Monday 30 September 2019

Seagulls and chickens

Whenever we're staying at our little getaway cottage in Belgium's beautiful west country, a day trip to the seaside is on our menu. However, as the end of our week's holiday doomed on the horizon, we still hadn't made it to the seaside as the weather gods had been conspiring against us.

Friday arrived and as we were keen to avoid the inevitable weekend crowds, this was actually our last chance.

We were in luck, as there was no mention of rain, even if the weather forecast said it would be a bit windy. Perfect for blowing away the last of the cobwebs, we thought.


But first things first, as before we can start the day's journey, I have to show you what I was wearing.

This vintage polyester frock is another one that has been residing in my wardrobe for ages. When I posted it on Instagram, someone remarked that the print reminded them of balloons flying up into the evening sky, which I thought was rather lovely. Alas, they're not balloons but flowers. I've included a close-up, so that you can see that they have leaves sprouting from their stalks.

Once again, the dress came with its own belt, which I replaced with a recently charity shopped white woven leather one, which is a current favourite. I opted for a light blue beaded necklace and wore my King Louie cardi in the same colour on top. 


The destination we'd decided on was the coastal town of Nieuwpoort, but first we drove down to De Panne, which is the resort nearest to where we were staying. There is a free car park here, less than a hundred meters from the nearest tram stop, so it is actually a no-brainer, as you can catch the tram to anywhere along the Belgian coast from there.



There was a gale force wind blowing, so any remaining cobwebs were soon dealt with the minute we alighted at Nieuwpoort Bad, the seaside part of the town.

After a spot of lunch, we walked along the beach, or at least we tried to, as the wind was either propelling us along at full speed or doing its best to keep us rooted at the spot while overdoing its Mr. Sandman routine if we tried to walk against it.  

Looking back at the promenade, you can see the seemingly endless line of high rise apartment buildings which are an unfortunate feature of the Belgian coast. The hotel De Barkentijn, as seen on the top left in the second collage, is a a lone survivor from a bygone age, while the Art Deco style yellow-tiled building on the top right does its best to bring some cheerfulness to the overall drabness.



We walked into the direction of the jetty, which is actually one of a pair built in 1865. This is the western one, with a length of 490 meters. The miniature lighthouse at its head (and that of its twin) houses a signal lantern and foghorn.


Having climbed a slippery breakwater, we were suddenly faced with a thick carpet of razor shells at the other side.

Back on the wet sand, the footprints left by my pink floral sneakers were joining those of the omnipresent squawking and wailing gulls.


We walked briefly along the jetty, but strong gusts of wind were soon forcing us back inland.

On the rocks below, all manner of seabirds were feasting on the hapless mussels and other shellfish which were left stranded by the tide.

The eastern jetty is slightly longer, jutting 543 into the sea. The two mighty jetties are ceremoniously guiding the River IJzer into the North Sea.



The River IJzer is unique in that it is the only Belgian river flowing directly into the sea and, at the confluence of the salty seawater and the fresh water of the river, is a nature reserve which has its own very distinctive fauna and flora. 



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Due to the tidal movement a unique area of saltings and mud flats was created, an ideal breeding ground for a rich variety of worms, snails, algae, shells and crustaceans. The continuous interaction between the salt and fresh water in the IJzer estuary also created a special biotope characterized by various salt loving plants.

The nature reserve itself, which is on the right bank of the river, can only be visited with a guide, but you can walk alongside it on a path with several lookout points, a walk we did a couple of years ago.



Now, we limited ourselves by walking along the 2 kilometer boardwalk promenade which follows the river from the North Sea to the marina near the inland part of the town, Nieuwpoort Stad.

Several works of art could be admired along the route. The most striking was this one, called Plastic Fish (bottom right).

Exhausted and with eyes and ears stinging from the wind, we arrived at Nieuwpoort Stad, where we admired a mosaic bas-relief plaque on the façade of the fish mine, and then took the tram back to De Panne and our car.


Arriving back at our cottage in Poperinge, we were delighted to see that hop picking had finally started in the hop fields across the road and we watched the vertiginous proceedings from the perch of our first floor window.

Getting up on Saturday, we were greeted by sunshine and blue skies. The blasted weather forecast, however, said it would most definitely rain later that morning and again in the afternoon.

As we'd planned a walk in the area, we were none too pleased and dithered over what to do instead.


In the end, we decided to go ahead regardless, taking our raincoats and umbrellas and stopping at the local supermarket for sandwiches for our planned picnic. 

We also nipped into the town's small charity shop, where our efforts were rewarded by a funky glass dish, two Art Deco vases which were in a bargain bin and priced at € 1,50 for the pair, and some jewellery. I spotted the squirrel brooch as we were about to pay at the till.


Armed with sandwiches and drinks, we made our way to a nearby nature reserve called the Galgebossen, which translates as Gallows woods. Apparently gallows stood at the edge of them until the early 18th century.

Upon arrival, we were happy to see a picnic table in a small enclosure next to the car park, so that we could comfortably eat outside instead of having a car picnic. Not quite that comfortable, it turned out, as we were immediately accosted by a gang of chickens. Not only did we have to clean their mess off the table and benches, we had to share our sandwiches with them. Believe me, there was no saying no to this formidable chap (bottom right) which seemed to be the leader of the gang.


With all out dithering, we'd forgotten to take outfit photos, so we took them during our walk instead.

My second pair of trousers came out of my suitcase. This floral delight was a sales bargain from New Look last Winter, while both the sailor style short-sleeved jumper and the shirt (to which I'd pinned my new squirrel brooch) were charity shopped. Both are from the now defunct Belgian label Wow To Go. 

As I was about to retrieve my raincoat from the boot of the car, I was surprised to find it missing. It turned out I'd left it behind at the cottage, another victim of that morning's dithering.


Our walk took us through a mixture of woodland and fields, at one point crossing a road where a lonely house stood complete with a tiny chapel fixed to its façade.

It might have been only the first week of September, but it definitely felt like Autumn, especially when we were walking along that leaf-strewn woodland path. 



Patches of cloud and sunny spells alternated throughout our walk, but much to our relief we made it back to our car without facing even one drop of rain.

On our way back to the cottage, we stopped in Poperinge for an afternoon treat of cappuccinos and waffles. At that point, the sun was out in full force.



The forecasted rain finally came when we were back at the cottage, which seemed like a fitting end to our week's holiday.


34 comments:

  1. Oh, I have enjoyed accompanying you and Jos on your travels! How amazing to be able to catch a tram along the Belgian coast - what a brilliant idea.

    I loved both your outfits and your finds. I think you really suit trousers, btw and should wear them more often.

    Hope you have a great week.
    xxx

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    1. Thanks Vronni! Although I still prefer dresses and skirts, I've started wearing trousers once in a while. I do like wearing wider ones like these ... xxx

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  2. Chickens are rather smart birds-bet they saw you coming!
    How fantastic a bargain were those vases! It is amazing the things you can find.

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    1. I'm sure they did, Goody. I soon regretted not having that car picnic after all ;-) xxx

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  3. I really like your printed vintage dress. The floral print in the shape of circles is so unique. I can definitely see why it could make someone think of balloons...and balloons on the evening sky is a nice image for sure. The belt you choose for it is pretty and I also like the coat you added later on. The second outfit you showed is fabulous as well...love those floral pants so much.

    You always take us to nice places. That promenade you showed us is simply divine. The cottage you stayed in seems lovely as well. The story about your encounter with a gang of chickens made me laugh. They can be quite pushy birds, it makes sense you made peace with them by sharing your sandwiches.

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    1. Thank you Ivana! Those floral trousers are fast becoming favourites. If we'd known about the chickens, we'd brought more sandwiches ;-) xxx

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  4. So glad you missed the rain! What a lovely beach that was, but too bad about the gusting wind! Those chickens and rooster look pretty fierce! Your floral trousers are AMAZING, Ann! I second Vronni - you should wear trousers more!

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    1. Thanks Sheila! I've got quite a few positive comments on my wearing trousers, and I've already bought a pair of wide, burnt orange cords, so watch this space! xxx

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  5. You found some great little treasures at the charity shop.

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  6. Those sneakers! Pretty pictures.

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  7. Oh, I love your flowery trousers. Thank you for taking me with you on the journey. xxx Regula

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  8. 2 adventurous days!
    gorgeous landscapes, diverse animals, even art - and a fab 2.hand haul - a great end for your holidays!
    i love it that some shop staff has no clue of style decades :-DDDD cool vases!
    balloon dress with the dottet coat - perfection <3
    hugsies! xxxxx

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    1. Thanks Beate! It isn't the first time we found treasure in that shop! xxx

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  9. A gang of chickens! LOL That's not something one sees very often.

    I'm glad the weather held out for you on your last day.

    We are currently in a mini heatwave...it's going to be 36 C here today with the humidex. Tomorrow plummets back down to the normal 17 C.

    Suzanne
    http://www.suzannecarillo.com

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    1. Well, they were a real gang, with that fierce rooster as their leader ;-) 36°C with the humidex, phew! xxx

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  10. After Bexhill-on-Sea over the summer, I'm definitely not a fan of beaches in the wind although your photos do look wonderfully atmospheric. What fun to rid the tram there, too!
    Your not-balloon dress and groovy trousers are the perfect choice for dreary weather, they've certainly brightened up my day. Jos looks very smart, too!
    Love the Art Deco vases you found and posse of chickens, a common sight in Goa which reminds me...I must book a flight! xxx

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    1. After Suzy's remark about the balloons, it's going to be my balloon dress, and that's that ;-) The tram line along the coast is wonderful, covering the whole of the Belgian coastline! xxx

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  11. I love that first dress and totally see why it looks like balloons from a distance! It's nice you managed to make it to the beach even if it was very windy!

    I giggled at the chicken gang too - although I'm sure it was a bit scary when it happened!

    Hope that your week is going well :) The weekday wear linkup is live on my blog, I'd love you to join! :)

    Away From Blue

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    1. Thank you Mica, and I do admit I found those chickens rather scary ... xxx

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  12. Balloons in the night's sky, doesn't that sound romantic? I'm thinking of hot air balloons gentle floating across the sky... And such a pretty dress too!
    I have to say I rather like beaches in inclement weather, as long as you're appropriately dressed it can be rather invigorating. Of course I like a beach on a sunny day too!
    You wouldn't think chickens could be intimidating but close up it's a different story and, like gulls, if you get enough of them they can make you want to leave!
    xx

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    1. Very! That's why from now on I'm calling it my balloon dress! And I do like beaches in inclement weather too! xxx

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  13. Hello Ann. Might have been me who made the comment about the print on your blue dress looking like balloons in the evening sky - oops, didn't have my glasses on. Anyway, the dress is beautiful regardless and those sneakers are super cool. How convenient to have a tram service along the coastline. It's a shame a day out to the seaside often comes accompanied by strong winds which are not only exhausting but I sometimes end up with a red face from wind burn. Your red floral pants are fantastic - I am very partial to floral prints. How funny that the cute feathered guests thought they'd join you! Glad the rain held off.

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    1. It was definitely you, although I have a bit of a confession to make. I only recently put 2+2 together, or rather, linking you (Suzy) with your Insta profile :-)) I started having suspicions, but wasn't sure until your daughter let the cat out of the bag, so to speak, on her blog! xxx

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  14. Ann I love to walk with you, it is so exciting. What a cute squirrel brooch! and I must laugh about the chicken gang :)
    It's so great the tram along the ocean.
    A very huge hug Tina

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    1. Thank you Tina, I'm so pleased you love to walk with me. xxx

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  15. Actually love those cute spots of color on a dark navy background!, they look like balloons from a distance!. Such a lovely color combo with the light blue cardi.
    Sorry that your day was so windy, but it looks like an amazing place to go for a walk. So convenient that there's a tram along the coast!.
    Sad that there are so few Art Decó buildings, but the yellow tiles one looks fabulous, I love those windows!. Also love those Art Decó vases you purchased (I commented on them at IG too, they're really fab)
    Love your floral pants and stunning color combo!. And those chickens!, having your food stolen by a gang of birds is not funny!
    besos

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    1. Thank you Monica. The tramline is fantastic, running all the length of the Belgian coastline. And you're right, it wasn't funny at all. I was still hungry afterwards ;-) xxx

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  16. I always love the colorful prints you choose. And thoroughly enjoyed seeing the coast of Belgium. Though I see you have the same issue there as we do in the states. Looming concrete buildings marring the view. But am intrigued by all that shellfish. Is it a natural occurrence for that many to pile up along the shore like that?

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    1. Thank you Theresa! As for your question about the razor shells, this is the only place I've ever seen so many of them piled up together. But it was the same when we were there a couple of years ago, so probably a natural occurrence for that particular beach? xxx

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  17. Wow, those high-rises are really close to the seafront, aren't they? I'd never imagined it would be like that.

    Those art deco vases were an excellent find!

    Love your balloon-flower dress. The colours are so attractive. They're a really cheery combination.

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    1. I know, I'm not much of a fan of the Belgian coastline because of it. There are nice places with less highrise buildings but they are few and far between. xxx

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