Oops!  Had to happen, eh? 

While preparing to stop in Ghent on my way from Bruges to Brussels, I said goodbye to my FABULOUS B&B hosts, Christine and Daniel, and hopped on my train.  At the Ghent Central Train Station, there were only a few luggage lockers.  All were full until – yay!  Two people emptied a locker and I tried to reserve it.  The pay pad wouldn’t take my Apple Pay, the way I’ve paid 99% of the vendors on this trip, so I dug out my coin purse with my debit card and…left my coin purse by the luggage lockers!  Oh, well.  I have my passport for ID, and I hid extra credit cards in my bags.  I locked my lost cards, ordered a new drivers license, and notified the train station about my lost coin purse.  Biggest bummer is the €150.00 which is lost forever…

I am NOT, however, going to let this mishap ruin my day or my trip! 🙂

This morning, during my lovely breakfast at B&B Stoega, I asked Christine about the best way to get to the train station.  She offered to give me a ride.  So nice!  Then I discussed photography with Daniel.  He’s a talented photographer who is taking his retirement hobby to an amazing level.  I’ve taken one course; he’s getting a degree in photography!  If you would like, take a look at some of his creative work on instagram:  @phototrail_dd.  And when (not IF!) you visit Bruges, I HIGHLY recommend B&B Stoega!

Ghent is so different than Bruges!  Bruges’ medieval buildings present a unified perception of the city.  The main sites are clustered within its walls, allowing visitors to imagine what the city was like long ago.  Ghent has some similar sites – churches, cathedrals, a castle, plazas, fountains, canals – but they’re interspersed with modern buildings and facilities.  Ghent is less unified than Bruges.

In Ghent, I had to see the Ghent Altarpiece, or ‘The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb,’ by the Van Eyck brothers in St. Bavo’s Cathedral.  One can explore the cathedral free-of-charge, but to see the Mystic Lamb, there’s a charge.  I decided to go whole hog – or should I say whole sheep?! – and paid for the augmented reality tour.  Wearing a special headpiece, I saw holograms as I listened to speakers sharing the history of the Mystic Lamb.  So cool!  I’ve never done anything like this and was very impressed with the engagement of augmented reality!

Following the Mystic Lamb, I wandered around the city, making sure to take a look at Gravensteen, a medieval castle.  Next up?  The dragon on top of the Belfry of Ghent!

Now, I’m ensconsed in my AirBnB in the center of Brussels.  Soon, it’ll be time for more exploration!

Frescoes in the crypt of St. Bavo’s Cathedral.

The Mystic Lamb, consisting of 12 panels, was stolen in part or whole six times.  After the most recent theft by the Nazis, it was recovered by the Monuments Men.  Glass protects it from visitors; getting a clear photograph of all 12 panels presents difficulties.

A close-up of the lamb itself.  I love looking at artwork from various distances.  Close, I can see detailed brushstrokes and color mixes.  Far, I can grasp the totality.  For this piece, I had to use my camera to help me “see” more of the work.

At one point in history, the Adam and Eve panels were stolen.  Artists created duplicates, with Adam and Eve wearing clothes per custom at that time.  Later, when the two panels were recovered, Adam and Eve returned to their natural state.  I find it interesting that Eve is pregnant.  A woman’s only – or most important – role according to the artists…?

I have no idea what this building is!  A pianist was playing inside…

Ghent.

Weeping willow, canal, bridge…flowers!

Gravensteen and its moat.  (Playing with black & white!)

One of several fountains.  I thought the dog was cute and the colors surprising.

Dragon atop the belfry.