Ter Helme 2022

To keep up the good traditions we went and spent a few days at Ter Helme again this year with the family. This year was a the 10th time we went. As in most editions we arrived on Saturday and left on Wednesday. We have often discussed going somewhere else but there is no big need. After the place was renovated years ago the apartments and restaurant got a quality injection. We always have our dinner in the self service restaurant and that is good enough. The same cook makes the food here as in the a la carte restaurant. Only difference is less choice and a more basic interior. On the plus side you have the salad bar. The kids especially love the breakfast buffet. The only thing I personally don’t consider to be up to standards in the coffee at breakfast. Logistics turned out to be quite complicated and resulted in arrival in scattered formation with one party out of 4 arriving a day late because of an already planned activity on Saturday. We from our side had to split up in 2 with half of the family going on Saturday as planned and the other half arriving Sunday night because of a covid quarantaine. But we still managed to have a nice time. The weather was good, warm enough to go for a swim in the sea but not too hot. On Monday we visited Watou. The 2022 edition was fortunately a lot better than the year before which we found a bit of a let down. No disappointment this year. Of course there big factor of personal taste involved with the appreciation of art but overall the art on display this year was accessible. The one ‘act’ our party didn’t get was ‘En de Boer hij ploegde voort’. On Tuesday we went for a short bike ride in the morning and then most went shopping in the afternoon. I opted out and went for another short bike ride in the afternoon to a total of almost 60 kilometers for the day on my Newtonian Motion Koga Signature. I passed Plopsa De Panne by accident but managed to resist the temptation to stop and go in. It was that or missing dinner. The enormously loud screaming coming from inside probably convinced me to push on. That and the fake castle tower. I don’t remember how it looked exactly but in my mind it was definitely pink. On Wednesday we went to visit Het Zwin before going home. It had been ages since we last visited it. It was a nice short walk of 3km and we managed to spot a couple of bird species we don’t see every day at home. Besides the nature of Het Zwin there was also the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition with many exceptionally beautiful pictures.