Time to return for the winter via Gent, always our favourite Belgian city. Ideas for Snail's decoration here perhaps although skipper's sharpening his carving tools ready for a busy winter ahead. Will publish the results when the blog re-commences with our travels next spring.

We've a lot planned but after displeasing the gods so thoroughly in 2011, daren't mention them out loud......

Loved this Art Nouveau building in Brussels. It had once been a department store and is now a museum with a seriously large collection of musical instruments. Sadly closed the day we were there so could only see tantalising glimpses of the still original interior through the windows.

We were still at Halle for the 31st October, an apt place to be! Thanks for the pumpkins, Lauren.

We are advised not to moor in Brussels so stop at Halle, a short train ride away. The commercials pass very close to us moored on the town quay wall but mercifully very slowly with three low bridges to negotiate. This peniche powered on the reverse when the skipper remembered at the last minute that, although they had lowered the wheelhouse, they still had their car on the back deck.



We have a few weeks before we need to moor Snail up for the winter and head south to the Belgian Ardennes. On our return we decide to try out the commercially busy canal that goes through Brussels. This takes us through one of the deepest of Belgian locks, Ittre.

                                                 

Out at Wisbech, back in at Terneuzen