DFR Travels: Three countries in one day...

Thursday, April 7. Cool, no rain.

We were on the road to France, passing through Belgium on the way by 9.00 am. Fortunately the luggage repair that we did in the room last night held up for the short journey down 200 yards of cobblestone streets to the coach, however it is destined for the bin if it makes it home. We also have a new coach today as the one we had since we arrived had a steel pipe smashed through the rear window by a construction machine in the street yesterday.

Enroute the RSM briefed us of security concerns for us to be aware of regarding terrorism. Apparently Belgium has four stages and is currently at the third level and France is in a state of emergency. We probably knew this but it now has a little more meaning to us.

Of course we Canadians treat terrorism with some degree of naivety, and may shrug it off. He pointed out that tens of thousands of Canadians are now in Europe and will be at the Memorial on Sunday. That many people in one place is an easy mark for bad people doing bad things. So much for that.

The route to Ghent, in Belgium where we had lunch was across vast fields of nothing except grass and small canals of water in neat rows about 15 feet across. What for and why I know not. Every few miles there is a service station or some industrial building, and possibly a substantial industrial park. In other words, nothing historical, just interesting foreign well maintained countryside on excellent highways. Mostly commercial traffic.

One thing about travelling with a group of soldiers or men with military experiences is the 'Banter' which I forgot about entirely. When on the bus, or coach or even the street there can be cross-chatter across aisles or rows of people chirping in on a conversation resulting in a group conversation so to speak. This is done by people who are intimately familiar with each other and have a sort of herd thinking. Obviously we did not participate but I found it quite familiar and comfortable.

After lunch we wandered the streets of this very, very old Belgian city. We had a lunch of tomato soup and bread, and beer for Craig and I. The combination of being physically chilled and beer increases the need to get rid of fluid, in other words to Pee.

Fortunately the Europeans are more enlightened than us so you may see a thing on a street called a Pissoir. This is a couple of urinals closed on 3 1/2 sides and shielded from about a foot off the ground to about five feet. This we found and ably used. While sitting and having a coffee waiting for our coach to appear, Craig passed the comment "Life in Europe is neat, sitting on a sidewalk drinking coffee and pissing in the street." Women for some unknown reason do not seem to see these facilities.

During the ride to Amiens where we stay for three nights we passed several small War Cemeteries

Off the sides in fields, very nicely kept but tiny, maybe 30 to a few hundred headstones. This is very emotional in seeing where these people have lain for close to 1 00 years, in a farmers field, surrounded by brick walls as the world carried on. Sad indeed.

Tomorrow after our day of touring around Vimy, we have arranged to be driven to the cemetery where Peggy Cowley's great uncle is buried. This is due to Craig's efforts entirely. We will be taken by Andy Robertshaw, the military historian of Finding The Fallen and many other TV shows. We are delighted that he will be with us.

The tone of the tour has changed as we are now in the middle of some terrible battles took place. Our thoughts and conversation have taken a serious turn.

We also had a few talks today on the bus about Regimental History, the formation of the Canadian Expeditionary Force in WW I and somebody is reading aloud the War Diary of the Seaforth and will read each day matching the exact date 100 years ago.

Today we went to three countries in a matter of a few hours. Canada is big!