Ypres


 We have recently visited the town Ypres in Belgium, a beautiful area with lots of cemeteries all very moving commemorating the millions of men who died in the war for us


the Menin gate memorial

            There are many shops of souvenirs and chocolate shops which are great as well but also lots of monuments that are so fun to visit like the Menin gate a big arch with all the names of the soldiers caved into every wall we were lucky enough to be involved with one of the services that are on every night at 8 o'clock its a wonderful experience where we were offered to lay a wreath the service ended with a very touching playing of the last post for about 20 minutes. All in all its a must do if your in Ypres



 

 Another place I would recommend is the World War 1 museum which is again a great experience showing what the soldiers ate. They showed us the weapons that they would have used and they even had replicas of the gases that were used at the time. On the top floor they had a life like dug out just like one they found quite recently it had the bedrooms of the officers , the pump room in which the men would have to pump out the water that had leaked into the tunnels as they were under the water table and many more interesting things to see. The museum was really intriguing and I would recommend it to a friend.

               Also I would visit the trenches both English and German, well preserved and kept as they were at the time of the war apart from some safety adjustments, you can really get the feel of what it would have been like at the time most of  bunkers are still standing and it is possible to go into them just like the soldiers would have done as well as running through the trenches pretending to be under attack. Its is amazing to see the different contrast of the two armies trenches and to see3 what there life would have been like at the time.
           

 A must do if your in Ypres is visit Tyne cot a cemetery in Passchendaele  its an amazing, emotional and very touching experience but it is one that you must consider its bigger then you could ever imagine and in my opinion not a place to take children but its beautiful and just reminds you why we are here today all the graves are well taken care of and the surrounding countryside is beautiful and if you go on a sunny day then its a bonus  as it looks even more beautiful then it Is normally

 overall my experience of Ypres has opened my eyes to how lucky we are to live like we do today and given me a new found respect for life, these men did not no what they were getting into and were brave enough to continue and eventually save England as it is today. Some of the things you will see and here are very hard to understand I am still having trouble processing it but its a great trip and one that you will never forget.

E.S