Only a short visit into Belgium but a memorable and enjoyable.

Arriving on ANZAC day was so fitting to an area which has so much history for the Australian soldiers in World War 1. Visiting the Menin Gate was very moving with wreaths laid that morning at the ANZAC service for ANZ soldiers lost at war. The gate itself bears the names of over 54,000 soldiers who died before Aug 1917 and have no known grave, over 6000 of these are Australian.

The city itself is very beautiful to walk around, surrounded by a moat and wall. There are two interesting museums housed in the beautiful cloth Hall building. We visited both of these and also climbed to the top bell tower to view over the city.

Every night 8pm at the Menin Gate there is a Last Post Ceremony. Buglers play the Last Post and visitors can lay wreaths. This was a very emotional experience surrounded by walls with names of all those missing. 

Back into France and a stop at Calais before our crossing in the tunnel.