lunch. Might see if the chip shop in Vlamertinge is open. Being Belgian there will be a large selection of meaty products that can be deep fried... Sounds like a diet buster. If you have ever had fresh chips (frites/fries) in Belgium you will know how they are simply marvellous. From there. To Palingbeek. Then I have added the two mine craters at St Eloi then down to the Pool of Peace,  and finally the Island of Ireland Peace Park near Messines. That should bring me to time to head back. More to follow. St Eloi Crater -   http://www.toerisme-ieper.be/en/page/334-349-364/minecrater-saint-eloi.html Pool of Peace -  https://www.flandersfields.be/en/do/pool-peace Island of Ireland Pe...

To commemorate the numbers of troops killed in the battles around Ypres and at Passchendaele  an amazing memorial has been created in the domain of Palingbeek to the south east of Ypres/Ieper. The memorial consists of 600000 sculptures that each represent a soldier killed on that front during WW1. Pepe and I will be going over there in a few weeks to have a look. The official website (linked below) suggests at least an hour to view the installation. It's only there until 11th November - Armistice Day, so there is limited time to get across and see it. Hopefully I won't be Johnny No-Mates on the day but if I am I can enjoy it all the better myself. There are a couple of other places I'd like to call in where I have not been before or not for a long time. A report to follow in a couple of weeks when I have been over to Belgium. More information: http://www.comingworldrememberme.be/nl/praktisch