There is always a sort of positive agitation, trepidation, curiosity and a bit of fear when it comes to leaving one’s home and family to go to a country never seen before and meet new LocalGuides and see old friends.
Belgium and precisely in Ghent: this is the meeting point for the 2nd European Meet-up 2019 impeccably organized and with passion by Jan
15 local guides from 8 different countries: a really nice group!
(a panoramic view of city Ghent from The Castle of Counts by davidhyno)
Some of these I have already had the opportunity to meet them and it has been an immense pleasure in seeing them again (Elga, Jane, Adrian) while the others are all new faces!
Old and new … sometimes you wonder if everything can work when you combine two realities and ideas so far apart:
(Old : Beffroi of Gand, bell tower built between 1313 and 1380, with various successive additions and a key role in the city past. Photo by davidhyno)
(New : Standshal / city Pavillon from 2012 - photo by davidhyno)
Then, you realize that you only need to look in depth and go beyond the first hesitations of what is new that you discover how everything is amalgamated, that everything is perfect and there is a symbiosis almost innate:
(a shot of the two buildings that are in the same place - photo by davidhyno)
So you immediately understand that everything will be perfect: the right city rich in history, projected towards the future but preserving memories of when “by the 13th century, Ghent was the biggest city in Europe after Paris; it was bigger than Cologne or Moscow. "(wikipedia).
And you can feel all this walking along its streets:
(panoramic view from St Michael’s Bridge - photo by davidhyno)
(typical buildings of the city - photos by davidhyno)
(typical buildings of the city - photos by davidhyno)
walking for its squares
(Sint-Baafsplein is to Ghent what Trafalgar Square is to London: the heart of the city - photos by davidhyno)
visiting the Abbeys
(An artistic stained-glass window of Saint Bavo’s Cathedral, church in which Charles V of Habsburg was baptized, which houses the Ghent Polyptych, van Eyck’s masterpiece - photo by davidhyno)
(Saint Jacob Church by night - photo by davidhyno)
its imposing castle:
(The Castle of the Counts - photo by davidhyno)
and its majestic palaces:
(Castle of Gerald the Devil - photo by davidhyno)
And all this together with an excellent and splendid LocalGuides company with the same interests as you (photos, eat, photos, drinks, and more photos!) Of friends with a great desire to have fun and spend beautiful days together and share the surprises :
the emotions of a boat trip along its canals:
(Ready for a boat trip along the Lys river! - photo by davidhyno)
the flavors of a city (from sweet) :
( cream or chocolate pastry delicacies - photo by davidhyno)
to salty ones:
(all you can eat “Spareribs” from Amadeus Gent 1 Restaurant - photos by FazZ and davidhyno)
that this amazing city offers to its visitors!
Two intense and beautiful days, as always unforgettable: thanks to all my friends, I’ll take you home with me without going through check-in!
(The Alps from a plane view - photo by davidhyno)
This post is dedicated to: @JanVanHaver , @helga19 , @AdrianLunsong , @JaneBurunina , @TorM , @arnedery, @ikaramon, @IrenaS , @FazZ @NiiloA and George, Kristoff, Pete, Micheal, Arne, and Jean-Ignace!
Thanks guys!
David
, although I will of course use the experience from this year to help where I can 