On the Road Again!

We were up early for breakfast. The paperwork said that the parking along Beselarestraat from near Beselare towards Zonnebeke was open until 10am. The first problem was leaving the A19 as instructed that the junction wasn't policed on this section and we took nearly 15 mins to get the left rurn onto the N303 road into solid traffic through the town. Way before the start of the parking we were directed into a field and told to walk up the road. I had put a way marker into the TomTom for the road junction at the bottom of the parking. It was still some 600m to go. We were stopped by police and could see buses up ahead and a queue of people. By the time our column got up to about 200m  long the queue at what was Bus Stop F has disappeared. We were then told buses would come. With the traffic we were far too late to have a look around the museum site and went through accreditation and straight onto buses to Tyne Cot. We eventually arrived there about 11 o'clock. We were supposed to...

With the Shuttle booked for 1136 we arrived about an hour in advance and checked in. "Here we go". Disruption caused by a train being taken out of service. Three an hour.  Work it out  In the end we rolled out at 1305. What a superb service. That meant we were late in France. Late for lunch. In the end we stopped for a coffee and a sandwich at St Eloi services on the A25 just before the exit where we would head towards Poperinge and first stop at the B&B in Vlamertinge - B&B Pottebreker -  http://www.bbpottebreker.be We arrived before 4pm but the owners were there and showed us to the room. Modern and clean. We dropped off the luggage and headed for Ypres (Ieper) and the special events for the Menen Gate ceremony. After wandering about trying to get a bank with an ATM we finally found a viewpoint of the screens as we hadn't been lucky in any of the ballots. We saw the ceremony on the screen. The bands marching passed us (video below) and Queen Mathilde of Belgium ...

The Royal British Legion have created a pin for the centenary. I bought a couple from a poppy seller recently.

The e-tickets arrived in the inbox on Saturday morning.  I had a quick look through and sent them to the printer to make sure we have the hard copy available for the day. I need to get my suit out this week and make sure that it is cleaned and pressed. Given that the battle one hundred years ago was renowned for the sea of mud that aided the massive casualty list,  we need to be ready for inclement weather. So I will take shoes able to resist. Of course what can be carried is limited. But a waterproof coat is essential. If only I had bought the "dude" boots to ride the bike. They look like ankle boots with a light brogue pattern but are motorcycle quality and waterproof. What the guys in the trenches would have given for even simple water resistance. The tickets don't mention a seating area for Claire. With her hip problem standing I'd difficult. I forgot to tell them that with my heart still under performing that I too could do with a seat. Wait and see I expect. Upd...

Have had an email confirming that we have got seating tickets for the main event at Tyne Cot. The tickets themselves haven't arrived. It's still two and a half weeks away though. I've been planning a few routes to get to the hotel and then across to Zonnebeke to park the car and look around the museum. The event the night before in Ypres itself means that we will check in the B&B and our hosts will get us a cab into town.  Getting one back will prove possibly more complex.

We have the dog booked into his favourite kennels for the duration of this weekend away. He goes in there late afternoon on Saturday. We have a dog-free evening. I had thought of going over then but finding a hotel or even a youth hostel in Belgium is like finding that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Unless you have that gold of course. So back to Plan A. Plan A had alwaya been to cross over on Sunday morning and head generally towards Ypres.  There's a few places I'd like to see again plus some new (to me) sites. Then see what parking is like in Ypres. There's a special ceremony in the Market by the Cloth Hall. It may be that as Plan A dictates that we go to Vlamertinge to the B&B and back out by taxi, we stick to it. Monday morning we have to be in Zonnebeke to park and see the museum and displays there. We have been before a few years ago. It was pre- Meldrews  so must have been the other club we don't mention. On that visit we had to park in the entrance ...

We have been many times to Ypres and the battlefields in the area to visit the sites and the cemeteries. Most usually I have led the trips under the guise of the Suzuki Owners Club and latterly the Meldrews. I applied for tickets as once again the interest will be high rather than the simple turn up and take part from previous years. The Centenary is a big deal. At this stage there is planning to do and a hotel to book. Sadly Reggie can't come with us on this trip and we will have to do it in the car.  Claire's hip is not right and it will be too much on the Rocket. I'll leave this post  with a link to a poem .