Suggestions for photo ops in Benelux(Belgium and Netherlands)

[astral]

Ilse, let's keep it a secret! ;-)

 

I guess you are quite familiar with the district? For a Land Rover driver Ronse has the advantage of being a small, easy to navigate town. Unlike Kortrijk which is, however, a nicer town by far with photogenic parts, but it has a horrible one-way system and no through traffic. Don't tell anyone about Oudenaarde!

 

But at Markt just S of Kortrijk there's a monthly(?) Boerensmarkt (farmers' market). This is a good place to stock up on fresh fruit and eat organic strawberries, boerenworst(?) ie hot-dogs and drink 'Hoegy' etc all day ...... Only four weeks to go, I'm hungry already.

 

Cheers, Alan

[kleintje]

Alan, I know a bit about the region since some family of my husband are living there. We ourselves were living in a village closer to Ghent (actually one of my favourite cities in Belgium, but definitely to be discovered on foot or by bike ;o), where you had the outskirts of the Flemish Ardens.

 

Don't know much about Kortrijk or Marke, which are in a different province that I haven't visited that much (yet?), except for the coastal area.

 

If you might be interested in landscapes, a few weeks ago I read in the newspaper that the first National Park in Belgium has opened in Limburg (the most northeastern province). I haven't been there myself yet, but have heard it's rather scenic out there.

 

And your description of boerenworst and markets have made me long for them, so now definitely counting down to next week, when I'm flying over to Belgium for a few months holiday...

[david_henderson]

I like Bruges a lot and it would be no hardship for me to spend three days just walking the streets without any need to leave the city. As with most cities, there's a lot to be gained from leaving the tourist centre and getting out into where people actually live.

 

I can't say the same for Brussels though -I've just never found it an interesting city. Amsterdam is structurally a good place to photograph, but there is a lot of litter, signs, and cars parked all over the place which makes getting clean shots of canals/canalside housing and bridges etc very difficult, and of course its all been done to death anyway. I'd be inclined to head out to Edam or Marken or Hoorn/Enkhuizen, all on the Zuyder Zee north of Amsterdam and all with a maritime tradition. You're unlikely to die of loneliness here either, but they are easier to photograph decently in than Amsterdam and the other larger cities like Leiden or Delft. There's a good living museum at Enkhuizen. Alternatively you can visit the delta area-green fields small polders and little canals in the area NE of Dordrecht, and the much visited windmills of Kinderdyk are nearby. You could visit this area when driving from Brussels to Amsterdam or vice versa though as ever they'd be better at dawn or dusk. Finally you might check out Jaap Hart's portfolio here which will demonstrate (albeit in winter or tulip season) what is available in the Beemster area between Purmerend and Alkmaar, again to the north.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about the driving. Parking might be a different issue though unless your hotels have car parks.<div></div>