Onward into Belgium

After spending three nights in the French campsite near Lille we set course for pastures new in Belgium. We picked a campsite pretty much at random from the ASCII camp book, and so ended up near the coast at a place named De Haan An Zee.
 
The campsite manager fitted us in for two nights - we found ourselves on hard standing, which was actually the base for a static caravan. It was fine though, because it had it's own water, power and drainage all to hand. It was very warm when we arrived, so hot in fact that in was almost painful to sit in the sun. I took the bikes off of the rack and we went exploring. Luckily we found a small supermarket open - meaning that that I could buy some wine. The evening was fairly fine, but that changed next morning, when we woke to the promise of rain, and major dark clouds.
 

We walked to the town, then took a tram to Ostend. Finally a train to Bruges. After a spectacular fail at finding the tourist information office at the station (it's on the right as you come out ) we walked into the centre of Bruges. Lots of nice buildings and more than enough chances to pacify the shopping demon. I resisted the Christmas shops, chocolate shops, waffle shops etc. I did, however, succumb to a beer emporium, which boasted a 'beer wall' comprising what seemed to be several hundred beers, and their glasses all behind plexi glass. It was impressive. We both had a beer and warmed ourselves by their external flame heaters. 
 

The rain started in earnest, and we rapidly started our return journey. We arrived back at the van after carrying out the reverse of our outward trip. We were soaked. We hung our clothes to dry in the shower room. Today - Monday - we drove to Antwerp.  I am writing this on my phone, from an aire just outside the city - at the Expo centre. They have free wifi !

En France

We are taking our motorhome up into northern Europe - heading for Oslo in Norway, hoping to get there before the winter weather sets in.  

We have been in France for two days now. Staying at a camp site near Bondue, which is just outside Lille. The sun is shining, and all is well. I am using the free McDonalds wifi to send this. Here is a picture of La Piscine - which is an Art Deco swimming pool which had been converted to a museum. It is in Roubaix. Worth a visit.