And a few other lenses too.

When a friend asked if I was interested to go to Ypres with him and a few others I just couldn’t say no. The historical area that saw action during the bloody Great War in Belgium, what’s not to like!

So  to ‘Wipers’ we went, armed with a few cameras, a tripod, a VC II meter and a remote release cable. We arrived on friday through the Menin Gate, a great stone arch on which the names of all those that went missing during the battles of Ypres are carved.

We booked into the Sultan hotel. We got rooms straight opposite of  the Cathedral across the Lakenhallen square. That evening we enjoyed a good meal, a good drink and watched the “Last Post” being bugled at the Menin Gate. It draws quite a crowd every evening.

Saturday started with a simple breakfast and then it was straight to Langemark Cemetery, followed by a trip through Passchendale to the Memorial Museum Passchendale in Zonnebeke. Then a slight detour back to Tyne Cot Cemetery. Lunch at the Hill 62 Museum (which isn’t really very good, both lunch and museum). But never fear, 400 yards down the road is the Hooge Crater Museum which does impress. Then we went straight on to Dixmuide where we visited the IJzertoren Museum, which is very nationalistic and struck me as rather anti-French/Wallonian. But still featured many interesting WW1 exhibits.

I guess you’re interested in the photos or you wouldn’t even visit this site

Wipers Expedition 2008

On Sunday after breakfast we decided to return to the Netherlands and visited the Safari Park Beekse Bergen, talk about something totally different. Still I had not been there since ….well..when I was 5 or 6 years old I think. I’m still post-processing the pictures but they’ll go up this week, I promise.

We ended our weekend with a dinner at the Pancake house in the Fortress City of Heusden.

A great weekend with friends is always a good way to unwind.

Catch you later this week.

Rick

*Listening to “Over the Falls” by Primus*

*Still playing Star Pirates ; Try it, it’s free and online, no downloads, just log in and play*

I was surprised to find that the closer the LPLG-event came the less and less I was actually motivated to go. The direct opposite of the weekend at Fort Vechten. I’m pretty sure it came down to not having the freedom I normally enjoy at events. There was all those f@#%ing blankets and puptents to take along. There was barely room for me and my co-pilot Mr Shortwood who was another involuntary weight on my shoulders.

Not that I didn’t enjoy my time spent with all my friends in our LH group as well as the many friends I’ve made in other groups. Maybe I feel it’s all becoming a drag. Maybe because it was yet another event after 3 months full of tiring activities.

Anyway, here are the pictures:

LPLG 2008

Also added some more pictures to the Fort Vechten 2008 gallery

Fort Vechten 2008

A couple of quiet weeks ahead. No other events until november and december. Plenty of time to recharge my batteries.

I better check the disk-space for my site one of these days. I think I’m going to need to start pruning the galleries a bit.

Rick

*listening to “Beyond the Sea” by the Royal Crown Revue*