This year St George’s thought they’d spend
A “Parish Weekend” in Ostend.
Our group of twenty waited all
With bags and cases by the wall,
Until arrived our minibus
Arranged by Goldcrest to take us
To meet our coach due at Medway
To start our Belgium holiday.
Then onward travelled to the sea
At Dover, crossed to Calais, we
Arrived in Ostend just in time
To find the Restaurant and dine.
The Hotel Westminster, our base
Was in a most convenient place,
Both near the shops and near the sea,
(For some - too much activity!)
The hotel lift was very small
And didn’t like its guests at all
Uncannily counting to four
Refused to carry any more!
It would, I’m sure, if it could talk
Have told us to get out and walk.
Saturday AM:
We made an early start next day
By nine o’clock were on our way.
First to a choc’late factory.
On entry sampled some for free,
Purchased as presents many more,
Friends, family and neighbours for.
Our coach (from Durham) navy blue
With comfy seats and ‘en-suite’ loo
(Its use restricted, was to be
Only for dire emergency!)
With Chris our driver, Dave our guide
We travelled through the countryside
Past sheeps and cows, and ploughed fields that
All stretched for miles and seemed quite flat,
Wide straight canals and wandering streams
(Belgium is fairly damp it seems!)
In groups, the tri-armed wind-turbines,
More frequent sight in recent times.
These graceful giants looked like they
Were dancing in a grand ballet.
Saturday AM: Sluis
We crossed the border on our way
To Sluis, our second stop that day.
First walking through a factory
For making clogs, an industry
That Holland’s very famous for.
We wandered through the town and saw
A windmill, and a lot of shops
So naturally made several stops!
They even had a C & A
So browsed in that along the way.
A pleasant morning having spent
In Sluis, next on to Bruges we went.
Saturday PM: Bruges
A million people seemed to be
There all at once, it looked to me,
And most of them had come by bike -
(A form of transport Belgians like
A lot). Plus trotting round the town,
(Intent on running tourists down?)
With little chutes placed at the rear
To make their “doofers “ disappear
The horse drawn carriages so neat,
Deceptively, so very sweet.
Norman and I decided we
Were somewhere not too safe to be!
Pushed through the crowds and made our way
Escaped at last to quiet café.
Ate waffles covered in, of course,
Great pools of Belgian Chocolate sauce.
Thus fortified, with frequent stops
To browse around the choc’late shops,
Determined we would not be late,
Returned to where the coach would wait.
Saturday evening: Ypres
Back in Ostend for half past five,
An early meal, another drive
In crowds at Ypres we stood to wait
While piper played at Menin Gate
And wreaths were laid to honour dead
Whose names were listed overhead.
Sunday, Brussels
We toured the different districts there,
The very posh, and even where
The “Little Ladies of the Night”
Displayed their “wares” in broad daylight
In windows framed, oblivious
To gawping tourists in a bus!
On up the hill past palaces,
Lord Byron’s house and Embassies,
And saw the E.U. Parliament
An interesting morning spent,
Then parking near the cathedral,
With Jean our guide leading, we all
Descended to the Market Square,
And into groups dispersing there,
Queued ages at a Sandwich Bar
For lunch, then wandered not too far
Through shop Arcades to Cathedral
And back again, and soon we all
Were on our coach (well minus two
Who had more shopping yet do to).
Sunday evening
That Sunday, while we were away
Became a very special day,
The reason - Ruby had become
That day “A century and one!”
That evening in the lounge we stayed
While songs were sung and keyboard played
And when we recognised a song
St George’s “choir” sang along.
The party lasted till quite late,
A lovely way to celebrate.
Last day
On Monday morning we weren’t due
To leave till twelve and so a few
Of us decided we’d walk down
To see the Cathedral and town.
Had beer and coffee at a bar
But hadn’t time to stroll too far.
Back on the coach and underway
Stopped at a store outside Calais
To shop for food and beer and wine.
Ate chips in cones, and then ’twas time
To board the ferry home again.
And everyone was glad they came
Away with us this year to spend
A “Parish Weekend” in Ostend.
A final note on our Hotel,
Whose staff looked after us so well.
(Not due to us!) - but sad to say
It closed for ever on that day.
Janet Johnson
