With travel plans cancelled worldwide we turn to what’s right under our nose to re-discover what’s familiar, or at least thought was familiar…close to home destinations will be extremely hot (and probably our only option) this Summer. Come (re)join me on the short visit to Kortrijk we made last year.
Are you living outside Belgium? Then Bruges is probably the first city that comes to mind when thinking of Belgian West Flanders province, right? May this post give you some inspiration on other interesting places in Flanders to discover once we all get the ‘travel go ahead’ again.
Kortrijk (Courtrai) is West Flanders’ second largest city, after Bruges, and just like its big brother knew great wealth in the Middle Ages. The eye-catching Broeltorens are reminders of the medieval defensive structure and offer great photo opportunities.
A river runs through it, being the ‘Leie’. Over the past years it was widened and straightened in order to make it more navigable for larger ships. This gave the city a major facelift as the wider river also came with new bridges, lower banks, walkpaths and park areas and even a little beach in Summer months.
Buda bridge
Below the area around city college with the College footbridge and K-tower housing complex.
Kortrijk inspires and innovates, and rightfully earned the title of ‘Unesco Creative City’ (design). Art centre Buda offers a platform for a varity of artists and designers and just walking through city streets already gives a hint of the city’s contemporary character.
I personally liked the quotes and graphic designs in city centre part of the playful ‘here to there’ art installation. And I know spitting is a big NO these days, but hey, don’t we all hope for the best?!
Summer usually brings a lovely terrace just next to ‘Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk’…
…where churches bring us to the peaceful Unesco-heritage beguinage site which dates back to the 13th century. Restoring the housing facilities and renovation of the site as a whole started in 1984 and will be completed by 2021.
So next time West Flanders is on your radar, do take time to visit Kortrijk. If you’re looking for a place to stay, can recommend B&B OYO, just outside city centre, but still in walking distance, and near train station. Of course, Belgium would not be Belgium: lots of restaurants and bars, just ask and your hosts will guide you to the best places in town!
…yes, there are still certainties in life! In this locked world, the door to nature remains wide open, whether it’s sticking your nose into the growing herbs on your own balcony or exploring the wildlife in a local park.
You come and go, you come and go
Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dreams
Red, gold, andgreen
(lyrics Karma Chameleon – Culture Club)
Putting all senses on focus will help to pick up the latest birdie twitters on thé pop-up event of the year, called Spring.
No event is complete without a colourful decor…
…or attendees in fluffy outfits, searching for snacks and, yes, well, some a little overdressed…
Pretty crowded pool party at times, with Egyptian goose, moor hens and the mallard ducks all having babies!
Want to attend a similar event? Just step outside and take a local nature hike. Use this time to explore your ‘close-to-home-world’ and above all:
Live life in bloom!
Hope you enjoyed this Spring pop-up!
Next time some day-trip inspiration, close to home (as I don’t see us travelling soon just yet) and, of course, there’s also SA’s Garden route to continue further, so stay tuned and keep inspired!
Ingrid
xxx
(All photos taken at Solhof or de Reukens in Aartselaar, Belgium)
The drive from CPT is around 400 km and many interesting stops are possible along the route. We took a coffee and sweets break (Trends Cafe) in charming Riversdal and had a late lunch in Mosselbaai at trendy Blue Shed Coffee Roastery…
Lovely seaside and beach walks were in very short distance and together with a glass of local wine and some snacks on our outside porch thé perfect way to end first day of our stay here.
Day two and time for some action and see some wildlife.
Reason for choosing Tergniet was actually its proximity to Botlierskop Private Game Reserve. Alternatively you can also opt for a luxurious stay inside the reserve and enjoy its spa facilities, but Tergniet was only a 20’ drive and for us a more budget-friendly option. (Though must say pricing seemed reasonably fair compared to other game reserves)
The 4500 hectare reserve is home to four of the big five (no leopards) and offers a wide range of activities, also for day visitors like us. We opted for a 3 hour guided game drive, where guide Silas safely drove us around and gave lots of intel on the local wildlife.
Sadly no lions showed up that day, but we saw plenty of zebras, giraffes, elephants, springbok (one of SA’s national symbols), the rare black impala etc…… ( there are about 26 different species to spot and over 200 resident bird species).
Had booked a picnic after the drive, which was served on the border of the inner lake, with comfy seating and great views the perfect spot to relax and kill the appetite.
Sleeping outside the domain has its advantages, like in daytime safari-feel, night-time ocean-feel…best of both worlds!
Time to continue this roadtrip! Next stop on our Garden Route discovery will be Plettenberg Bay. So keep an eye out for the next posts! See you then, and in the meantime: stay home, stay safe and above all, stay dreaming!
(Note: we made this trip early Febr, when world was not yet in this tight paralyzing grip of scary Corona, stay safe everyone!)
Cape Town touchdown…what better way to start our South African adventure than eploring the Mother City! Welkom in Suid-Afrika!
We landed in Cape Town around noon and after installing ourselves in our comfy Airbnb some leg-stretching to ease the back and muscle pain after the long flight was more than welcome! We spent our first day on African soil strolling CPT’s streets with impressive Table Mountain as perfect backdrop.
Table mountain is a flat-topped mountain overlooking Cape Town and is a huge tourist attraction. The highest point is 1,086 meters (3,563 ft) above sea level. It is often covered in cloud which is know as the ‘Table cloth’. By the way, it only looks flat from one side, the overlying mountains to the south west are known as the Twelve Apostles…
Colourful houses in Bo Kaap
Another day, other scenery. On our second day we took a sightseeing bus tour…The red tourist busses, hated by some, loved by others, though a relatively cheap way, at least in SA, to cover more ground. The red city line brought us, among other stops, to Castle of Good Hope, Table Mountain and Camps Bay.
Camps Bay with Twelve Apostles, one of the stops of the red line city bus tour
…and we used the blue Peninsula line to get to Kirstenbosch Gardens where we spent almost whole afternoon.
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is acclaimed as one of the great botanical gardens of the world. Showcasing Cape flora in all its beauty and the garden’s jaw-dropping setting, against the eastern slopes of Cape Town’s Table Mountain, make this a must see.
You can do the lovely tree canopee walk, several theme gardens, like the fragrance or medicinal garden and multiple walks to choose from, even a braille walk.
For us Kirstenbosch definitely was one of the highlights during Cape Town visit and only a short bus or Uber ride from city centre.
Day three started slowly as that night I had a major back pain attack and needed upto noon to recuperate. As it was Saturday that day we decided to take an Uber to lively Woodstock area and market. Setting for this was The Old Biscuit Mill, and old red-brick factory that was transformed in 2005 into trendy co-work spaces, workshop venue and designer stores. Add the daily artisan and fashion stalls and every Saturday a neighbourhoods market and you’ve got a hip and trendy hub for fashion/designer/foodie lovers.
‘One of the very best things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating‘
Foodies without a doubt will enjoy what Cape Town has to offer on culinary and gastronomic level. Favorite breakfast spot was Origin Coffee Roasters at the Waterkant, just a short walk from our Airbnb and most of our evenings were spent at the vibrant V&A Waterfront, it’s see and be seen there with lots of restaurants and bars, live performances, start of boat excursions, local artisan stalls at the Watershed, etc. We had some lovely dinners at Si Cantina Sociale, Ginja and Sevruga.
V&A Waterfront boat cruise
Day four and already our last day in Capetown and time to test-drive our rental car before the real roadtrip began! We drove upto Kalk Bay for breakfast and some shopping. Salt and also Lekker are great spots for a coffee and or light snack.
then onwards to Boulders Beach and spot the local penguin colony.
Did you know when African penguins are on land, their black and white ‘tuxedo’coat may seem a cool fashion statement, but that it also serves a practical camouflage use when in water? Known as “countershading” the black coat on the penguin’s back hides the penguin from predators swimming above them, while the white belly ensures that predators swimming below the penguin have a difficult time noticing its prey when they look up.
About 2100 penguins call Boulders Beach home, but make no mistake, they are still an endangered species. Do not disturb them to get close and rather observe from a little distance.
…Further south to Cape of Good Hope. We did a lovely hike there with jaw-dropping views.
Beware of the baboons! Bought something to drink and snack and before I could put it in backpack one of the cheeky bastards ran off with my pack of chips. They would make master pickpockets, fast as hell!
Moenie bobbejane voer nie!
Your local tour guide awaits…
Would have liked to spend some more time there but a challenging drive back to city awaited with famous Chapman’s Peak Drive. (Chappies for the locals and among one of world’s best coastal drives)
The road winds through steep coastal cliffside linking Cape Peninsula with Cape Town city. Breathtaking views guaranteed! When driving, eyes on the road though, there are plenty of viewpoints along the drive where you can stop and admire the view.
Sun was already starting to set when we drove back, truly magical.
Another last night and lovely dinner at the Waterfront and then onwards to more adventures. Next stop: Mossel Bay with first safaritrip, but that’s for the next post!
Ingrid
xxx
Want to know our itinerary and where we stayed? You can read all about that here
We just returned from our South African roadtrip and already a lot of you, through my IG acount or personally, asked me about the places we stayed at.
So before starting sharing some of our favourite photos and stories a quick overview of the route we followed and places we stayed at.
First things first, I was lucky to win 2 return tickets to South Africa through an IG-challenge I entered last year. (Contest #beinsouthafrica @meetsouthafrica @divimovenl that was only open to Belgian residents). South Africa had always been on our bucket list, more later than soon; winning the tickets was of course like a gift from heaven and no excuse anymore to postpone our plans.
With only limited travel days this year, we had to choose our route wisely. Based upon the shortlist of things we absolutely wanted to do and see, I planned out a route and started my search on Airbnb and Booking.com for suitable accomodation for the two of us.
Route: Cape Town 4n / Tergniet 2n / Plettenberg Bay 3n / Addo 2n / Oudtshoorn 2n / Franschoek 2n / return to Cape Town International
Accomodations: of the six places we stayed at, five were found through Airbnb, and one through Booking.com. All gems in their own unique way, we fellt at home in each and every one of them and were always warmly welcomed.
1/ Airbnb Trendy Loft Apartment Cape Town, De Waterkant, contact Luigi
Perfect location, view on Table Mountain, spacious, lovely trendy interior, shower and separate bath. All that CPT has to offer on foot or short Uber-ride distance.
2/ Airbnb C-the-C, Tergniet, contact Diana
We chose this apartment on ground level of private home (though completely separated and with private entrace) for its proximity to Botlierskop Private Game reserve and the ocean. The owners have a lovely eye for detail and decoration and the outdoor terrace just invites you out to hear the waves crashing, enjoying the last sunrays of the day while sipping from a lovely local wine. Beach and ocean for a romantic sunset stroll easily reachable by foot (or car) Perfect address to exhale!
3/ Airbnb Park House Forest Suite, Plett Bay, contact Paul
What a true find this one was! Doesn’t get much more perfect than this: in both private and shared spaces (kitchen, swimming pool, lounges) you could feel and see the owner’s (who live next door) passion for interior design. the house could easily feature in a magazine and yet, still felt very cosy. oh, and our room even came with a private outdoor shower! Plett offers an excellent starting point to explore all the lovely nature reserves in the neighbourhood and some excellent restaurants too. We, personnaly preferred it to busier Knysna.
4/ Gerald’s Gift Guest House, Addo, Booking.com
Offers multiple rooms, included breakfast and even on site dining, so if you want to just put feet up after exploring Addo Elephant Park the whole day, and mingle wth the other guests, search no more! Lovely garden to stroll in and of course also a swimming pool.
5/ Airbnb Karoo Country Style Guest Suite, Oudtshoorn, contact Sharon
Another gem if you are looking for an apartement with homely feel. Very spacious, again spotlessly clean, lovely outdoor seating porch and terrace and large pool and comfy chairs. If you love reading, you’ll appreciate all the lovely books on various topics in the hallway. Kitchen has everything you need to prepare a quick meal, though plenty of great restaurants, ask Sharon and she will help you make a choice and/or booking.
The estate comes with million dollar views. As for accomodation, again very spacious, clean kitchen with filled fridge to provide for breakfast, etc…and lovely outdoor seating areas to enjoy that view. Indoors some tiny points of attention could easily lift this to the same level as the view. ( Was not a fan of rather old-fashioned and noisy airco and living area has floor mats with curled up ends, which for someone like me who has to take care not to trip are not that great, but am sure if we would have asked housekeeper she would have rolled and stored them)
Last but not least some facts and numbers:
We flew Lufthansa. The 11and a half hour flight out of Germany was, no sugarcoating it, true hell for me as major back pain sufferer, even with the pain medication and muscle tranquilizers and downloaded Netflix to distract.
We hired a rental car through Sunny Their service in general never disappoints.
Sunny Cars rental – Swartbergpas
We spent 15 nights at an average of EUR 78/night and drove aprox. 1600 km, that is solely the above tour, without excursions, I guess grand total it was almost 3000km. All accomodations had secured, on site parking facilities.
In retrospective, would I change something? To the accomodations? No. Would however, if we had had more time, spent an additional third night at the last two stops. In overall this tour gave us what we expected and for us, as first time Africa travellers, a taste to verify if, like the cliché says, Africa gets under your skin…and yep, it did, does, 100% affirmative, so hope in my lifetime to discover some more of what this continent has to offer!
Join me next time when we start off our trip in vibrant Cape Town
…as Fall slowly ‘leaves’ us and opens the chilly door to Winter, time to sit back and enjoy the colourful highlights of past weeks (preferrably in a comfy chair, with some cake and cup of tea)
There were battlefields of chestnuts and colourful magical fungusamongus pop-ups…
Long-legged shadows and lots of patterns and textures…
Tears from heaven with November rain
Short and longer walks (and lots of stopping to take pictures)
…And for those with an imaginative eye nature gives some subtle hints that Christmas is definitely coming!
Enjoy these last days of November!
Ingrid
xxx
And all the lives we ever lived and all the lives to be are full of trees and changing leaves…
Yesterday, 22nd of September, was car free Sunday: a (mostly) sun drenched day were streets in city centres throughout Flanders and Brussels were cleared and cars were banned. We decided to visit nearby Mechelen, where innovation goes hand in hand with the sustainable development goals and targets for a better and more liveable future.
As all exploring requires some starter fuel, first stop: the newly opened neighbourhood cafe Grá
Where ‘Grote Markt’ was the place to be for cultural info and activities, ‘Bruul’ showcased police force’s horsepower and ‘Ijzerenleen’ was stage for sportive demonstrations…
demonstration police water cannon
Vismarkt and local pub ‘t Ankertje are always a welcome stop if you need to re-fuel again…
And if your energy tank is really low you can always head to the De Vleeshalle food court that opened this year…
Being in the neighbourhood, the Lamot centre housed the Joker Africa travel event that day, and as we will be visiting Western Cape next year, thé place and time to gather some useful info and tips.
And of course, historical buildings à volonté in city centre…
Events like these (mobility, cultural activities, citizen interaction, etc…) fit perfectly into where city sees itself by 2030, comitting to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
Recreational domain De Schorre is inevitably linked to Tomorrowland… however, when madness and beats fade, the original function of the area returns: a lush green site where hikers, children, day tourists and locals can exhale and enjoy nature. The 75ha park is also often used for recreational or sportive events. Since last edition of TML some mythical creatures made the domain forest their home: at the request of the festival the Danish artist Thomas Dambo has brought seven giant trolls to life and this using recycled materials.
Together with my friend Kathleen I had a wonderful stroll in the forest, on the hunt for these friendly giants. Ask for a map at the domain’s information point. They are happy to point out the secret locations of the mythical residents, or just let the trail surprise you and discover at own pace…
Located in a former clay pit, the area is now a green oasis of peace and quiet.
Trolls Una & Jeuris, dreaming and making plans
Troll Hannes with pearls of clay
With his unique creations the artist hopes to inspire people around the world to recycle and carry our precious planet and nature in their hearts.
Leaving the domain and heading for our on site lunch spot we got treated to yummy surprise gift and totally in line with the green environment: thé most delicious apple tarts, made by local bakery ‘Den oude kneeder’
Third and final part of our Puglia-trip brings us back where we started: to Bari, but not before exploring the region south of it, which is dotted with picturesque towns, inland or seaside, and the oh so typical trulli houses…avanti!
Our first stop after leaving Salento region is Ostuni, nicknamed the white city, wonderful town with lots of dining and strolling options. La città bianca shines in the sun, though that requires its effort: inhabitants are obliged to maintain and re-white yearly…
On route to our lodging for the next two days we passed Monopoli, another stop obligatorio! And as we already discovered earlier on this trip, another town with Greek roots. ‘Monos polis’ means unique and singular and even many centuries later the city still proudly wears this name. Lively atmosphere near seaside and colourful shopping streets, though time pauses and all sounds ebb away when further exploring the tiny city streets…
Time to check out our b&b! Home for these two remaining nights of the trip was the lovely Dei Balzi-Dimore de charme in medieval-vibe town of Conversano… what.a.gem! Both city as the lodging! We had the very spacious suite Lavanda on top floor which comes with room-wide terrace and city views. Yummy breakfast and warm welcome included, what more do you want?
Conversano is about a 15 to 20 minute drive from both Monopoli and Polignano a Mare and an excellent choice if you need a central location to visit the area. On top of that the city on itself with medieval trapezium-shape castle and lovely squares and alleys is worth a visit.
Another highlight, Polignano a Mare, birthplace of the father of Italian singers, Roberto Modugno, and his epic classic ‘Volare’. Dramatic and breathtaking views with the city centre perched on rocky headland overlooking the Adriatic Sea. Lots of viewpoint terraces to admire the caves and creeks carved out into the limestone. Might become bit crowded in tourist season but nevertheless a must ‘sea’ 😉
Last stop of this trip…charming Alberobello: trulli wonderland and inevitably attracting many tourists. Trulli are limestone dry wall and conical-roof houses. The roof is often decorated with, mostly, Christian symbols and sometimes topped with a pinaccolo. The ancient dry stone building technique is characteristic for the Itria Valley region with a very high concentration (around 1500 trulli) here in Alberobello which is listed Unesco World Heritage since 1996. The town is built on two hills and surrounded by olive groves and vineyards. Tourist shops, trendy bars, etc…can be found in Rione Monti district, however, head to Rione Aia Piccola district if you want to escape the crowds.
http://www.deibalzi.it/it/ excellent B&B. Warm welcome by Annalisa who will also help with directions and parking ticket as B&B is located in pedestrianised historic centre.
Ready for second part of our recent Puglia discoveries? Andiamo!
That means leaving beautiful Bari and Matera and heading towards region around baroque town Lecce.
We stopped around noon in Taranto: industry and port acitivities rule in this city that once was found as a Greek colony and now, at first sight, seems ruled by shipyards and factories…At first sight that is, because when you head for city centre, you’ll get a glimpse of a vibrant city trying to find a balance between its economical character and cultural past.
…a day at the city beach and port traffic jams…bit of ‘Welcome to Miami’ vibes
Highlight definitely is the Aragonese castle: it is located at the turning bridge where old town meets new and where Mare Grande meets Mare Piccolo. Btw, don’t let the industrial aspect fool you, dolphins made the water and islands in the Ionian see facing the city their home and town delicacy are locally-grown mussels.
Time to drive towards Lecce and check in at the Agriturismo we booked ahead and which is located just outside Lecce, in quiet Novoli countryside. We enjoyed three nights at Li Calizzi amidst fruit and olive trees and fully enjoyed the warm welcome and peaceful location. Thumbs up for the lounge and pool area, yummy al fresco dinners and host Ravi!
Time to set our teeth in exploring the region: Lecce lies in Salento, the southern tip of Puglia and just breathes culture. Famous for its ‘Pietra Leccese’, a soft limestone that has a very unique way of reflecting light and gives the local monuments a natural warm glow. Besides the history lots of shops and restaurants and bars.
Another town within easy reach of our accomodation was Brindisi, which can also serve as airport destination when visiting this part of Italy. Again lots of shops and a ‘stroll, explore and enjoy’ destination. Pier side offers multiple fine dining and passeggiata options while admiring the passing yachts, in all sizes!
…La Locanda del Porto Brindisi
Highlight, for us, in Salento was trip to nearby Gallipoli, again an acient Greek settlement. Lots of shops and dining facilities and alleys to get lost in, though turquoise water of Ionian Sea is never far off, so perfect town to explore on foot…
…and/or just sit and relax …
You can choose to explore the small alleys of centro storico or do the Riviera walk all way round with picturesque sea views guaranteed. You can gaze at the cathedral or hit the shops and definitely don’t miss Blanc, truly thé most wonderful café & living store and for a wonderful lunch with amazing view head to Il Bastione.
Gallipoli definitely has it all, don’t miss out on this gem!
Join me next time for the final part of our trip where we stayed in Conversano and explored both seaside and Trulli-countryside.
The Back Road Chronicles 