Things to keep the other half occupied in Ypres

[IanA]

Steve has mentioned the Palingbeek as a pleasant place to enjoy the countryside and there is a fine nature reserve at Blankaart on the Dixmuide road. It has comfortable hides and wooden boardwalks over the wettest bits but wellies are still advised. You can see marsh harriers and other wetland birds in comfort.

[John_Hartley]

Darryl

I'm another one fortunate enough to have a partner who also enjoys trips to the battlefields. Not only a better map-reader than I am, she has different things that interest her when she goes into a cemetery and usually wants to spend longer in one than I do.

As to good restaurants, may I recommend De Ecurie on Rijsselsestraat. It is not a touristy place and I guess I might call the cuisine "modern Flemish". Without a doubt, the best food I've had in Ieper during several trips. IIRC, the menu was only in Dutch or French. The restaurants on the Grote Markt are all much of muchness serving reasonably good food all with pretty similar menus - grilled meat, mussels, beef stew, etc.

The Tourism Office is well worth a nosy for ideas for stuff to do.

[Paul Johnson]

Let her loose in Blokkers, where she can have hours of endless girlie fun, whilst you browse the nearby Military Bookshops. She can find a bargain and will probably be far more understanding about the cash you've spent on a Regimental/Divisional history!

Worked for me!

Paul J

[dutchbarge]

"I must be the exception to the rule"

John, Aren't we the lucky ones! My wife also has a keen interest in the Great War and some of our fondest memories are of the many times we have spent together touring the Somme, Ypres and Verdun. I have had a life-long obsession with WW1 but when we first got together (over 30 years ago) my wife hadn't any interest in it at all. But she had always enjoyed the literature, personalities and art of the immediate post war era. Tracing all these threads back to the war itself was a revelation to her and opened a new door for me. Now we both fully enjoy each others perspective on this most fascinating era. Cheers, Bill

[Kerry Stockbridge]

I too can recommend sending the missus to Brugge. I lived there for 9 months or so and loved the place. Gent is also worth a visit, especially the old castle and its dungeon. The execution square was ahead of its time, as it had been designed with run off in mind. How's that for town planning prioritisation??

A word of warning about buying lace in Brugge. DON'T!!!! Much of it is machine made in the far east and not hand made.

[ollydot]

Really great suggestions but my other half isn't into shopping for shoes and handbags, HE finds it difficult getting size 12s in that lovely corally/pink colour. Any suggestions for male other halves??

[geraint]

Ollydot

A bar, a good book and a cigar.

As Churchill said "A woman is just a woman - but a good cigar's a smoke"

Geraint