Objectives: Visit the Wieze Oktober Feesten, but went to Diksmuide beer festival.

 

Key words: Wieze Oktober Feesten, Diksmuide beer festival, Van Roy brewery, Aalst.

 

Our next choice for a trip was the Wieze Oktober Feesten, and we booked rooms at the gasthof owned by the “Van Roy brewery", which also organised the festival. Unfortunately, in between booking and the festival dates, Liverpool supporters rioted at the Hysel stadium and as the organisers no longer wanted the large number of (drunk) English, who usually attended, anywhere near their town, they cancelled the festival. What to do? Having paid a 50% deposit for the accommodation, we went.

 

Friday

 

Traveling by train and ferry to Aalst, the final few kilometres to Wieze was by taxi. We arrived at the Gasthof Van Roy in early evening only to find that, with the festival cancelled, Willie had assumed we would not be coming and had let our rooms to an American pop group! Following negotiations, agreement was reached that, in return for the 3-night deposit already paid, we could have accommodation (in a loft) for one night, an evening meal, breakfast and free beer.

 

Although the beer festival had been cancelled the karaoke music contest was still on and with bugger all else to do in Weize, we went along and spent a rather surreal evening watching Michael Jackson look a likes. Still beer was available.

 

Mick was still annoyed with the treatment we had received, and on return to the Van Roy appropriated a bottle of cognac as further compensation. Settling in our loft and looking forward to our nightcap, the rest of us were stunned when instead of filling our glasses, Mick poured it down the sink!

 

Saturday

 

With no accommodation booked we decided to go to Ostende where we thought we would have a better chance of finding a hotel. Many years previously we had stayed at the hotel Stella Maris and as this was near the station we tried there first. The only accommodation available was one room with two double beds. We took it. The hotel bar opened onto the street and whilst sitting outside enjoying a few beers and talking to the staff we heard of another beer festival that day, with tickets still available and a coach that picked up at the Stella Maris.

 

So it was that we ended up at the Diksmuide beer festival. Disappointingly the only beer served in the hall was Jupiler. However, it was a lively little event, complete with oompah band. We took time out from the beer hall to catch up with the McGuigan fight and on our way back lost Dave while we stopping off at a welcoming bar for some Calvados. However, we soon caught up with him back in the hall; he was covered in beer (having stepped over the no go line in front of the band) and leading the conga. The festival closed about 12.00 and it was back to Ostende where the discos were just opening.

 

Sunday

The hotel emptied Sunday morning and we spread out into the adjoining rooms. Two traveled to Sluis (in Holland) for a bit of sightseeing whilst the other two took things easy in preparation for the evening’s investigation of Ostende bars, clubs and discos. Michael never did get his birthday present but Dave did have fun trying to sort it out.

 

Monday

 

The journey back passed in a haze. Hope they found the prawns before too long.

 

Travellers: Paul, Ray, Mick and Dave.