DINANT - A QUAINT LITTLE TOWN IN BELGIUM

Dinant is one of the most beautiful little towns in Belgium. ... So if you are wondering if Dinant is worth visiting, my answer is yes, absolutely! It's a local's favorite and a great place for those looking to explore Belgium deeper and beyond the most popular tourist cities in Flanders. That's why I made together with three friends and excursion by bus to this city. Unfortunately the weather was not the best but at least it only rained when we were inside !

As we were all a little rusty and didn't want to walk too much, we decided to take twice the cruise which took us along the shore with all these beautiful and colorful houses and also the rocks. 

And here I show you what we saw !

Our little group the one to the right is my new neighbor

You could rent electric boats and drive yourself without driver licence

All the long of the Meuse river there is a rocky landscape

The inventor of the saxophone Adolph Sax was born in Dinant. On this bridge all European countries had put a special  saxophone. This here is from Germany

Above Dinant there is the famous Citadel of Dinant, an ancient fortress

lots of restaurants in front of the river

Our boat

 

It is a very long time ago that a coffee was served this way. When I first lived in Belgium I had never seen such coffee filters before. I didn't even know that these filters are still available !

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MY CORONA ARMCHAIR TRAVELS - DINANT

Dinant is about an hour and a half away from Brussels and ideal for a one day excursion. I have been there with a group from my city Waterloo. It is a true picture-postcard town.

Dinant provides a stunning spectacle, especially when you look across the Meuse and lift your gaze towards the Citadelle and the onion-domed tower of the Collegiate church, all highlighted by the ribbon of houses and shops running alongside the river. 

Set between a dramatic cliff and the river, Dinant invites you to enjoy the pleasures of the water where you can book a little cruise with or without restaurant and watch the beautiful riversides with lovely little or big houses. take the lift up to the Citadelle (fortress) of Dinant, from where you have a stunning view over the city, the Meuse river and the valley.  

The cable  car ! 

Was fun because it shaked a bit and some ladies were not happy !

High on the rock sits the citadelle ! Fortunately a lift takes you up there but you can also go by car or walk.

All along the riverside under the citadel and the church are lined up many restaurants, or cafes where you can sit and watch the ships going up and down the river

The houses are really "glued" to the rocks

 

The onion domed church of Dinant

The lift took us up to the citadelle and we had this beautiful view over Dinant

Here you could take boats small or big once depending on what you want to do

A street in Dinant with many shops and souvenir shops

The Meuse river

Towards the entrance of the Citadelle

The inside court

and going down again

and taking a rest with a good cup of coffee and a wafel  with whipped cream !!

 

More about Dinant here at COUNTRIES & CITIES

 

 

 

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AWWW - WEEKEND AUGUST 7

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We have a very nice Bus company here in Waterloo, which does day trips for very reasonable prices. Myriam, Chantal and I had booked for Saturday a trip to Dinant. It is a beautiful little town in Belgium near the French border.



We took the Bus in Waterloo and were driven to Dinant directly to the  Citadel of Dinant overlooking whole Dinant and the river Meuse.



High on the rocks sits the citadel (with the flag) and just underneath are these beautiful houses which are mostly bars or restaurants today. The view from there is just beautiful.

After visiting the Citadelle we went down by cable car which was very funny as some women screamed because it shook a bit !

From there we walked along the river Meuse to catch our boat to make a cruise on the Meuse with a wonderful dinner ! 



First we got a glass of Kir, and with the meal was served red and white wine and at the end a coffee.

The starter (above right) was "Foie Gras"  (duck liver paté) the main course stuffed turkey breast, vegetables and a special kind of a potato ball. We ate and looked at the landscape outside.

After the dinner we went on the upper deck and sat in the sunshine looking at the beautiful houses with boats anchored in front of them on the water. We crossed other boats and everybody was waving. Then they put music on and the ambiance became even more cheerful !

3 hours later we arrived again in Dinant, took the cable car up to the Citadel where the bus waited for us to take us down. It had been a wonderful day and we were very lucky, it had rained in the morning but it had stopped while we were visiting the Citadel and even  sunny when we were on the boat.

Sunday was a lazy day, I couldn't go out of the bed it was so cold and then I thought of all things I had to do. Honestly it wasn't much, I had to write this post and another one for my Cat blog.

But the worst was to fill in a new Passport formula for the German Embassy who wanted to know everything about me online no way to get a human being on the phone for some information.
 
I had to go to the city hall to get a residence certificate, a copy of my birth certificate (as if I would need a passport when I am dead) the marriage certificate two photos where you look like the worst serial killer  because you are not allowed to smile and I hope this is all. Of course all in double and the photocopies are for you. Next time I will commit a terrorist attack, and in not 2 minutes they will find all these papers, especially that I am born ! Lazy people they must have a file for each resident !

So I spent my afternoon swearing and filling out this pdf thing and then I had to print it out. My appointment for which I had asked in June was now in mid September and then I have to wait 8 weeks (!!) to get the new passport. The passports for German residents living abroad have to be made in Berlin !

I can travel by bus or car through whole Europe, except with the Eurostar to England because there they ask for a passport especially now with their in and out Brexit circus.