Gent, Belgium Last Full Day

Today is our last full day here in Gent.  I really like this place.  Much less crowded than the larger cities.  You still have to watch out for the bikers.  They seem to have their own set of rules.

We got up and had tea and coffee in the room.  Cleaned up and out for our breakfast.

Dinner last night was at a small restaurant on the square.  Seems you end up spending about $100. for food that is just okay.  Will probably go back for pizza and beer tonight.

We decided we would walk to the museum.  It did not seem too far away and we needed the exercise.  We followed the canal so that we could find out where we were easily.  Too difficult to read the street signs and then find them on our little map.

We walked past some pretty nice homes.  This one has a lawn and outdoor living space which is quite rare here in Gent.

Another home which we found along the way.  This is about on the fifth floor.

We entered the Citadelpark.  This part is lovely.  You can see that the trees are now blooming.  Spring is finally here in Gent.

Our destination was S.M.A.K.  This is a contemporary art museum.  To say it was strange art, well you can decide for yourself.

Just on of the pictures we saw.

This picture shows skulls and candles.   Plus hundreds of snails.  Something about the length of ones life.  What?

In another room we found this large pot filled with mussel shells.  The pot stands about three feet tall.
One man's art is another man's trash.

To remind us of Florida, these three gators were made of clay covered with netting.

And if all that was not enough, here we have a crow.

The description to follow might tell you something.  Who knows?

Do you now understand?

We left the museum and decided to walk to the train station and buy our tickets to Brugge for tomorrow.  The trains run every hour so we should have no problem getting there.

It was now around lunch time so we stopped here for a sandwich.  But no bread so plan B.  We are inside as we felt we have had enough of the sun and wind.  It was a very sunny day and we had been walking for quite a while.

The clock tower at the train station.

We took the tram back to the center of town.  We were not too sure how to buy a ticket but with some help from the locals, we managed to do it.  By the time we got to the hotel area, it was covered with local folks sitting around the canal enjoying the sunny day.  

While we walked back to the hotel, we passed the Belfry once more.  This time we spotted this sculpture.  This is the facade of an old jailer's lodge which is adorned with the Mammelokker.  It shows the legend of Cimon, who was condemned to starve to death.  He was saved by his daughter who fed him daily from her breast.   Moved by this sign of love for her father, the warden sets the convict  free. It was built in 1742 in only four months.  

We returned to the hotel and found the room had been made up.  We did not get service yesterday as we were napping when our time came.  So today we asked for early service.  We took a nap and now working on the blog.  I am not a real napper but with walking about six miles and then a beer for lunch, I find I nap just fine.  

We will head out for dinner and then back to the hotel.  Not very interesting but okay with us.