Campsite info - Rooendael Belgium

[smiley]

Hi All

Well, Austria was cancelled but we are trying to get away for a week to brugge.

Were wanting to used the camping cheques, looked at their site and they have one south east of brugge Oost Vlaanderan, Roosendael. Anyone been there?

Although cmaping have their own web site, do other site except their vouchers?

thanks

 

[rob_jax]

Smiley,

I work in Rotterdam and frequently commute from the UK - driving through Belgium.

So I'm a bit mystified - you want to stay near Brugge (Bruges) - which is just a beautiful place - and the city of Gent too by the way.

And if I've understood you correctly, you want to stay at Camping Roosendael? Which is close to the town of Sint Katelijne-Waver?

If that is right - then you need to look at the map a bit more carefully - that's way over 100 km away - roughly the same distance from Calais to Brugge (about 90 minutes...)

Robert

I don't know what other sites accept your camping cheques - so I'd go by their web-site...

But nearby towns like Mechelen are really very nice - central squares are always a happy place to be - and without the tourist prices of Brugge.

 

[smiley]

I got this campsite off Camping cheque. It only says Roosendael and I think the campsite name is oost vlaanderen or vise versa.

Its 26km from gent.

This is the address they have

Schriekenstraat 27/a

b-9290

Berlare-Overmere

 

[rob_jax]

Hi Smiley,

That's pleasantly close to Gent. I did another search for Camping Roosendael - and there are loads with that name, so the one you had found is much closer to where you want to visit...

Oost Vlaanderen is the region - East Flanders - and the small villages of Belare-Overmere are just on the border with West Flanders (Brugge)

If you don't know Brugge - then parking in the city centre is reasonably expensive and the narrow roads can be clogged. It's much better to find the Brugge ring road (R30) and park in the massive central station car park - uniquely this offers a low rate, fixed price for the whole day - and a free bus transfer into the city centre. But it's only a 20 minute walk anyway - Brugge isn't a big city.

Eating and drinking on the city square is (of course) expensive.

It's worth driving along the Eastern edge of the R30 ring - this tracks the city walls and the canal - so you see all the windmills, lift bridges and ancient city gates - then turn around after the walls disappear.

But if you're driving on the R30 for the view - then it's worth heading North East from the R30 - and drive alongside the canal (DamseVaart) to the village of Damme which is no more than 5km from Brugge. You need to look for the N374 junction (traffic lights) - The road to Damme is on the south side of that canal, the N374 is on north side.

Free parking just outside the town of Damme - about 200 metres to walk into the village centre - and it's very popular with locals for it's many restaurants and cafes - and for the locals is an easy cycle alongside the canal path. Much cheaper and better food than the tourist traps in Brugge.

Personal Damme favourites - the cafe 't Meiliedje about 50 metres before the centre - good food, good prices; the patisserie and chocolate shop 25 metres further on, and then the village square...

Most cafes and restaurants throughout Belgium and Holland will offer Damme Blanche as a desert - Belgian vanilla ice-cream with hot Belgian chocolate sauce - 't Meiliedje does it right, costs around Euro 5...

Since you will be staying near Gent - I'd certainly recommend Gent city centre - it's easily the equal of Brugge, actually I prefer it by a big margin (fewer tourists), better value... And if you can take a bus into the centre - then you can try a few beers...

Robert

 

[smiley]

Thanks Rob

Weve been going to France now for nearly 15 years. So this is a first for us outside our comfort zone.

Do you know anywhere we can find out about translation for everyday things , shopping eating etc.

 

[rob_jax]

Smiley

This region is the Dutch (actually Vlaams) speaking area of Belgium, and most people will be tri-lingual in Dutch, English and French...

There has been a little "friction" between the French and Dutch speaking regions, so I wouldn't bother speaking French - unless you like funny looks...

And whilst Dutch is a west German language, like English and German, you'll have fun learning it - the pronunciation will kill you. The words will look a lot like English - but the pronunciation is different.

And names with IJ in them will make your tongue pop-out - until you discover that it's the same as a "Y". IJ is a separate letter in the Duthc alphabet, and there's no letter Q

But BabelFish on-line or a Dutch phrase book will do - useful words include:

Thank you = Dank U (almost the same as English)

Thank you very much = Dank U Wel

Beer = Bier

Please = Alstublieft (widely used to attract attention or even to say please) pronounced Al - stew - blieft (just try to find a mp3 file on the internet)

What would you like to drink = Wat wilt u drinken

A beer please = een bier, alstublieft

And that's your whole vacation sorted... Actually you should say "een biertje, alstublieft - a small beer

And many words will be borrowed from English - like informatie (information), receptie (reception), etc.

=== Road Signs ===

Most town names will be in Dutch, such as Brugge, Gent, Antwerpen, Brussels, Kortrijk....

Afrit = Motorway Exit

Afrit Afgesloten = Exit Closed

File = Traffic Jam (on the motorway gantry signs - usually File 5km)

Ritsen = Zip (usually at the start of any road works - zip means merge in turn)

Ritsen vanaaf 300 metres = merge in 300 metres

And the rest of the signs are international

Robert

If you want a list of caravan words in Dutch - take a look at http://www.eriba-amiga.co.uk/pdf/Eriba_translations.pdf

 

[Lutz]

Robert has done a good job to introduce you to the Flemish language, but don't get put off. You'll find more people there willing to speak English than in France.

 

[rob_jax]

Lutz is absolutely right - there is no need to "learn" Dutch / Vlaams for your vacation.

As an example - I needed to catch a train from a rural railway station, and in Dutch asked for a second class ticket to Breda - at the end of the conversation the ticket seller asked me if I was from Belgium - I said no, I'm English - and he switched into English - and we chatted about my weird accent (Rotterdam vocabulary but with Belgium pronunciation)

What surprised me was that a rural railway station would have a ticket seller that spoke very acceptable English...

Have fun, the people are great, the beer is fantastic, and the food is often every bit as good - if not better - than France...

Robert

 

[smiley]

Hi Rob

I was trying to find a post about stopping over at the Calais port but, alas can't find it.

I know people stay there late at night, but someone mantioned where not to go.

Do you know anything about where to park at the port?

Thanks

 

[rob_jax]

Hi,

For the past two or three years, I use Eurotunnel for my work commute or a weekend break.

I did use P&O from Dover / Calais, but prices for a "frequent traveller" are now identical - and so the speed of Eurotunnel wins.

But I do remember that there is a parking area infront of the Calais terminal building - and there are toilet and showering facilities in the building.

Robert

 

[wendylois]

We stayed at that campsite two years ago, only for one night, but a good site with a very friendly lady in charge. Greeted us like old friends, and kissed us on both cheeks when we left! A pretty lake nearby, and a good stopping point for any length of stay. Good luck!