We are in Belgium....what a trip man!!! (1 Viewer)

[haganap]

Just arrived back in Belgium in Ghent aire for a look around the city tomorrow..

So far we have been to....
ypres to see the last post. Truly amazing and sombre at the same time and so much more than I thought it would be...

Then shot off to Amsterdam for a couple of nights... crap site but ideally located for a trip round the drug mecca on the bikes...sadly had a very lucky escape when tara fell in the IJ canal and had to be rescued because there was no place within 2 miles to get out...i thought i was going to lose her as i tried to lift her over a very large metal bank about 4 ft high. Luckily a coupLe of joggers came over to help and we managed to lift a 10 stone dog wet through over 4 ft high whilst being below water level ourselves.

Moved on to koLn and had a lovely ride around the city and such a beautiful place even though the people were quite rude especialy the bloke parked next to us.... had to visit the vet as tara was up all night itching and been diagnosed with a skin infection from her time in the water...

Now moved on to Ghent and a nice parking spot...quick look around the city tomorrow before heading off to brugge for one last night before returning home....

Phew. ..

 

[old-mo]

"Wow".......... A trip you wont forget, for all the wrong reason`s...

Glad Tara is OK...

 

[Carol]

Paul some of it sounds good but what a fright with poor Tara Bear, so glad it ended well must have been quite frightening for you and her.

Have a uneventful journey home.

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[Puddleduck]

Sorry to hear about Tara and hope her infection clears up really quickly.

My dog once chased a seagull off the end of the pier - which was when she found out birds could fly but dogs don't... she continued to swim after the gull and we thought we had lost her. After searching up and down the beach we went back to the car to find her sitting beside it looking very cross (and she was very wet and smelly).

At one time we used to holiday in Belgium most years. De Haan was one of my favourite places but haven't been for years.

 

[champers]

Omg must have been so scary, fortunately those joggers appeared and were able to help, hope she is recovering ok...
Enjoy the rest of your trip

John n Kath x

ps think Tara deserves a extra rasher of bacon too

 

[Red Dragon]

Bloody hell Paul you don't half have some amazing trips !!!!
Really glad Tara and you survived the sight,sounds and smells of Amsterdam,but leave the canals out next time.

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[Janine]

What an adventure!

 

[Wildbill]

have a good time paule

 

[cliffanger]

Crikey what a near miss! Glad Tara is ok and hope the infection clears up quickly. We've had the same terrible experience where the dog has gone in and there is no way to get her out - we had to coax her to swim what seemed like miles until we could find a place where we could get her out and she was a tiny spaniel. Not a hairy bear like Tara! Have a good last few days and no more adventures!

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[tonyidle]

My two ( see profile pic) even walk round puddles on the pavement. When I read of your 'event' I'm quite pleased that they do.

I'm glad it turned out OK. My wife had a poodle that jumped into a river in flood - luckily she chose the only backwater for miles. It was still a struggle to retrieve her.

 

[scousebird]

Hope the rest of your trip in uneventful

 

[yodeli]

Oh la vache !!!! (= Oh Dear but more familiar) You must have been through hard time. I can imagine you trying to pull Tara out of the water, feeling useless!! Lucky you are well trained , your heart must have been banging loud in your chest!!
Very happy for you and the rest of the family and Tara that all ended well !!
Have a peaceful trip back home!

Amicalement

Frankie

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[chaser]

Not knocking anyone but aren't dogs supposed to be on leads, surly it wasn't running loose in Amsterdam , how did it manage to fall in a canel

 

[haganap]

Always one

No we were on the outskirts at a camp site 10 min on the tram to the centre on wasteland next to a river.....she would not of gone in she was told no...she found something to roll in on the edge but before I could do anything she had fallen the 10 ft off the bank in to the river...

Hope this clears up your query...

 

[lou020]

We're currently on city camp Amsterdam, an Aires sort of, quite expensive really€15 +€3 for electric per night,but nice and easy to get into the city with the FREE ferry every half hour.
Amsterdam must be the most dangerous city for walking about in, bloody cars,cyclists, motorbikes coming at you from all directions.
Glad your dogs OK.

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[Larrynwin]

Poor Tara , and what a worry. We too found Ypres an experience not to miss, a beautiful town .

 

[haganap]

We're currently on city camp Amsterdam, an Aires sort of, quite expensive really€15 +€3 for electric per night,but nice and easy to get into the city with the FREE ferry every half hour.
Amsterdam must be the most dangerous city for walking about in, bloody cars,cyclists, motorbikes coming at you from all directions.
Glad your dogs OK.

Thanks lou...

We were at site zeeburg....expensive crap site but great location for town.....we laughed so much riding or bikes in Amsterdam

 

[Judge Mental]

We're currently on city camp Amsterdam, an Aires sort of, quite expensive really€15 +€3 for electric per night,but nice and easy to get into the city with the FREE ferry every half hour.
Amsterdam must be the most dangerous city for walking about in, bloody cars,cyclists, motorbikes coming at you from all directions.
Glad your dogs OK.

we just got back from Amsterdam yesterday..and it comes a bit of a shock when you come out of central station and bikes, cars trams and buses + pedestrians coming at you from all directions!. London where we live a piece of cake in comparison!

love the city so much to do.... but best beer and meal was in Verune in Belgium on our last night on way home

we stayed at Gasspar camping 23€. nice enough site in terms of pitches but they spoil it by their utter meanness!. cold shower block, cold water at taps. coin slot 5 min shower, with miserable water pressure.

The fun really begins at so called motorhome service point where water dribbles out of hose and impossible to clean up the hole in the ground that passes for a chemical point. it was full of toilet paper and feces as people just must have given up. It gets worse.... you have to hold the taps on to get water...how solo travelers manage i cant imagine

Oh the site shop was closed

really enjoyed Amsterdam as there is so much to see and do....dont know why we have never been before as its not that far from tunnel. guess I just imagined it being further away....and had a real bad experiences getting through Antwerp a few times in the past..this time it was a breeze (touch wood)

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[chaser]

we just got back from Amsterdam yesterday..and it comes a bit of a shock when you come out of central station and bikes, cars trams and buses coming at you from all directions. London where we live a piece of cake in comparison!

love the city so much to do.... but best beer and meal was in Verune in Belgium on our last night on way home

we stayed at Gasspar camping 23€. nice enough site in terms of pitches but they spoil it by their utter meanness!. cold shower block, cold water at taps. coin slot 5 min shower, with miserable water pressure.

The fun really begins at so called motorhome service point where water dribbles out of hose and impossible to clean up the hole in the ground that passes for a chemical point. it was full of toilet paper and feces as people just must have given up. It gets worse.... you have to hold the taps on to get water...how solo travelers manage i cant imagine

Oh the site shop was closed

really enjoyed Amsterdam as there is so much to see and do....dont know why we have never been before as its not that far from tunnel. guess I just imagined it being further away....and had a real bad experiences getting through Antwerp a few times in the past..this time it was a breeze (touch wood)

Glad iv found someone who agrees with me about Holland and them bloody bikes, love amsterdam , been for about the last five years , New Years eve, all the streets full to bursting , never a bit of trouble, the nicest people you could wish to meet but put them on a bike and they turn into maniacs, and we have been all over Europe but the only place we have had a campsite try to rip us off was in Holland this spring , told us 12 euros a night but next morning when we came to leave he tried to get us to pay 32 anyway jumped in the van and left him to it said he was getting cops so told him to and drove off.

 

[chaser]

never never never, going back

 

[Judge Mental]

we chickened out of using our bikes in the city although you can bring them in on the space age Metro.....(bogoff johnson please note)

we hired some bikes and cycled around Vonderpark. as felt yo cant really go to Amsterdam and not cycle. there are more bikes then people in Amsterdam + more bike are stolen yearly then the size of the population......Go figure

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[chaser]

we chickened out of using our bikes in the city although you can bring them in on the space age Metro.....(bogoff johnson please note)

we hired some bikes and cycled around Vonderpark. as felt yo cant really go to Amsterdam and not cycle. there are more bikes then people in Amsterdam + more bike are stolen yearly then the size of the population......Go figure

The back of the station where you get off the ferry from the aire is really something to behold , bikes parked on top of one another for as far as you can see , to your thinking, how they don't just end up in one big ruck is unbelievable

 

[haganap]

We loved cycling in Amsterdam..so much safer than anywhere in the UK....loads of proper cycle lanes and drivers who give you room....
what was shocking was the price of these bikes. ..fresh out the canal was fetching 55 euros. ..I've thrown away better.....

After amsterdam we went to Collogne...another nice city and great for cycling too...
then off to Ghent..Belgiums forgotten city. .stunning place and yes we were on the bikes too.plenty of cycle lanes and careful drivers to boot.
Now we In Brugge...another great cycling city..I think Boris could come and learn a thing or two....

 

[chaser]

We loved cycling in Amsterdam..so much safer than anywhere in the UK....loads of proper cycle lanes and drivers who give you room....
what was shocking was the price of these bikes. ..fresh out the canal was fetching 55 euros. ..I've thrown away better.....

After amsterdam we went to Collogne...another nice city and great for cycling too...
then off to Ghent..Belgiums forgotten city. .stunning place and yes we were on the bikes too.plenty of cycle lanes and careful drivers to boot.
Now we In Brugge...another great cycling city..I think Boris could come and learn a thing or two....

No arguments there, if you like bikes , nowhere better , bikes seem to rule every where but you can well understand why you see so many Dutch vans out of Holland, they must be less mh friendly than UK there, flat country , all the same or industry and expensive sites, Belgium much better but even there not a patch on france, just save a fortune and turn right out of the tunnel

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[haganap]

Been doing France for 20 plus years in campers tents caravans and hotels..love France but a change is good now and then..

The site in Amsterdam we stayed at charged 30e pn. ..4e for a dog. ..1e for water checked at 50l to ensure you didn't take to much...1e for a cold shower ... and so on and so on.

But i really couldn't care less..The place was the right location I have my own shower and toilet great company and my own bikes to avoid the expensive rental bikes...

Yes cycling works in these countries as you say because they are so flat...but then again so are some cities in the UK. ..truth is we are far too lazy and busy; -)