BE17 - Day 1

With the Shuttle booked for 1136 we arrived about an hour in advance and checked in.

"Here we go". Disruption caused by a train being taken out of service. Three an hour.  Work it out 

In the end we rolled out at 1305. What a superb service.

That meant we were late in France. Late for lunch.

In the end we stopped for a coffee and a sandwich at St Eloi services on the A25 just before the exit where we would head towards Poperinge and first stop at the B&B in Vlamertinge - B&B Pottebreker - http://www.bbpottebreker.be

We arrived before 4pm but the owners were there and showed us to the room. Modern and clean. We dropped off the luggage and headed for Ypres (Ieper) and the special events for the Menen Gate ceremony.

After wandering about trying to get a bank with an ATM we finally found a viewpoint of the screens as we hadn't been lucky in any of the ballots.

We saw the ceremony on the screen. The bands marching passed us (video below) and Queen Mathilde of Belgium as she waved from her car.

Prince William and Katherine, Duchess of Cambridge, represented the Queen. The UK Government was represented by Theresa May, the Prime Minister. Only the latter came along past us. On foot and shaking hands will well wishers.  

Once the "VIP" guests had passed and things opened we decided rather than wait an hour for things to start and given our poor view of events that we'd make the long walk back to the car and watch the "show" on TV. The BBC and Belgian producers did a superb job. Live action from actors and current serving men and women in small sketches and reading out letters and poems from the front.

Fantastic. We watched part in the friterie also owned by the B&B and the rest in our room. On TV you can see so much.