Looking back: April 2003
Not long before I started writing a blog and then transferring the content over here to Blogger.
I had only recently bought my R1150GS. It came with the BMW system panniers but with no top box. That was remedied with a Givi plate and utilising the Givi E45 topbox that I had for over a decade by them (I still have it!).
The Easter 2003 trip was organised for the Suzuki Owners Club, primarily for everyone in the club as well as friends Graham and Sarah Walker. The take up was very small. People claim there was "nothing ever organised" but when there was they were pretty much absent.
On the way Claire and I stopped in Veurne near the Belgian coast and managed to park up alongside another Manadarin GS! Also with UK plates.
Most of the participants had booked into the Old Tom B&B and restaurant in the main market square in Ypres. The idea was to get there on Good Friday. Have two days touring and visiting the battlefields and then go home on Bank Holiday Monday.
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| Parked outside Old Tom. First to arrive. |
I had planned some routes around the Ypres Salient taking in the most popular sights and cemeteries as possible. War tourism has increased each year with more companies popping up to offer minibus and even full sized coach tours to the areas such as Ypres, the Somme and the Normandy Landing Beaches.
Back in those pre-digital camera/smartphone days we had to rely on the film camera. Hence the attached photos are small and so-so in quality.
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| Me and Graham ready for the off on Saturday morning |
Since then the two main sites photographed here have seen both sprout visitor centres and also ample parking.
At both Tyne Cot and Langemarck we simply parked outside and entered through the arched gate and into the cemetery.
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| Tyne Cot |
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| Langemarck German Cemetery |
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| Hill 62 |
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