Belgium August 26, 2011

Zeebrugge (zee-brew-guh”) is a village on the coast of Belgium and a subdivision of Bruges, for which it is the modern port. Zeebrugge was built to facilitate maritime access to Brugge after the river silted up. Zeebrugge serves as both the international port of Bruges-Zeebrugge and a seafront resort with hotels, cafés, a marina and a beach.

Located on the coast of the North Sea, the busiest sea in the world, its central location on the Belgian coast, short distance to Great Britain and close vicinity to densely populated industrialized cities make Zeebrugge a crossroads for traffic from all directions.

The harbour was the site of the Zeebrugge Raid on 23 April 1918, when the British Royal Navy put the German inland naval base at Bruges out of action. Admiral Roger Keyes planned and led the assault that stormed the German batteries and sank the ships in the harbour to block the entrance to the base for the last seven months of World War I.

Later, Zeebrugge's harbour was the scene of disaster when in 1987 the MS Herald of Free Enterprise passenger ferry capsized killing 193 people.

We had planned to take the shuttle into Blankenburg then the train to Brugge then take the long walk into the city of Brugge from the station. Unfortunately, it is pouring rain outside. Not just showers but drenching miserable rain. We are so glad that we had our visit here in November. A thorough visit with Margaret & Colin so that we don’t feel the need to get soaking wet today to go in to see the city again. Although we would’ve loved to do just that as it is a wonderful city. And if the rains stop, we may reconsider. But as it is, we have to be back to the ship by 4 and with the shuttles only running every 30 minutes or so and the train schedule being what it is, we might not have much time there even if we do make the effort.

Tomorrow is a day at sea then the next we’ll be in Dublin.