In Nieuwpoort

Woke up to a rainy day.  Not going anywhere today, well not by boat, anyhow.

Ian went for a ride down to the coast, just 4 km away, early in the morning when there was no one around.

Found a supermarket, called Okay, and bought some chickens, wine and port.  The meat was expensive, so not OK, but we found a 5 litre box of South African red wine, called Blygedacht, for only €15 which Ian has found very palatable.  Very OK.

I did some laundry by hand but dried it in the dryer at the club (cost €2).

In the afternoon the rain stopped, the sun showed its face now and again, so Ian and I went for a bike ride down to the beach and walked out along a long pier.  Looking back at the town we were amazed at the long line of apartment/hotel  buildings, stretching way into the distance.  And I reckon every inhabitant of the those apartments was out on the promenade, on foot, on bikes, on roller blades, with children and elderly (and not so elderly) friends and relations in wheelchairs.

There is also an amazing myriad of sailing yachts here.  Row after row after row of pontoons.  A lot of the boats were out on the sea and the channel between the two long piers was a good vantage point  to watch them exit the port with wind against tide.  Didn't look too comfortable! 

We even played tourist and had an ice cream!

No pics of the afternoon jaunt- I thought Ian had the camera and he thought I had the camera! - but here are some that Ian took this morning.

A wide expanse of beach

Miles and miles of apartment buildings

The channel from the sea to the harbour

Lots and lots of yachts

And the day ended with a lovely sunset.