To get to Ieper this time I decided to take the train. The funny thing about the train between Gent-Damport and Ieper is that it splits in two at Kortrijk. I was unlucky enough to sit on the wrong end of the train. Eventually, I realized this when after passing through a few stations but not getting to Ieper. I got off the train at Roubaix, France. I asked the ticket sellers what I should do, and they were very kind and gave me some document, wrote a not on it, and told me to get on the next train to Kortrijk.
When I arrived back at Kortrijk, I went looking for my wallet, wanted a coffee or something, and realized that I left it back at home in Gent. This was a bit troubling because in all likelihood I would have to buy something in Ieper and I wanted to rent a bike there as well. Luckily I was able to rummage together enough change to buy myself a ticket back to Gent. Once I got back to Gent, I found my wallet and headed back to the train station. I decided to take my bike with me, so I did not have to rent one in Ieper. I also made sure I was on the right part of the train.
When I finally got to Ieper, I biked to the Canadian Memorial Hill 62. It is a memorial to recognize the fact that Canadians fought to claim that hill. The hill was vital in the war because it gave a good view of Ieper, and that would be valuable to the Germans. In the present day, the location is quite beautiful, and it is humbling to think of what it would have looked like when the war was on.
Photos of the memorial
Photo of the memorial from the start of it.
Photos from the top of the hill
Not far from the memorial is a graveyard. This graveyard is like the many that surround Ieper. It has many white tombstones that say where a soldier was from, that soldiers division and so on. Many of them do not have that information, and some even have none of it. Those that have no information about the soldier simply say 'A Soldier of the Great War'.
A wide photo of the cemetery
A couple tombstones of Canadians
After seeing both the memorial and the cemetery, I biked back to Ieper. When I got back, I went to the 'In Flanders Fields Museum'. The museum discussed many aspects of the war, including uniforms, battles, buildup, weapons, and much more. It was a very informative and interactive museum, but I still liked the one in Paschendale more. I found the one in Paschendale more hands-on, and that made it easier to imagine what it could have been like during the war. However, I am sure no museum could thoroughly demonstrate what it was like.
The Ieper Christmas Market was already set up, so I took a stroll around after seeing all the war sites. It was a nice break from what is a weighty subject. Looking around at the city center was a bit eery when I reminded myself that all the old looking buildings are no older than 100 or so years. The reason none of them are very old is that all of them were destroyed during the war. It was rebuilt so good to look old though that you would never know.
Some photos of the Christmas Market
I also saw a memorial to Indian soldiers, which I stumbled upon while walking around the Menin Gate. It was made to commemorate the 130,000 members of the Indian Expeditionary force who participated in the Great War.
After going through all these sites, I decided to bike back to the train station. It was rainy at this time, and it was hectic because everyone was heading towards Last Post, and that made it difficult to bike. I ended up crashing into a sidewalk, and as a result, the key for my bike snapped. I eventually found my way back home to Gent after a long day of mishaps (forgotten wallet, going to France by accident, and crashing my bike).
I would like to encourage anyone who finds themselves in the area of Ieper to take the time and visit these great memorials and learn about the sacrifices people made so long ago.
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