All I can say is, maps and I don’t get along [Backpacking over 60]

This is the third instalment in Libby’s incredible overseas adventure. You can read the previous one by clicking here. 

Well we made it to the other side… other side of the English Channel that is! I wonder why it is called the English Channel and not the French Channel?

We have travelled right through France today (all I can say is maps and I don’t get along) and ended up in Belgium. Unbeknown to us (diary you will soon realise there is lot we don’t know) it was National Day here in Belgium. Where we are staying is beautiful but it was closed for the national holiday. A lovely man, that we were later to discover was the owner, allowed us in and gave us a room and for the price it included breakfast. The village is called Diekirch and was beautiful and it sat on the edge of a pretty river.

We decided to have a rest in the room before going looking for something to eat and in the process have a look around. We left soon after the news on TV as my husband was getting very frustrated as of course all soccer news was in French or German. Not sure what he expected?

We walked to the town square and it was magical all the little restaurants were open and tables and chairs with candles were everywhere in the square. Music was playing and people of all ages were milling around or sitting at tables or on blankets. We chose the restaurant that looked to have a lot of people waiting. We were told once if a place has a lot of locals using it, it usually is good value with good food. This advice hasn’t let us down yet! As it was my first day in a different country I had decided to be not too adventurous.

I had a basic pizza (yes, pizza in Belgium), not so for my brother – he had a snail pizza! My husband is a true carnivore and had a meat dish, we washed it all down with the most amazing red wine. I am sure my love of red wines started in earnest on this trip! It was about 9pm when we had decided that we had had enough and need to work some of the yummy food off.

As it was still quite bright, which it is here of course in summer, and we went on a walk of discovery. It was picture perfect; the stone houses and a beautiful clear river with green everywhere. Some street were cobble stone and others what looked to be cement? We eventually ended up back at where we were staying and had a nightcap (yep we like our drinks). Again I think I was asleep before my head hit the pillow! What a sleep we had, I’m sure even the mattress was stuffed with feathers! It was the most comfortable bed.

It only seemed like minutes when there was a knock at the door, it was my brother wanting to know if we want to join him on a walk before breakfast… Ummm, no. You will notice dear diary I won’t say no again on this trip as we missed hot air balloons taking off into the beautiful countryside all because I wanted more sleep. Mum use to say you can sleep when you’re dead and she is right!

We met at breakfast and what a breakfast it was – a true continental with cold meats, pastries,fruit breads, cheese and dairy foods with copious amount of coffee or, if you really wanted it, tea.

Let’s go and explore Diekirch in the light of day. What a busy little town; it was nothing like the festive atmosphere of last night. Everyone was rushing around opening their shops and the smell of fresh baked bread was everywhere and yet we couldn’t find the bakery.

We went into a few of the shops and of course I had to buy some shoes, clogs to be exact, which I still have and also some postcards. I am a terrible photographer so I have learnt over the years that is cheaper to buy postcards of places than is to have photos developed (not such a problem these days) and then find half of them need to be thrown away.

Funny thing about this place you would go into one shop and French was being spoken and yet right next door they spoke German. One last place to visit before we left they have a very good museum dedicated to the second world war here we were told by our host.

Unfortunately, when we got there it was closed (this happens to us a lot) why we are not sure as according to the sign it should have been open? We could see an awful lot through the chain fence though and there were old American tanks and cars etc. parked everywhere. A little church, which was absolutely beautiful, was beside the road leading to museum and there was still evidence of past gun battles all over the walls! So sad that so many bad things had happened in such a beautiful place.

We got back to our rooms and pack the car and headed off to see if we could find Germany (remember diary I’m map reading today). I keep thinking to myself at least Germany is big enough to find! We drove through some beautiful picturesque villages and I’m sure we found Dracula’s castle built into a hillside. Some of it was in a real state of decay which made it look very authentic as Dracula’s castle. Yet one side looked as though someone was living in it and you could see lights on in rooms. It could even have been a hotel but one I was definitely not going to try!

Goodbye Belgium and hello Germany: we were off to Oberong where the socceroos were stationed for the World Cup… Stay tuned for the next instalment!