Turbocharged with the cherry juice from the orchards of my hosts (Cherryfarm Bakkershof in Brustem) and the memories of the eccentric gifts of the historic Christina, who was born in this very place, I set out into a warm and grey mid-winter day. 13 degrees Celsius, I need to dress down significantly!

The showers were frequent throughout the day. As I walked along the trail, I started to understand why the oldest settlements were in locations that we would call ‘holes’: These depressions are a natural protection from the strong winds that happen to blow frequently in this flat landscape. If it weren’t for the many groves and rows of sheltering trees, it would feel like on the islands in the Canadian Arctic.

Today’s journey took me along the old Roman overland trail from Kassel to the coast of the English Channel (to Bavay, France). The trail does not look any different from the majority of agricultural roads in the area. Within minutes, I was walking by a Gallo-Roman or Celtic burial mound of sizeable proportions. Continue reading “En route – Brustem to Tongeren (Belgium)” →