The Quays of Ghent, Belgium

Where Gumbo Was (#189)

Congratulations, in correct order guesses,  goes to GarryRF, George G, Traveling Canuck, PortMoresby and Jonathan L for solving our puzzle this week!

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Gumbo was in the beautiful Belgian city of Ghent on the quays of Graslei (right bank) and Korenlei (left bank). The quays, in the historical city center, were part of the medieval port and they are divided by the Leie river. They have rows of historical buildings, most dating from the Middle Ages. The facades of the buildings were modified in the 18th and 19th century and were also restored for the 1913 World’s Fair that was in Ghent.

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Both quays are very popular places to hang out, eat and have a drink. They are crowded with university students, locals and tourists.  There are cafes with outdoor seating. A lot of people just bring their own food and drinks and spend the afternoon or evening sitting on the ground. You can also take a boat ride from there and see more of beautiful Ghent.

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Some of my other favorite sights in the town are Gravensteen (Castle of the Counts) and Stadhuis (Ghent’s Town Hall).

The people of Ghent describe it as a living city and I definitely could see why. Ghent University, which is highly regarded, has 41,000 students and 9,000 staff members and they bring a lot of energy to this historic city.

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8 years ago

Ghent is a living city and you’ve caught it well in your photos Rob. Certainly love to see more of this beautiful city. It’s also a centre of Beer excellence.

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