Day 5: Bruges – Ostend
Time flew when we were having fun. Today we began the final stage of our HiFlanders cycling holiday. It was the shortest ride of the five, with about 35 kilometres still to cover, so there was no need for an early start. First, we still wanted to explore a little more of Bruges.
We strolled through the beautiful Minnewater Park and the historic city centre, browsed in a second hand shop and took time for coffee and cake. On a city wall we read a touching request: “If you leave, will you come back again?” There was no doubt in our minds that we would.
With that thought in mind, we said goodbye to Bruges. We followed the canal towards the North Sea. A calming landscape of polder countryside carried us towards Ostend, the queen of seaside resorts. We covered our final kilometres along the promenade, with the North Sea beside us, and immediately found ourselves in a lively summer atmosphere. The sky was steel blue, and the sun made its presence felt. We saw happy people in go karts and children enjoying ice cream.
We continued past a few final highlights, including the imposing Thermae Palace Hotel, the Royal Galleries and the Casino Kursaal. Soon we arrived at our destination: Ostend railway station. The next day we would take the train from there back home.
Before that, we took time to enjoy Ostend. In the evening we had a lovely meal at De Grote Post, a beautiful former post office building. Afterwards we walked to the seafront for a while. It was almost deserted, and the setting sun became our main companion. A five-star ending to a wonderful cycling adventure.
