Ghent day 2 (and still it rains...)

I am sitting in an armchair by the castle windows while there is a heavy downpour outside. It's been raining on and off all day today, and I decided it was time to relax indoors a little and let my shoes (and my feet!) dry out. My internet issues have been resolved since Cristian, one of my hosts, put an extra router in my room. Really, he and his wife Kay have been wonderful hosts, making me feel incredibly welcomed. The homemade yogurt Kay made for breakfast alone would have won me over. After that delicious breakfast (which included many other items), I headed for St. Bavo's Cathedral, famous for its famous altar piece, The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, Jan and Hubert van Eyck's work, first installed in 1432. It's the most stolen piece of artwork of all time. Most has been restored, but one panel remains missing and is still an unsolved mystery (since the 1930s) that is still an open case with the police. You can read more about its fascinating history here: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2013/dec/20/ghent-altarpiece-most-stolen-artwork-of-all-time

Cameras were strictly forbidden in the special chapel housing the altar piece and actually the cathedral as a whole, but I manged a few rogue shots of the cathedral. While it was tempting to photograph the paintings, I decided not to push my luck and show some respect. But here's a little of the cathedral, parts of which date back to the 1100's:

exterior, with some random lady

Next up was lunch at the creamy-yellow building (next to the beerhouse).

Super cute interior:

After lunch, I went on another walking tour. Hard on the feet and legs after days and days of walking? Yes, but also such a good source of information. For example, how else would I have known that this Marriott hotel was a brothel once upon a time (advertising for this to the illiterate sailors from the fishing boats was the two swans facing away from each other--the opposite of how they usually face, forming a heart shape and typically a symbol of fidelity and love).

The grey-stone building in the next photo is the oldest building in Ghent. It was where they unloaded and stored wheat grain from the ships (wheat being essential for two Belgian staples: bread and beer). It's hard to tell in the picture, but the building leans slightly forward, which was to make hoisting the grain up and into the building even easier. Next to it (with the blue shutters/door) is the old toll house, where ships could pay their toll. It's so tiny, I would have missed it had the guide not pointed it out.

Also, here's their town hall, which started out with classic Flemish Gothic style architecture. But they ran out of money before they could finish. When the money finally rolled in again to complete the building, it was now the Renaissance period, so that's what they went with--two different styles, but all one building. An odd choice, but this tells you something about the people of Ghent. They do things their own way. This also captures a little of the spirit of this city, which I find to be a kind of halfway point in character between Antwerp and Bruges. It has more charm and medieval architecture (and some canals) than Antwerp, but it's got a slightly more free-wheeling, city feel than Bruges. It's got a huge population of university students--70,000--so that plays a part as well. Anyway, the mash-up town hall:

And a couple more shots of neat buildings/sights. Those gradations you see on the roofs, by the way, are a sign of wealth--they were "steps" to the chimneys, which only the wealthy could afford (along with someone to clean them) and the more steps you had, the more prestigious the house was.

Another thing I like about walking tours is it's a good way to meet and chat with people. Among others, I talked to two recent college grads from Colorado who are traveling through Europe together. After the tour, we shared a bag of a traditional local candy--the  cuberdon. It's kind of chewy on the outside and has a gooey, jam-like filling. It's very sugary and has a raspberry flavor (which contributes to its color). Another name for it is the "Ghent Nose" as it somewhat resembles one in shape.

I didn't hate it, but let's just say that I prefer the local product that come in a glass much better. There are two men who have carts right next to each other in the square just behind my B&B, and according to our tour guide, they have been competing for years. When the second one first appeared, there was a "war" between them that got so intense and heated, it was written up in the newspapers and the local authorities temporarily banned both. This caused them to lose a huge amount of profit, so they made peace (at least superficially) in the end and reopened. Now they just glare at each other and try to beguile passersby to come to their stand instead of the other. In Bruges, this was the case with two rival frites sellers. You have to love it when the big local news is food cart rivalries. It speaks to how generally safe and incident-free Ghent and Bruges are.

The rain seems to have lightened in the time that I've written this, so I'm going to head out for another wander and an early dinner. I think for my final meal out, I'm going to try a traditional Flemish stew. With a Belgian beer, of course (there are over 500 kinds in this country!). Honestly, I don't know how all the locals here aren't grossly obese with all the heavy food they eat and the beer they drink. I guess they walk/bike it all off since most seem to get around that way vs. cars. Speaking of which, tomorrow I fly to London and start a new chapter in this journey: driving. Say a prayer for me!