Under the Belgian Sun

Netherlands & Belgium: Stage 11 – Hasselt to Leuven 56 Km (Sat 16 July 2022)

Weather: 10⁰C min – 25⁰C max, sunny

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“I never want to abandon my bike. I see my grandfather, now in his seventies and riding around everywhere. To me that is beautiful. And the bike must always remain a part of my life.” ~ Stephen Roche, Irish former professional cyclist

I was sorry to be leaving Hasselt after such an enjoyable stay, but today I am looking forward to my 56 km ride to Leuven. Then tomorrow a short ride to Brussels where I will rendezvous with my dear wife who is catching the Eurostar from London to spend 3 days with me.

Unbelievable is the best word I can think of to describe the weather on this tour, with only about 30 minutes light rain. Today is no exception, with blue sky and fluffy white clouds again.

My route today took me through beautiful countryside, with crops of corn, barley, wheat, and spinach, as well as several apple orchards. I must say the punnet of rasberries I bought at a roadside stall were simply delicious too!

Riding was pure joy, as I put my head down and built up a head of steam. Shop-less (and coffee-less) towns came and went and the kilometers clicked over. All the towns were clean, tidy and neat … but colourless and drab. Why doesn’t Belgium believe in colourful gardens like England, Netherlands and France? One initiative that has worked really well in France is “Ville Fleurie”, promoting competition between the towns. A star rating is awarded for colourful flower displays in window boxes and gardens. Or perhaps creative street art could be encouraged, like in some parts of Sydney and Melbourne.

One thing that Belgium cannot be criticized for is their excellent cycle paths and roads, which probably explains why Belgium has had so many world class riders over the years.

Mother nature has done her bit too by adding colour to the landscape through wild flowers. As well as the usual yellow, pink and white ones, today I was treated to red poppies and a pretty mauve flower that I have not seen before.

Being too early to check in to my hotel I found a nearby coffee shop where I am writing these few words. I have heard good reports about Leuven so I am looking forward to checking it out later. Life is good!