Gent Warnings and Dangers

You don’t need a dictionary to know what “Wildplassen” means.

If they catch you doing it, you’ll be fined sixty Euros. As you can see from the sign, the rule applies equally to both sexes.

This is quite a stiff penalty, since the fine for the same offense in Paris is only thirty-five Euros.

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Like most city's the city center is the safest place . there is more police controle and social controle . dont go look in the suburbs , some suburbs hold high concentrations of poverty and crime . Not the kind you would find in LA or NYC . but none is better than some . try to stay away from suburbs like : Nieuw Gent , Muide , Rabot , Brugse poort , Dampoort , Van beveren plein , Ledeberg and Meulestede . But normaly tourists never come there , nothing you need over there :D . anyway Ghent is the safest city , our suburbs are nothing compared to those of antwerp and brussels . But you should definatly visit Ghent , the Middeval buildings are breath taking ! This is the manhattan of the middle ages . . .

I think there may be a GIANT spider lurking on the cobblestone streets of Gent, look at the size of this spiderweb!!!!

If you dare, you can find this spiderweb on the side of Gravensteen Castle, I remember it from our first visit to Gent in 2000 so it must be there permanently.

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Lucky for me I REALLY like to walk or the caloric damage from this trip would have been absurd, waffles with fresh cream and chocolate, frites dunked in mayonnaise, Belgian beer, moules et frites in cream sauce and Belgian chocolate stores on every corner, it's impossible to exercise restraint! So put aside the calorie counter, enjoy all the culinary delights that Gent and Belgium have to offer and avoid the scale for at least two weeks after your return home :-)

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Just like in many american states, in Ghent we are secured by water/canal police.
It's like Bruce Willis in the film....
The engine is from Yamaha, not a Honda engine, so can they be succesfull anyway?
I have my doubts.
Since the soap "Flikken" became so popular in Flanders and even in the Netherlands it is no longer a penalty worthed if you call a policemen or women "a flic"
BTW : Flic stands for "Federation liberé des imbeciles casqué" Visit me in jail next time - i only can hope there is an internet connection.
The second picture shows you how local fairs can stimulate you to get candidate for the federal police in Belgium

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After the invasion of the Italians - this street was infiltraded by Antwerp people strenghtened by a student from Ski Lanka !
March 2006 - next invasion - with an american Lady from Houston/Texas - Nancy
We had beautifull weather, to be short - a great afternoon.
Please look at the detail - recently a "s" was added to the word Angels, did they know that i would come back with more charming ladies.

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Caro in full action - she can not decide - shall i attack the genever or the Kwak Tom is drinking.
Steventily - this is your turn to comment--to tease or to .... Anyhow she did not spoil the genever like last time !!!
March 2006 - A next little VT-meeting in Ghent - this time with Nancy, from Houston /Texas and of course "Volunteers" Caro and Irisbe
Since i've been to the US-Alabama, i knew that the americans use to drink their Budweiser from the bottle, no glass.But look how this charming lady is drinking tripple, fingertipping by fingertipping.

"Image you are driving in this street, it will take some time to read all the signs."
A view years ago the inner city driving policy changed , driving in a circle around the center,
sometimes not that easy.
My recommandation : take a bus or tram.

Belgian beer can be stronger than you think. I mean after having a ew beers at around 8% when you are used to something say more like 4.5% then you will know about it.

Just drink slower to appriciate the lovely flavours.

There are so many types it is impossible to telly ou which I think are best. But I do like the one opposite :-) (also seen on the intro page)

...or even at the front door, or on the sidewalk out in front of your house? Then you need one of these trap door set ups on your roof. Just push it open and easily pour boiling oil or throw rocks or shoot arrows down on the Offender. That's one mistake he won't be making again anytime soon. (This device is up along the ramparts of Gravensteen Castle. You'll never see it if you take the easy path and just gawk at the castle from the outside.)