The gods of trains smiled. Or maybe the smurfs took the day off. One train, one platform, on time. Ghent is just under 30 min by train from Brussels (about 30 miles) so it didn’t take long. Soon enough, Vera and Phillipe were checking us in. Our apartment occupies the attic floor of their home just on the edge of the historic center on a narrow, pedestrian road.
Ghent dates back to the 7th century AD when Saint Amand founded two abbeys at the confluence of the Scheldt and Leie rivers. Currently there is a population of about 300,000.
We explored the area a bit. We stopped first at a coffee place called Boon.
We found the official graffiti alley where graffiti is sanctioned.
Took a canal boat ride just because hearing local tales is always fun. We learned, among other things:
->Income tax rates are one of the highest in the world ranging from 25% to 50%. The top rate goes to people earning about $57,000 or more.
->There is pedestrian/ bicycle bridge that never was finished because of protests. “We don’t know how the story will end” our boatman/guide says.
->In Ghent, anyone can take any kind of floating thing and wend their way through the canals. Kayaks, inner tubes, yachts (although the bridges are very low so good luck with that. Why? “Freedom!” Our guide exclaims.
