Another great visit with Kees and Diny, aunt Nel is doing well, she was very bright and happy. Leaving the next day, Diny supplied me with meatballs and dutch stroopwafels for sustenance along the way and Kees took on the job of Super Domestique in true cycling fashion to shield me from the wind and to make sure I wasn't going to get lost finding my way to the Belgian border. He may have had a different motive to do this, but I'll leave that to your imagination !
The ride was a good one with a favourable wind, although I had to put on the rain jacket a few times, but despite that I enjoyed sitting in a windy spot on a bench by the Prins Albert Canal with cold balls!
The route today went via Ossendrecht to Putte where I crossed the border into Belgium. Then via Kapellen , Brasschaat, Schravenwezel en Schilde to Oelegem where I reached the Prins Albert Kanaal. I followed the canal along the tow path via Grobendonk to Herentals where I booked a room in Hotel de Zalm in the city centre right on the market place.
The hotel is in a traditional brick building complete with stair gable, beautifully refurbished inside with a great restaurant. I enjoyed, (sorry for any offence) a horse steak, with a glass of Merlot.
The next morning away after a good breakfast, I rode via Aarschot, Rotselaar and Leuven into Wallonia, the French speaking part of Belgium. Dutch and French are the official languages in Belgium, but riding into Wallonia is like turning a language switch as virtually no one speaks dutch at all !
Starting out in bright sunshine, it soon became overcast with some huge threatening very dark clouds. After about an hour on the bike, the rain started and shortly after putting my rain jacket on it became torrential. Luckily as the drops became large a covered bus shelter appeared and I was able to sheter and make coffee while it bucketed down.
It rained on and off most of the ride, getting into the hills of the Ardennes. Through Grez Do and Bonlez, I found a sheltered place for lunch after a stop at a supermarket.
Finding that the water in my flask is stone cold, I ditched it and don't have to carry that anymore until I find a replacement. Continuing via Glembloux and Mazy to Jemeppe sur Sambre the planned stop for the day after just over 100 km. Not having booked a bed ahead, I followed my GPS to find a Hotel, but after a merry go round of 4 addresses I found 2 of them closed and the other two non existent! The fifth one is being altered into apartments, but the owner kindly gave me a room in the attic, air conditioned and very comfortable. They are Italian and leaving the hotel business because of a stroke his wife suffered about 3 years ago. We got by, communicating with the help of his daughter by telephone and his nephew from down the road who spoke some english. I finally arrived here just after 6 pm, and need to ride about 3 km to the nearest village of Fosses-la-Ville for dinner as the hotel's restaurant reopens tomorrow under new management.
After a quick cleanup to go for dinner, I could not find my wallet and realised with a bit of panic that I have lost it, with my daily cash and pre loaded cashcard in it!
Rang the special number to cancel it and I should get a replacement in 3 to 5 business days. This place being the only address I have it looks like as it is Thursday the ninth of July today, I will be here at best till Tuesday the fourteenth, or hopefully not later than Thursday the sixteenth ! Unfortunately that makes it impossible to get to the Alps in time for the Tour de France as planned.
At least I did not loose the lot, I keep my passport, credit card and spare cash in a different place.
After all that, I raced to the village for a pizza and got back before dark. Managed to sleep well and had sweet dreams about the world used as a water tower.
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