Sunday 29 April 2007

Mon., April 30th walk in Dworp!

Dear Walkers,

What a splendid day we had at Knokke. Many thanks to Marie Jo who managed to read her map up-side down and get us back to the train on time.

Monday’s walk is at Dworp # 9. This is a new walk and I’m not sure if there is a cafĂ© open on a Monday. If not we shall have to go back to Rhode St Genese.
Sandy will be away quite a lot of May. Kathleen has offered to do one walk on Friday, the 11th, but if anyone else can do one, please get in touch with Sandy soon or me.

I am having difficulty getting anything on the blog so please note emails while Sandy is away.
Have you all voted for the venue of the Charity lunch ? ?
Look forward to seeing you and hearing from you on Monday!

Sheila

Fri., April 27th - Knokke Trip & Walk


Our "Thanks" to Marie Jo who coordinated the trip and got the tickets for us! She got us some good group rates ... and, got us back to Brussels on time. What more could we ask for???
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Fri., April 27th - Knokke Trip & Walk


The hour and a half train trips up and back ... seemed to pass very quickly and we were able to sit together (for the most part).
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Fri., April 27th - Knokke Trip & Walk


Picnic group #1 ... preferred the view farther from the water and a bit out of the wind. Sheltered by the bathing houses we enjoyed our home made lunches and anticpated a stop later for some desserts!!!
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Fri., April 27th - Knokke Trip & Walk


Picnic group #2 ... wanted to get as close to the water as possible for a closer inspection! Bon appetite ... ladies!!!
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Fri., April 27th - Knokke Trip & Walk


After our picnic lunches ... it was off for our walk along the shore line. The views were beautiful and the weather .... just grand!
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Fri., April 27th - Knokke Trip and Walk

Well, here we all are sort of assembled for our group photo with an extra visitor joining us of the furry variety. His owner was nice enough to take the photo so we won't complain! Thanks to Marie Jo (middle - orange) for organizing this outing for us and arranging for the stunning weather, too!
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Fri., May 27th - Knokke Trip & Walk


It was time for a recheck of directions between those in the know ... Marie Jo, Denise and Inge ... Thanks ladies for doing such a great job of getting all 17 of us around and back to Brussels on schedule!
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Fri., Apr. 27th - Knokke Walk

Half way around our route we took our refreshments at a delightful outdoor cafe. Some of us enjoyed a bit of crepe or apple tart with our drinks. With the delightful weather it was a wonderful way to spend a Friday!!!
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Mon., April 16th - Blue Bell Walk


This is just one of the many stunning views on our walk through the Blue Bells in the Bois de Halle. With the temperature about 27C ... it was perfect weather for our outing!
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Mon., April 16th - Blue Bell Walk


16 of us were overwhelmed by the beauty of the Blue Bell forest as we walked among the many paths. It was hard to believe we could walk for so long in such an environment surrounded by such a vast array of flowers!
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Monday 16 April 2007

Bois de Halle


Photo of 16 of us...
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Mon., Apr. 16th BLUE BELL WALK


Refreshments followed at the Cafe 421 in Brain l'Alleud.
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Saturday 14 April 2007

BLUE BELL WALK - Mon. April 16th!!!

Dear Ladies,

I have just been to the Bois de Halle and the blue bells are lovely in this sunshine. So was the meal at T’Kriekske. What with the sun and the beer, it was lucky that Keith was driving home.

I am proposing a DIFFERENT meeting place, so that we can do nearly the same walk as usual but take in this delightful restaurant about 2/3rds of the way round. You may want to bring your husbands etc another time, as it has very typical Belgian food, said to be the place where Belgian ex-pats want to go to when they return to Belgium. This should be an easier place to find. If you have a map of the wood it is called Acht Dreven and there is plenty of parking room.

Directions

39 Bluebell Walk – Acht Dreven

This route is for those coming from Woluwe Tervuren etc. Others should find their way to the motorway exit 22 and follow from there. Take the ring in the direction of Waterloo and go to the end where it meets the Brussels-Paris motorway. Take the Brussels direction and come off at the first exit 22. This winds round and where it meets the main road, signposted Waterloo on the left, you turn right. People from other directions might join at this point.

After a short distance you come to the centre of Braine-le–Chateau where you turn right at the traffic lights on the N 28. There are some signs warning of a deviation but you are local traffic and can drive round the one barrier. You drive 2 kms, exactly, arriving at a small cross roads at the boundary of Braine-le-Chateau (sign). Here, at the moment is a big barrier across the road. On the left is a (disused ?) Vieux CafĂ©. There is a small sign on the right, saying straight on to Bois de Halle Parking but this is a different Parking from ours. Turn right on Vlasmarkt and continue until you reach the big parking where 8 paths meet and there is an information board and seating rotunda. We have walked through here every year.

Do not come down the N 28 from the north as that is blocked at the moment.

I suggest you print this out and paste or staple it to your other directions.

The weather should stay fine. Bring water, sunhats, are we into shorts yet?

Look forward to seeing you

Sheila

April 27th - Ostend Outing

Hi Walkers,

Now that we are at about the midway point of the month here is an update on the Ostend trip that Marie-Jo will be conducting on Friday, the 27th. Let’s hope this great weather continues to stay around for awhile! This will be rain or shine event! We will plan to meet at 10:40am at Gare Central and take the 11:00 (+) train to Ostend. If we have at least 15 participating we can get our own exclusive train car!!! Party time!!! We ask that each attending bring a packed lunch and if the weather is not good we will eat on the train. Otherwise, we may choose to eat when we get there. We may then take the tram south to Knokke or a stop in between but the idea is to spend the afternoon on the coast and get in a good walk too before adjourning to a cafĂ©/patisserie for dessert and coffee/tea in preparation for our return trip later in the afternoon to be back in Brussels by 6pm. Marie Jo asks any ladies who have reached the exalted age of 65 to advise her as your roundtrip tickets will be only 4E’s!!! See, there are advantages of being a Senior Person!!! If you have not yet signed up but would like to go on this outing please advise me asap. I will be leaving on a trip on the 17th so after Tuesday, please advise Marie-Jo if you have a change of plans or want to join the group. Thanks, Marie-Jo, Sheila, and Sandy.

Marie Jo Kusatz
Sheila Richardson (s)
Kathleen Rochester
Inge Nash (s)
Dolphine Grijns (s) she will get tickets at Brain l'Alleud
Cynthia Lewis
Christa Wunderlink
Vyvyan Lyle
Ghislaine Vermiere
Martha Harris (?)
Denise Jones (s) (?)
Sandy Owens
Sonia Vivian
Penny Heffinck
Sarah Kelly Arscott

Tuesday 3 April 2007

Mon., Apr. 2nd., Alison's Sept Fontaine Walk


The Sept Fontaine walk took us through some beautiful, bucolic country scenes which were even more impressive on such a spectacular spring afternoon. Here I will attempt to put a link to Dolphine's photos she took this afternoon ... it just may work!!! But, it didn't. Posted by Picasa

Mon., Apr. 2nd. Alison's Sept Fontaine Walk


“Hi to you, too, and thanks for checking out the blog!” Eleven of us were able to join Alison to participate in today’s walk. What a beautiful spring afternoon for one of our favorite spots! It got up close to 20C … “Thanks Alison”!!!
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Mon., Apr. 2nd - Alison's Sept Fontaine Walk


Refreshments followed the walk at the café at Vastieu Godeau where we could relax for a few minutes and contemplate our very nice outing today.
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Sunday 1 April 2007

Mon., Apr. 2nd Walk at Sept Fontaine - update!

Sandy

Could you forward the paragraph below to all the walkers. I don't think I have an up to date list. Just back from Sept Fontaines - lovely weather, hope it continues for tomorrow.

The instructions for finding walk #28 - Sept Fontaines need a small revision. As you come up the hill from Vastieu Godeau, the café on the left is no longer very run-down. In fact it is now a newly refurbished restaurant which looks very smart. Unfortunately it is closed on Mondays.

Thanks Sandy

Alison

Fri., Mar. 30th - Sandy's Woluwe Walk


The morning started out rather grim but by 1pm when we assembled for the outing the weather had improved remarkably. After reaching Stockel we began to head back toward the tram museum parking area when Sheila offered us an alternative detour through some scenic areas. It was a treat to be able to do this under her guidance. Thanks!
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