Ghent: Day 2

On the way to the Design Museum

We made breakfast at the apartment and then headed on foot for the Design Museum, spotting on the way a suitable lunch place 'Alice' - always good to plan in advance for the next meal!  You never know!

The Design museum consisted of an ancient baroque house with a modern extension.  We toured the 3 floors.  An interesting mixture - the chairs were my favourite - but there was also some beautiful 20C table ware.   A collection of old furniture that had been set alight and then refurbished, failed to excite!

There was an exhibition of fans made from hardened clay and as the fans were on, I sat and enjoyed the breeze.

Inside the Design Museum

Inside the baroque half of the building the grandeur was in stark contrast to some of the very modern pieces.

I liked the cheeky pirate in the boat on the chandelier.

Inside the old part

From the museum we wandered in search of coffee and then dived into the tourist office for another map and some tips about transport.   We did a short walk round part of the old town - it was just too hot to be in the sun so it was a case of finding the shady roads and then hailed a little free blue, battery operated, 'car' that plies its way round the city centre.    We hopped off near the restaurant we had spotted earlier and had omelette and chips with salad in a fairly shady courtyard.

We have realised that we have arrived in Ghent after some week long city celebration which explains the staging everywhere, the lorries collecting scaffolding and the litter - and the fact that many restaurants are now closed until August.  Oh well!

(Clockwise from top left) along the river, the castle, the free ride and the lunch restaurant. 

The weather today

After lunch we had a siesta and we are now lingering inside in the relative cool before sallying forth in search of the next meal.

We have decided to take it easy and slowly.
The weather is set to get hotter!   Today there was supposed to be a gentle breeze but it must have blown on someone else.

We ate just round the corner at an Asian restaurant, Lucy Chang.  We had a seat outside and it wasn't too hot.  Peter had a spicey noodle bowl with prawns and a Chinese beer and I had coconut chicken curry and jasmine tea.   Both were good despite the restaurant being part of a chain.  Afterwards we had a short walk and spotted another potential eating place and then back to the flat and, shortly afterwards, bed!