1936 On the Continent

villages cluster round the inevitable spire.
    Twenty-five minutes in the train, and we are in Ghent.
    Another very old town, larger than Bruges and more adapted to modern times. In the past, Ghent was the centre of the textile industry, which was the source of its boundless wealth, abundant testimony of which remains in the splendour and magnificence of its monuments. Ghent is known as “The Town of Monuments.” At one spot one finds seven magnificent Gothic buildings built almost one on top of the other, each of which would havemade a name for the town. You should visit more especially the great cathedral (Saint Bavon), which is in itself a museum. This is where you will find the famous altarpiece of the Mystic Lamb, painted by the Brothers Van Eyck, one panel of which was stolen a few years ago. So far only one face of the panel has been returned, and the other has not been traced yet. It is supposed that some collector maniac must have taken it.
A Bit of History
    Here we have a university—one of Belgium’s four universities. The lectures are delivered in Flemish and great battles had to be waged before the Flemish population secured this concession.
    “And what is that enormous fortress surrounded by water?”
    “That used to be a fortress, as the battlements, portholes and dungeons prove, but that was around 1200. One shell from a modern gun would destroy the whole thing. It is the castle of the Counts of Flanders. Charles V was born there in 1500.”
    “Charles V? That’s a gentleman I was told about at school.”
    “Of course you were. You remember he was King of Spain and Emperor of Germany. He ruled over the whole of Spain and her colonies, a part of Italy, of Flanders, of Austria, and said that on his empire the sun never set. He dreamed of conquering the whole world, but, defeated in his ambitious aims, he withdrew into a cloister when he was fifty-five years of age. He died three years later—for death overtook him despite his power and his glory. Legend has it that he ordered his funeral rites to be carried through before his death, so as to be able to assist at them, but it is only legend.
    “Let us go over this ancient castle, admirably preserved, where skeletons are still to be found in the cellars and where the torture-chamber will make you shiver if you’re at all sensitive.”
    Ghent is still the chief centre of the textile industry in Belgium, and its metal works are world famous. It is also the second port in Belgium. To crown this industrial and commercial activity, Ghent has monopolised the mostcharming of all cultures—that of flowers. It is our great horticultural centre, and has several flower gardens.
    There are beguinages too. They have remained exactly as they were in the days when the beguines founded their communities, and the nuns who still live there have kept the traditional fifteenth-century costume.
    “But the food is modern, my dear Muriel, and we’re now going to try a culinary speciality of the town. It is called the ‘Hochepot gantoise,’ and we’re going to sample it at the Cour Saint Georges.”
The Drinks
    “I’ve heard that you have excellent wines in Belgium.”
    “As you know, they are not made here. We leave that to the French, who are past masters in the art. But as the duties on wines are very high and as there is only a slight difference in them whether the wine imported be good or of lesser quality, we generally import very good wine. That is why you may always buy wine in Belgium without qualms. Unless, of course, you prefer that product of our national industry—beer. Our beer is light and refreshing, a harmless beverage, though real connoisseurs prefer English or German beers, which are imported on a very large scale. There is one national beer, however, that is very famous—the ‘gueuze-lambic.’ This is a high fermenting beer which is bottled for several years before being served, and which is kept in cellars like wine. I don’t think you’d like it. It is strong and sourish, and in order to like it you must become accustomed to it. It is the beer of Brussels.”
    And here we are on the way to Brussels.
    We have just visited the coast and Flanders. There are a thousand things still to be seen here. You will see everywhere the everlasting flat pastures and the plains, as the train carries you along, and if you go by car you will find that the sunburnt peasant women, whose hair is gathered into a brilliantly coloured kerchief, will wave