You've heard of a ride report, we'll here's a Pie-eyed report. Fresh back from a couple of sorties..
Cassel - A night in Chatellerie de Schoebeque in Cassel. http://www.schoebeque.com - A pleasant hotel with some character and good views from the rooms at the back. Enclosed Courtyard Parking will please bikermates. Breakfast at 17 Euros not at all worth it - bread and jam, but then again that's France I guess.
The restaurant wasn't open but we went to dinner at Haut Bonheur de la Table http://www.hautbonheurdelatable.com and had a very good, but very rich 7 course diinner.
The following day we stopped in at the St Bernadus Brewery in Watou which has a panoramic restaurant at the top of the brewery. A splendid place and would make for a good stop.. http://barbernard.be
We then visited Ypres and that was a very pleasant meander. Lunch in the square at Brasserie Petrus - Flemish Beef Stew - followed by a waffle - well that hit the spot.
Poperinge - For my ten eurocents, there isn't very much at all to Poperinge. It's not anything particularly remarkable and even more especially not with Ypres so close by. The Christmas market was a few huts selling beer, which I am not adverse to, but Mrs R with her passion for Christmas nick-nacks was left unfulfilled.
However, what is worth it is that the Manoir Ogygia was quite exceptional and one of the nicest places I've ever stayed at (and I've stayed at a few places over the years). The room was fabulous, the grounds superb, and the meal in the restuarant was little short of sensational. Not at all cheap, but absolutely worth it.
For beer lovers, can I recommend Beer Shop Noel Cuvelier, Abelestationsplein, Poperinge, just out to the west of town by the border. A truly mind boggling array of beers and quite reasonable prices (The count up at the checkout was 77 bottles)
That’s all well and good, but where’s the bloody pictures, man?
