We finally went on a trip to Amsterdam and Belgium but with some trepidation. This was planned for April 2022 but Covid-19 put a stop to that. We were concerned that Amsterdam and Belgium in spring would be overwhelmed with tourists. We were pleasantly surprised.
Our first stop whilst driving to Ghent was Nordwijkderhout 45 minutes from Schipol airport. This was our first taste of how exuberantly spring is celebrated in the low countries. Every year, there is a parade of floats bedecked with flowers- usually on the third Saturday of April. We were there to witness and participate in the preparation of these floats. Asia was represented by Thailand and China.
Ghent bore some similarities to Singapore in that it was a transshipment point for goods. These goods were taxed and sometimes the tax was a portion of the shipment. These goods like wheat or textiles were stored in large godowns. As usual, the tax collectors were unpopular and had a tiny blue house on the wharf. The Marriot Ghent is next door and, in the past, this building promised female company for the sailors who passed through. The swans facing away from each other on the front of the hotel were a coded message that this was a brothel. Swans facing each other form a heart with their necks- denoting true love.
The other source of wealth was weaving. The beautiful textiles and lace were made by weavers. Their poor working conditions led them to form the first trade union in the world. The trade union and its building exist to this day. It was an immensely rich town with three towers- a symbol of wealth and prestige in those days. In St Bavos Cathedral sits the Ghent Altarpiece- a masterpiece of religious art by Van Eyck.
We were inspired to visit Bruges by the 2008 movie “In Bruges” with Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrel. Bruges was also wealthy from trade but declined in the 14th century. It lost its canal connecting it to the sea due to silting of the river. Another theory is that their rivals from Ghent filled the canal with sand. The stubbornly proud people refused to pay taxes to Emperor Maximillian of Austria and lost their license to trade in the 15th century. The lesson here is to pay attention to climate change and water levels and always pay your taxes. In addition, the Emperor gave a bevy of swans to Bruges to remind them of the murder of his tax collector Mr Lanchals aka “longneck”. Also fascinating was the Begijnhof- a tranquil green area exclusively for nuns and ladies to stay in that is still run by ladies. These days, you would have to be the husband of one of these ladies to live there.
We had heard that Amsterdam was over touristed but took a chance to go during peak Tulip season in April. There is a reason why it is visited so much. It is simply a beautiful city to be in. It was easy to find an empty spot in the city or go to an otherwise busy spot at the right time. Of course, the Keukenhof tulip park and Rijksmuseum on Good Friday were very crowded but the Dutch are very good at organized and timed entry to the attractions to spread out the crowds.
A vegetable forward lunch in a greenhouse at De Kas was a revelation to us meat eaters. This was not just “farm to table” but “farm next to the table” dining. Finally the bliss of walking along quiet canals in the “golden hour for photography” in the evening is hard to describe. We were not trapped in a tourist trap. We were genuinely enchanted by this city.
