Extended Memories - Along the Belgian Coast

A promenade on the seaside is the most popular way to spend the holidays. For those who are wondering whether Belgium has a beach, the answer is a resounding yes. Oostende, the northern end of this small country faces the North Sea. This resort city on the Belgian coast is the famed summer residence of the Belgian royal family. Oostende is mired in history just like many other locations in Belgium.

My husband and I teamed up with another family to catch some of the seaside attractions in Belgium. We woke up early on Easter monday to catch the morning train to Oostende. We had already noted down the main attractions in Oostende the previous night and set out to conquer this list of places.

The Brussels Central Railway Station was more crowded than usual. I figured that most of the people were hopping to tourist destinations on account of the public holiday. We got into the crammed mid-section of the train but couldn't find any seating space. We walked all the way to the last train cabin in search of vacant space. We found a quiet corner to sit through the one and half hour train journey.

Oostende station is extraordinary in the sense that this is a combination of a harbor and a rail station. From the platform, we can see ferrys and ships anchored in the harbor waiting for passengers. It is possible to ferry across the North Sea to Dover in England from this harbor in Belgium.

The twin towers of the St. Peter and St. Paul church captures the visitor's attention from outside the station. The church is located a stone's throw away from the station. This gothic structure is built entirely in sandstone and dates from 1904. The church houses the mausoleum of Louise-Marie, the first queen of Belgium. Peperbusse, a smaller tower next to the church, is the remaining portion of the original church dating from the 18th century.

There was an Easter Eucharist service going on in the church when we arrived. We could hear the church choir playing hymnals. A musical band along with people dressed in colourful, traditional attire were waiting outside the church for the Easter procession.

The view inside the church was spectacular with beautiful stained glass windows depicting the Belgian royalty. I was taken amazed to see that the offering for the Eucharist consisted of bread and fish. Oostende was and still is a fishing town. Perhaps this is the explanation for fish being offered at the altar. This church was brighter in appearance compared to the black, stony appearance of the churches I visited before.

We decided to return to the harbor to see the Mercator ship. This is a ship that the Belgian Navy used for training and instruction until 1960. The ship is now a floating museum offering visitors a glimpse of life at sea. There is a collection of articles on display pertaining to Belgian maritime history. The quarters of the naval lieutenants, officers, commandments and captain are preserved for posterity.

Mercator was also part of many scientific expeditions and these trips are chronicled in the tabloids mounted on the hallways. The mortal remains of the Belgian priest, Father Damien was brought back to Belgium from Molokkai islands in this ship. I remembered reading about Father Damien during my school days when I saw the photographs and inscriptions indicating the transport of his remains. This priest dedicated his life to the betterment of leperosy patients in the Hawaian islands of Molokkai before finally succumbing to the disease himself. I am glad that this service to humanity was recognized by the Belgian government and that his country offered this great man his final resting place.

After touring the Mercator, we went to the tourist office and took combination tram & museum passes to Raversidje or the beach side of Oostende. The view of the coast as the tram moves along the coast is magnificient. There were many beaches, hotels, taverns and shops catering to the tourists relaxing in the sun. After getting down at Raverside, we decided to visit the monuments in the area before returning to the beach.

One of the shop owners in the area told us that the museums and nature reserve would be only a ten minute walk. We started walking towards the path she showed but it was a very lengthy route. After about forty-five minutes of walk through a winding pathway, we reached a beautifully maintained exhibition area. We got tour guide phones from the main hall to guide us through the exhibits.

The complex set of tunnels and bunkers called the Atlantic wall used by the German forces was truly a sight to see. This seaside area was used during both the world wars to house the German forces, to monitor the enemy and to launch attacks. The remnants of the world wars, including the sea mines, torpedos and bofors weapons are still intact. I was impresed by the clever outlay of the underground bunkers and tunnels providing a maze of pathways for movement and attacks. There were outlets and equipements for keeping a watch on the enemy from below the ground level. I am still dazed by the ingenius design of the bunkers by Germans.

The summer residence of Prince Karel of Belgium is preserved in all its beauty in an adjoining area. This villa contains many of the prince's personal memorabilia including many of his artistic works. We were able to listen to the descriptions of the items on display by keying in the exhibit numbers on the phone we were provided with. The exhibition was especially interesting since we could understand the significance of the items on display. This walk through the Atlantic wall and the museums took us about three hours but it was truly a walk through history.

We walked back through the same narrow pathway to the beach and stopped to inform the lady we met in the shop before that it was more than a mere ten minute walk. She was amused and chuckled sportingly. We stopped over at the beach for a couple of hours afterwards. The chill waters and the gentle breeze was refreshing after the long walk.

We were all hungry by the time we reached back to the railway station. We grabbed a quick meal of burger and fries before heading to the platforms to take the train to Brussels. All of us dozed off on the train after the tiring and eventful day. I know that we covered a lot of ground on Easter monday, 2007. The towering St. Peter's church, a floating museum, sandy beaches, underground structures and the imposing harbor are my memories of the day spent in Oostende. I know that these images will be imprinted in my memory forever because it was a walk through years of history.

"