Brugges- Our World War One Tour
Alright - So today we decided to spend some serious cash and drop 40 euro on a tour of the World War I sites. If anyone reading this post goes to Beligum and doesn't do it, I'll have to have some serious words.
Brugges is located about 15 minutes from the city of Iepers (Ypres, or Wipers) It's where a ton of battles were fought in the First World War, and most notably where Canadians held their position against the Germans under heavy Chlorine gas. It's another one of those instances were you realize how lucky we are to be living in Canada, and how proud you are to be a Canadian.
Our first stop was the monument to commerorate the Canadians who fought at Ypres - Belgians call it the rest on your arms (gun) reversed- (Bayonet downwards) - monument. It's actually called the St. Julian monument. Its beautiful - and the soldier atop is facing home.
We then headed to the biggest British cemetary outside of England, with about 13 thousand graves. The number of graves is astonishing - and I could never describe the emotions over the internet so I won't really try. But knowing there are kids lying there younger than my little brother Luke (18) makes one stop and think.
We then headed to a museum for lunch and on then to hill 60 - The only preserved battlefield in Belgium. The idea behind the battle was to tunnel below German lines, plant 24 different dump truck sized explosive pacakges, and blow up an entire ridge. We were standing in a crater caused by one of the blasts and as 10,000 were killed as the explosives went of, we were literally walking on a mass grave.
We also visited a replica (on the actual spot) of a communications trench and sat in the dressing station where McRae wrote "In Flanders Fields" - The whole day is an experience I will never forget. Canadians always get made fun of for the flags on our backpacks - I wish mine was bigger.
We're heading for Amsterdam tomorrow, but visiting the things we have has given me a much better understanding of what these kids did so that I could be here writing this email. Lest we forget has taken on a new meaning.
Cheers,
Coates
Brugges is located about 15 minutes from the city of Iepers (Ypres, or Wipers) It's where a ton of battles were fought in the First World War, and most notably where Canadians held their position against the Germans under heavy Chlorine gas. It's another one of those instances were you realize how lucky we are to be living in Canada, and how proud you are to be a Canadian.
Our first stop was the monument to commerorate the Canadians who fought at Ypres - Belgians call it the rest on your arms (gun) reversed- (Bayonet downwards) - monument. It's actually called the St. Julian monument. Its beautiful - and the soldier atop is facing home.
We then headed to the biggest British cemetary outside of England, with about 13 thousand graves. The number of graves is astonishing - and I could never describe the emotions over the internet so I won't really try. But knowing there are kids lying there younger than my little brother Luke (18) makes one stop and think.
We then headed to a museum for lunch and on then to hill 60 - The only preserved battlefield in Belgium. The idea behind the battle was to tunnel below German lines, plant 24 different dump truck sized explosive pacakges, and blow up an entire ridge. We were standing in a crater caused by one of the blasts and as 10,000 were killed as the explosives went of, we were literally walking on a mass grave.
We also visited a replica (on the actual spot) of a communications trench and sat in the dressing station where McRae wrote "In Flanders Fields" - The whole day is an experience I will never forget. Canadians always get made fun of for the flags on our backpacks - I wish mine was bigger.
We're heading for Amsterdam tomorrow, but visiting the things we have has given me a much better understanding of what these kids did so that I could be here writing this email. Lest we forget has taken on a new meaning.
Cheers,
Coates
posted by Barrhavendoeseurope at 11:49 AM
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