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Remembered Today:

YPRES visit---advice please


20th Division

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    We're visiting Ypres for 3 days, staying B&B in centre. The last time we visited, eating out in the evening seemed a problem with either expensive up-market restaurants --OR fast-food joints. Have things changed? Any suggestions for anything in between these extremes will be appreciated . Thanks.

    As well as paying respects at Canada farm cemetery and laying a wreath in Langemark, we are also visiting the Passchendaele museum in Zonnebeke-- I'm sure it wasn't there on the last visit. 

           Thanks---hope you can help with some suggestions. Dave.

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I always find the Cafe Central (corner of Diksmuidestraat) pretty reasonable. Flemish stew if that's your thing, otherwise plenty of choice. It always seems to be busy, which is usually a good sign.

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Utopia, opposite St George's, is a good stop.  Gert is the owner, nice bloke.

 

http://www.snookerhouseutopia.be/

 

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Hello Sassanach and Scott-dog. Thanks for this info. Sounds good. We will try them both out. We love Flemish stew---much under-rated by tourists but loved by us ( my wife is Dutch----so we appreciate its finer-points). Again "thanks". Dave.

     p.s. I bet the guys back in the trenches would have given anything to eat half of what we now take for granted eh???

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3 hours ago, 20th Division said:

We love Flemish stew---much under-rated by tourists but loved by us ( my wife is Dutch----so we appreciate its finer-points). 

  

I know what you mean, I always find a place which has Flemish Stew on the menu, when I’m in Ypres 

 

When I get asked for its English equivalent, I state it’s just like stewed steak.  But when other people try mine, they like it.  

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just got back from a busy, freezing cold and memorable visit to Wipers. First--the trip. We explored with amazement the fields, roads and paths across the PILKEM RIDGE. I always thought the word "ridge" was a misnomer---but by-'eck it is far from it. Climbing it from behind the bio-works uphill towards Caesar's nose cemetery then up and across the road to Pilkem village was a deeply moving experience---it had been raining hard for 2 days and I was "knackered" ! I had to stop every 50 yds to get my breath and de-cloy my walking boots. My grandad supplied ammo to the advancing guns across these fields in the advance towards Langemark ---and my little effort was peanuts by comparison!  We laid a wreath, as we had done many times before, at the 20th Division's  memorial there , but this time it was so much more moving. Secondly--re "eating out in Wipers". I  feel quite guilty when I think of this subject  after my little taster of what those boys went through in 1917 but we tried the UTOPIA first --and reserve comment .Couldn't find the café central for some reason, but went on to "The Rijfelleur". Amazing atmosphere--the Flemish Stew was nearly as good as my wife makes it at home ( fantastic)----the prices and choices were top-notch and not silly-money. Their local Belgian beer, "old Wipers" I believe it was called ( I meant to remember the name but forgot it after the 3rd glass)  was excellent. Over all it was so nice we ate here twice. Thanks again for your tips gentlemen. Dave.

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Good Morning SASENACH.  We were there the week before you from 15th-- then went on to Holland to visit my wife's family.   

Message for CHESHIRE----If you want the "special" recipe for Flemish Stew-----I will p.m. you. Word of advice though--if it tastes sweet and a bit "different" it could be that the beef is either "soused" in vinegar ( the proper way-- using good stewing beef) OR---it is horse meat. Personally I don't mind the latter and eat it either way. Best wishes. Dave.

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  • 2 months later...

Hi, did the Passchendaele museum have much there about the battle if pilkem ridge?    How did you know where the battle was exactly.  I'm hoping to go to pilckem next year & not sure where exactly the battle was.  Are you able to walk around the land there ok, or are they farmers fields?  Anywhere else you would recommend we go to in relation to this battle.  My great grandad died there on 31/7/1917.  Thank you. 

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Sue

If you can get hold of a copy of "Passchendaele, the Day by Day Account" by Chris McCarthy there are detailed maps of the various battles. The Battle of Pilckem Ridge was part of the Third Battle of Ypres (aka Passchendaele) and the area over which the 16th Btn the Rifle Brigade attacked looks to be about 3km south-west of the village of St Julien. My uncle was also killed on 31/7/17; he was with the 3rd Btn the Rifle Brigade, who were on the other side of the Menin Road to your g-gf.

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Hi Dave,

 

I definitely need a pint of "Old Wipers"... or two ... 

LOL. 

 

Next time you're out in Passchendaele Museum, you should eat at the Koklikoo ... 

 

M.

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