After yesterday’s bailout, we were determined to cycled today, weather be damned: we’d seek shelter from thunder, and ride through rain. And that’s exactly what we did.

The weather was, um, mercurial: lovely sun, torrential shoe-filling rain, lovely sun again  

We sought shelter a few times (the second time we were greeted by a man on a horse carrying a dog). But we rode through a lot of rain. We were soggy by Ghent. But we did it. 

Lisa magically ordered up food delivery to our rural B&B here in Dendermonde for supper tonight. We enjoyed tofu bowls, and then shared a wacky delightful over-the-top dessert made from chocolate mousse, pistachio, and fresh strawberries. 

We bailed out of a 61 km cycle from Antwerp to Dendermonde today because the weather forecast called for rain, wind, and thunder. The last thing we wanted to do was to get caught on an exposed polder in a lightning storm.

So, instead, we enjoyed a day in damp Antwerp, and are now en route to Dendermonde via Mechelen (where we stayed two nights ago: we will do in 16 minutes on the train what it took us the better part of 8 hours yesterday!).

Lisa and Peter: twist and swerve.

(The good photos are taken by Lisa!) 

Postscript: on the train from Mechelen the heavens opened up with heavy rain and lightning. We made the right decision. 

We cycled 48 km today, more than either of us have ever done in a day. It was so much cycling, over such varied terrain—from the streets of Brussels waking up, to fields of sheep and cows and deer, to lakes and rivers and canals—that it seems impossible that we cycled through all that since we woke up. But we did.

Tonight we are in Mechelen, and Lisa spotted Mavue, a canal-side restaurant. We had a lovely, substantial meal that will power us through the 44 km we are set to cycle tomorrow. 

I proposed an ambitious “cocktails followed by an early supper” plan for tonight, with the added bonus of it being a shakedown for our rental hybrid bikes.

It was an adventure.

We found the bikes waiting for us in the hotel parking garage, ready to go. After a few spins around the garage, we are headed out. After driving e-bikes all week, it was a transition back to “regular old bicycle”: the biggest change wasn’t missing the electric assist, but rather that the e-bikes shifted gears automatically. Suffice to say the first couple of kilometres involved a lot of gear-grinding on my part.

Our first stop was The Eight, a rooftop bar about 2 km away. Navigating Brussels streets was a level-up from Liège: twists, turns, cobblestones, and “always yield to the driver on the right” to remember. We made it.

The bar was pleasant, with a nice view. A light drizzle kept us inside, keeping us from the full-on rooftop effect.

After a drink and a snack we headed to nearby Fin de Siècle, which promised hearty Belgian fare. It delivered.

We shared the Carbonades à la bière—beef stewed in beer served with mashed potatoes—and the Salad maison—the salad to end all salads, with bursts, sun-dried tomatoes, prosciutto, Parmesan and pickled onions. We did not require dessert.

By the time we were done supper the drizzle had turned to full-on rain, and our 3 km ride home was soggy and more uphill than we’d have liked. The moral of that story: always (always) travel with the rain gear.

We’re settled in for the night now, checking our lists, packing our panniers, nervous about what day one holds.

Our base in Brussels is right beside the Berlaymont, headquarters of the European Commission. 

We cycled about 40 km over our 7 days in Liège, all of it on Dott e-bikes like this.

Being able to pick up and drop off a bicycle anywhere made urban navigation very different, and we leave the city feeling like we got to know it a little better as a result. Onward!

We all need at least one Belgian friend, and mine is Wouter. We met via our blogs, through mutual connections to Ton and Frank, and through our interest in fountain pens. Wouter joined our Pen & Pencil Club meetings on Zoom during COVID, becoming the first overseas member. We’ve stayed in touch over the years, chatting about children and bread and technology.

When Wouter learned we’d be in Belgium this week—only 30 minutes from him, as it turned out—he suggested we meet up. And so on Wednesday we got together for lunch in central Liège. It was lovely to finally meet in person.