The fish stall at Ypres market

A quick blip entry from our last morning in Belgium. We left Jacques and Inge's delightful company after breakfast to drive towards Dunkerque in France where the ferry would depart from in the late afternoon. Light but constant rain was falling as we drove across the slightly more hilly farmlands of western Flanders. Helena wanted to visit the museum at Ypres, or Ieper in Flemish, which records the devastation of the First World War battles in the trenches.

Before we entered the museum, which is sited in an old building on the Grote Market square, we quickly wandered around the street stalls of the Saturday market whichy filled the square right outside the building. I bought some local bread containing walnuts, some old and some new local Belgian cheeses, and finally some mussels at this classic fish stall. I love the way the European markets are presented and the quality of the foods.

I took this picture whilst waiting for Woodpeckers to come from a blipping saunter to the other side of the square. Once I had taken it we bought a kilo of mussels and then went rapidly around the museum which was very sombre, rightfully so.

I will be back blipping pictures of the whole week spent in Holland and Belgium, probably tomorrow. Right now I am going to cook 'les moules' and soak iup the wine flavoured juice with the bread and partake of the cheese, probably with a glass or two of wine, which is likley to be from Chile however. Bon appetit, mes amis!

Have a look at Woodpeckers' view from the top of the bell tower!