Westerlo

13 May 2015:  We learned yesterday which is the closest bus stop to the Loft aan het Water.  (No way were we going to walk along that road, with its roaring traffic, back to the GR5 this morning!)  So we got off to good start today with a bus ride, followed by a walk through Bouwel, a quiet suburb of Grobbendonk.  Today's trail included lots of forest walking; we appreciated the shade in the hot, sunny weather.

Our first destination was Noorderwijk, where we met Jeroen and his son, as described in a separate post.  After lunch, we hiked on to Westerlo, passing by the magnificent Abbey of Tongerlo.  We did not have time to visit the Abbey, but I did have opportunities today to sample a couple of the famous Tongerlo beers.  They're excellent!

We're spending the night at the Jebola B&B in Westerlo.  The host and hostess, Staf and Rita, are very friendly and helpful.  We enjoyed a drink and a chat with them and a friend upon arrival.

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Waiting for the morning bus:

Mary smiles at the prospect of walking in a wooded area:

Another laundry day:

A curious device (apparently for collecting trash for re-cycling) that we have seen a few times:

Carroll likes forest trails, too!

Flanders fields... 

 An old, restored windmill in Noorderwijk:

Ready to hike after lunch:

Seen near Noorderwijk: a herd of mustangs!

Tongerlo Abbey:

Staf & Rita at Jebola B&B: