Travel Prep Belgium

1. Language 

Belgium is a polyglot nation.  They speak - more or less - Dutch in the north and west, French in the south and east, and German in a small border enclave.  The Belgians have had a hard time welding these disparate communities into a cohesive nation.  In fact for a while they had no functioning Federal government at all, the various parts of Belgium just ran their own affairs.  Obviously most people speak more than one language.  I suspect that English is the most common second language, it being a useful and neutral back up option.  The close connection between Flanders and Great Britain likely makes this even more true where I will be.

But to be a courteous visitor I always attempt to have some ability to communicate in the local parlance.  I can stumble along in German which in turn is not too far from Dutch.  Its a shame I learned proper school German.  The "Pladdeuch" dialect that my dad grew up speaking is closer to Dutch, as the ancestral Wolters came from fairly near the German/Dutch border.

You Tube contains all matter of conversational German videos.  I have been chatting away for a while now.  Hopefully the problem I ran into in Italy will be less of an issue this trip.  Rome was so darned noisy that my over 60 ears had a hard time picking up subtle linguistic cues. (In truth I have a few issues even with spousal directives in English).  Rural Belgium should be better.  And I believe the crew I am working with will have all sorts of languages at their disposal.

2. Logistics 

Wonders of the internet.  Planes, trains and so forth are all arranged.  With google earth I have mapped out the hamlet I'll be staying in.  One restaurant, two bars, a grocery store, three ATMs.  There is a bus that goes into Ypres which at 5 miles away is just a bit past convenient strolling distance.  I'll be traveling alone this year which in some ways makes things easier.  I sometimes worry too much about travel companions and whether they are having a good enough time.  This will be sleep, dig, eat/drink, repeat.  Oh, and historic walkies on the in between weekend.

3. Eat/Drink

See above.  I have been doing my best to work up my tolerance to Belgian beer.  It is very tasty stuff but more alcoholic than the English ales I usually am quaffing on spring excavations.  I've also studied local menus a bit.  If you want to eat ox tongue great, but you should not order it by accident!

4.Boots 

I'd planned on taking Wellies.  The Ypres salient was notorious for deep, vile mud and Wellies were standard British equipment there.  That seems appropriate, as this style of boot really was popularized by The Duke of Wellington, or Arthur Wellesly as he was called when he defeated Napolean at Waterloo a ways north in Flanders.

I even got a new pair, these super light weight ones that would have packed so nicely.

Alas, the site requires steel toed safety boots.  A pair was acquired.  As the Shoe Outlet was having a buy one, second pair half off sale I just had to also get some lightweight "weekend walkers" to bring along as my other pair of foot gear.  So now I have two sets of new boots and a rather short time to break them in.  Twice a day walks now, once with each pair.  Up hills, down hills and if there is mud, straight on through.

5. Other prep

Well, what else can be done to prepare?  I'm heading off to get down into the trenches, to stand in places last occupied by humble soldiers.  They probably grumbled about the endless digging.  They likely thought their commanders were arbitrary and inconsistent.  But they were loyal soldiers, doing their duty without mutiny.

So, yes, I have been redoing the back yard and gardens per instructions by the High Command.