Arrondissement Ieper, Belgium Travel Journals & Blogs

Traveler An Afternoon Stroll
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- Jun 26, 2023, 9:28pm
- ⛅ 23 °C
- Altitude: 20 m
- France Hauts-de-France Bailleul 50.731667, 2.73663350°43’54” N 2°44’12” E
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Day 18
Bailleul
June 26, 2023 in France ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
Day 17:
Distance: 42.21 km (562.42 km)
Steps: 59,858 (805,229)
Move time: 9h23 (128h34)
Spend: £5.15 (£214.81)

Wulverdinghe to Bailleul.

Mash, mash, mash. Mash out some miles, (instant) mash in the stomach, mash head into inflatable pillow. The app I use to navigate has two different modes; the first is 'tourist' mode, which pleasantly directs you between picteresque local attractions, typically via quiet, waymarked footpaths. The other is 'fast' mode, and God does it mean it, sending you recklessly beelining towards your destination in the most direct way imaginable, and often with little regard for your safety or enjoyment. Yesterday, my route was dictated by tourist mode (if you can't tell yet, this walk is very much just the 'no plans, just pure vibes' type), but after a close inspection of the map at the end of the day, I was left underwhelmed by the ground I'd made. So, being frankly unbothered by much of the scenery for this section of the mission, I decided to dial in fast mode for the day. A flurry of busy road walking later, and I find myself exhausted in the middle of a public park in Bailleul, worryingly close to Gendarmerie Station (police to you and me). Best hope I'm awake before they are.Read more
Traveler Sooo quiet
6/26/23Reply
Traveler He did the monster mash
6/26/23Reply
Traveler Hahaha
6/26/23Reply
Traveler Too bad you're not camping in a graveyard
6/26/23Reply
Traveler Don’t tempt him!! 😁
6/26/23Reply
Traveler 😂🪦
6/26/23Reply
Traveler 👻
6/26/23Reply
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Traveler EUROPE
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- Oct 2, 2023, 10:26pm
- ☁️ 21 °C
- Altitude: 20 m
- Belgium Flanders Ypres Westhoek 50.849738, 2.88938550°50’59” N 2°53’22” E
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Day 45–46
Days 42 and 43
October 2, 2023 in Belgium ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
Day 42 was meant to be utopia for John who found a sports bar to watch the rugby league grand final live. He then went to the Prix de l'arc de Triomphe (Melbourne Cup of Europe). At least the races part was good !!
Photos 1 - 3- sports bar and races
Video 1 - race crowd do the Viking clap like the Canberra raiders

Day 43
Photo 4 - Adelaide Cemetary outside Villers Bretonneux. An unknown soldier has been removed from this cemetary and placed in Canberra

Photos 5, - 7with our guide at the John Monash Centre - a museum and interpretative centre that commemorates Australian servicemen and women who served on the Western Front during the first world war
Photo 8 - battlefields and war cemetaries visited today
Photo 9 - Memorial to women at the Lochnagar Crater
Video 2 - Lochnagar Crater (tunnel dug under major German command centre in order to blow it up)
Photo 10 - memorial to all animals used in the war effort - horses, mules, dogs and pigeons
Photo 11 - Pheasant Wood cemetary at Fromelles - newest war
cemetary created following the discovery of 6 mass graves in 2008
Photo 12 - VC Corner Australian Cemetary - the only cemetary that has just Australian soldiers (known and unknown)Read more
Traveler Poor John. We thought the Broncos had it in the bag 💼
10/2/23Reply
Traveler Have a very relaxing time in Singapore- it’s stunning- and a very safe trip home!
10/2/23Reply
Traveler Looks like a beautiful day for the races! What fun!
10/4/23Reply
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Traveler France and Belgium
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- Jul 2, 2022, 8:00pm
- ⛅ 19 °C
- Altitude: 20 m
- Belgium Flanders Ypres Westhoek 50.852032, 2.89124650°51’7” N 2°53’28” E
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Day 6
Ypres Meinin Gate
July 2, 2022 in Belgium ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
1000s of Australian soldiers marched between the lions and through the Menin gates on their way to the Ypres salient in 1917.

The memorial is located at the eastern exit of the town and marks the starting point for one of the main roads out of the town that led Allied soldiers to the front line.

The last post has been played here every night since 1928 (except WW2) to honour those who have fallen.Read more
Traveler Yum!!!!
7/3/22Reply
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Traveler EUROPE
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- Oct 3, 2023, 8:29pm
- 🌙 15 °C
- Altitude: 19 m
- Belgium Flanders Ypres Westhoek 50.852207, 2.89171350°51’8” N 2°53’30” E
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Day 46
Days 44 and 45
October 3, 2023 in Belgium ⋅ 🌙 15 °C
Day 44
Day 2 of Battlefields tour.

Photos - 1 and 2- after attending a short rememberance ceremony at the Menin Gates we had dinner with our guide at a really nice hotel in Ypres, Belgium called the Depot. Volunteers conduct this service which includes playing the last post at 8pm 365 nights a year in appreciation of all those who served - an incredible comittment
Photo 3 - Tyne Cot - largest Commonwealth war cemetery in the world
Photo 4 - letter advising parents their son is deceased
Photo 5 - remains of caterpillar mine crater - one of a series of mines that were placed along the German front line by tunnelling

Day 45
The tour of The Catacombs in Paris is approximately 2 km long and deep underground. It contains the bones of over 6 million people. There's 140 steps to go down and 112 to get out. The height dips to 5' 11" in some places. It's a bit freaky down there quite macabre and a bit eerie. Thankfully reasonably well lit !!

Photos 6 and 7- Catacomb's tunnels
Photos 8 - 10 - bones

Last night in Paris heading for Singapore via Dubai tomorrow night.Read more
Traveler Amazing trip Shelley & John - thank you for sharing. Some parts have bought back great memories for me and the places I haven’t been I’ve enjoyed feeling just a teeny bit jealous! 😃
10/4/23Reply
Thanks for sharing your travels. Great pics. You will be home now. Talk soon xx [Lorraine]
10/5/23Reply
Traveler Heartbreaking even after all these years.
10/7/23Reply
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Traveler France and Belgium
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- Jul 2, 2022, 4:08pm
- ⛅ 24 °C
- Altitude: 33 m
- Belgium Flanders Zonnebeke 50.887517, 2.9981350°53’15” N 2°59’53” E
Day 6
Tyne cot cemetery
July 2, 2022 in Belgium ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
The cemetery was named after a barn at the centre of a German strong point called "Tyne Cot". It was captured in October 1917 in the advance. It contains 11956 graves compromising of 8961 Brits, 997 Canadian, 1368 (soon to be 1369) Australian, 520 NZ, 90 South African, 14 Newfoundland, 2 British West Indian and 4 German soldiers.

The cross of sacrifice is placed on the original Pill box and there are two other pill boxes in the cemetery.Read more
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Traveler Ronde van Vlaanderen
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- Apr 28, 2023, 12:22pm
- 🌬 14 °C
- Altitude: 99 m
- Belgium Flanders Heuvelland Loker 50.788333, 2.76550°47’18” N 2°45’54” E
Day 2
Kemmelberg
April 28, 2023 in Belgium ⋅ 🌬 14 °C
Na een mooie wandeling zijn we terug in Loker en besluiten we de Frontierautoroute te gaan rijden. Eerste stop is de beroemde Kemmelberg (uit Gent-Wevelgem). Boven is een Frans massagraf. We zullen er vandaag nog wel meer gaan zien...Read more
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Traveler By the way. Mooie nieuwe auto hoor!!
4/28/23ReplyTranslate
Traveler Zijn erg blij met de nieuwe auto. Het is een automaat, rijdt dus nog makkelijker. En ook deze combineert leuk met de unit.
4/28/23ReplyTranslate
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Traveler Grand Tour of Europe - 2023
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- Jul 3, 2023, 10:31am
- ☁️ 17 °C
- Altitude: 46 m
- Belgium Flanders Ieper Zillebeke 50.823333, 2.92833350°49’24” N 2°55’42” E
Day 62
WWI Battlefields - Hill 60
July 3, 2023 in Belgium ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Hill 60 was a strategic high point in the German lines. In June 1917, Australian and British tunnelers and miners exploded 19 mines beneath it and other hills along the Messines Ridge with devastating effect. It was an impact that, some said, was felt in London. This was a turning point in the Battle of Messines.

The site has been preserved as it was at the end of the war, except for regrowth, so the craters can still be seen.Read more
Traveler When you see the rows and rows of graves and the wall of names at Menin Gate it gives you an understanding of the terrible loss of mainly young lives.
7/4/23Reply
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Traveler Grand Tour of Europe - 2023
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- Jul 2, 2023, 8:46pm
- ☀️ 17 °C
- Altitude: 19 m
- Belgium Flanders Ypres Westhoek 50.85, 2.8950°51’0” N 2°53’24” E
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Day 61
WWI Battlefields - Ypres
July 2, 2023 in Belgium ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C
We crossed into Belgium and the town of Ypres. It was completely flattened in the war and rebuilt by the end of the 1920's. Its destruction was used as a symbol of the devastation of war. It was described as a red stain on the ground, not from blood, but from pulverised red brick dust caused by bombing.

It is well known as the home of the Menin Gate Memorial. Soldiers would pass through the gate in the towns ramparts on their way to the battlefields.

You can't really see it at the moment as it is six weeks into a two year renovation. We will go to the nightly memorial service there tomorrow night.Read more
Traveler Lovely view.
7/3/23Reply
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Do Škotske in nazaj 2022
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- Jul 16, 2022, 8:34pm
- ⛅ 21 °C
- Altitude: 18 m
- Belgium Flanders Ypres Westhoek 50.85055, 2.88895250°51’2” N 2°53’20” E
Day 2
Ypres oz. Ieper oz. Jeper (po domače)
July 16, 2022 in Belgium ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
Luštno belgijsko mesto, katerega imena nikakor ne znava izgovorit. Bežen pogled na wikipedijo pove, da so ga osvajali naprej Rimljani, kasneje še vsi narodi naokrog.

Znan je po barvanem tekstilu iz srednjega veka, tam nekje od 13. stoletja naprej, najbolj pa po vlogi v 1. sv. vojni, ko so se fajtali okrog mesta in ga v celoti porušili. Obnova je trajala več kot 30 let, da danes lahko spet občudujemo mestece z znano Cloth Hall in cerkvijo, arkado na vhodu so pa dodali še pred obnovo leta 1927 v spomin cca 250.000 padlim vojakom Commonwealtha.

Prišla sva tudi do Lefeta, prespala bova pa ob jezercu v bližini.Read more
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Traveler Prelepo! Jutri pa čez lužo! oziroma... pod njo😉
7/16/22Reply
Traveler Res je :)
7/16/22Reply
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Traveler Grand Tour of Europe - 2023
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- Jul 4, 2023, 8:18am
- ☁️ 15 °C
- Altitude: 49 m
- Belgium Flanders Zonnebeke 50.886667, 350°53’12” N 3°0’0” E
Day 63
WWI Battlefields - Tyne Cot Cemetery
July 4, 2023 in Belgium ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
Tyne Cot is the largest Commonweath war grave cemetery in the world. There are 950 in France and Belgium. It is on the site of the Battle of Broodseinde, which involved Australian and allied troops in 1917.

The heavy battles took place in this area as the Allies attempted to take control of the ridges and high ground from the Germans.

Tyne Cot contains 12000 graves, 9000 of whom are unknown. The walls list the names of 34000 British soldiers with no known grave.Read more
Traveler The cemeteries are sobering and overwhelming in the scope and magnitude of the battlefields.
7/5/23Reply
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