17 June: Waterland-Oudeman to Brugges via Sluis

June 18, 2023

Canal Day Ride—Along the Border

Christa and Walter spent time teaching us how to use the routing numbering system and app. Well, Kevin took to it faster than I did. Essentially, you open the app, select the town/places you want to go through, and ride to that number. Sign posts at intersections have arrows pointing to the next number.

Because bike paths are better in The Netherlands and there were several interesting cities to visit, we wove alone the border between Belgium and The Netherlands.

Rough Cobblestones. Frequent in Belgium and especially in Brugge.

Automat Farm Stand

Sign for another farm stand

Typical Canal-side Bike Path. Most canals have paths on both sides, one paved and the opposite might be paved or designated as a shared route with vehicles. The path is on top of the dike and rows of trees line each side. Since the country is so flat, I suppose the material removed from the channel is used to build the dikes on each side of the canal.

I think the sign suggests putting your dog on its leash especially around the village church.

Church dates to 1400s.

Back into The Netherlands

Shared vehicles/bike path.

Aardenburg CIty Gate. All that remains of the defensive wall.

Aardenburg is a small city close to the Dutch border with Belgium. It is part of the Sluis Municipality, located in the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands. Its medieval name was Rodenburgh (Red Castle).

Archeologists have found proof of settlement as early as 4500 BC. The site was a small Roman vicus, flourishing in the second and third centuries AD, where the foundations have been uncovered of a small Celto-Roman temple. After the Second World War restorations to damaged buildings uncovered fragments of Roman rooftiles, of which some bear the markings of a Roman military post, as well as black vases and Roman sandals. The most significant find, however, was that of a Roman building with a foundation of 18 by 10 meters. The Roman Castellum was in use from 175 to 270 AD.[3]

On top of the foundations of this Roman building there were the remains of a Medieval building, which was destroyed in 1383 according to later accounts. Rodenburgh was granted city rights in 1127 and is thus one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands and is the oldest city in Zealand.

The outer ring is the old wall; the inner ring is the new wall.

Aardenburg Church

The four frogs on this fountain, at the site of the former port, now a slight berm on the edge of town. The frogs are named after four distinguished Aardenburg citizens. (Aardenburgers sometimes refer to themselves as "frogs" and a footpath round a section of the southern edge of the town is known as the "Kikkerpad" ("Frog path").)

Now land-locked, Aardenburg was a port before the area was drained and reclaimed.

Useful for the dates.

Leaving Aardenburg on a narrow gravel path.

Kevin goes to market.

Fake Dogs of the Day

Town Hall Door Detail

Sluis, our next city, was teeming with shoppers, dogs, bikes, and motorcycles.

Sluis. Some even arrive by car.

Shared early lunch. Frites, ketchup, no mayo.

1st Dog of the Day

#2 & #3 Dogs of the Day

Another One. Large shop inside.

We arrived in Brugges about 3 PM and immediately went to the bus/train station to secure our return to Amsterdam. I had booked bus tickets, but the Flix Bus line could not confirm that they could carry Kevin's rental bike. Their web site say they have bike carriers on most busses but did not offer list that service on their Amsterdam routes. We abandoned those tickets and booked the train.

We then rode to our Vrienden host home (Hilde & Rudy), left our gear, and went into Brugges.

Domme Town Hall. Short distance NE of Brugge on the Domme Canal.

Dog of the Day #4

Lambic Yeast ruins this IPA

Tibetan Dinner. One man was running the entire restaurant while Tibetan music videos scrolled on the TV. He took the orders, then disappeared in the back to prepare each order. 30+ minutes but very good.

Tingmo, Ting Momo, or just Momo, this white bun-like bread is flavourful and yet acquires the taste of curry. Traditional steamed bread, Tingmo is extremely soft and light in texture. Ours had a dense meaty, chicken filling, and the dough was identical to Chinese steamed buns.