# Menin gate



## blu66 (Dec 21, 2005)

Just chilling along from the gate and the sun is shinning  
Going to catch the last post tonight and head into France anyone in the area gives a wee wave )

Ps
Usin Belgium Fon for Internet 

Alan & girls


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## Sideways86 (Feb 25, 2009)

Enjoy the moment, we have been there many times for the ceremony.


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Very moving ceremony.
All MP`s should attend prior to sending our troops to war.

Dave p


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## dovtrams (Aug 18, 2009)

DTPCHEMICALS said:


> Very moving ceremony.
> All MP`s should attend prior to sending our troops to war.
> 
> Dave p


Dave

it would be better if we sent the MPs to war!
Dave


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## Sideways86 (Feb 25, 2009)

dovtrams said:


> DTPCHEMICALS said:
> 
> 
> > Very moving ceremony.
> ...


Then they would make budget and job cuts even quicker!


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## bulawayolass (Jul 27, 2010)

Any suggestions on places to stay please would like to see the ceremony. Have decided will be our first overnight. not to far from Dunkirk love to see the ceremony and recharge my shattered "other side of the road" newbie driving nerves


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## Zepp (May 14, 2009)

bulawayolass said:


> Any suggestions on places to stay please would like to see the ceremony. Have decided will be our first overnight. not to far from Dunkirk love to see the ceremony and recharge my shattered "other side of the road" newbie driving nerves


We stayed here its about a 15 min walk to gate you can book on line cost about 12 euros

Camping Jeugdstadion, Ieper, you will find pics of aire here

http://paulandlynne2011.blogspot.co.uk/p/jan.html

Paul


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## Sideways86 (Feb 25, 2009)

you can actually stay on the road leading to the gate overnight, we did Friday night together with three other motorhomes.

Go to end of road turn left towards The Menin Gate and than left just before it staying this side of the moat and park along there after the houses in the marked bays!

From memory I think its about 35 miles from Dunkerque only, we have also stayed at the harbour as have many others on way out and back.


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## bulawayolass (Jul 27, 2010)

Thanks will look at both options we have the electric bikes as well but a walk may be nice to unwind however free is good :lol:


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## TheNomad (Aug 12, 2013)

Thank you for that. We are headed up to Belgium in September on tour, and I would like to attend the Menin Gate ceremony as part of that.


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

Bergues, just off the A25 fairly close to Dunkerque.

No facilities but a large parking area and no worries about space if arriving late.


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## Sideways86 (Feb 25, 2009)

if you stay at Jeugstadion you will walk through the sports centre and passed where I am suggesting anyway

Just walk and go through The Gate and into town centre lovely place!

only 5 mins from ramparts and 10 mins from campsite.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

bulawayolass said:


> Thanks will look at both options we have the electric bikes as well but a walk may be nice to unwind however free is good :lol:


The Jeungstadion has both aire and campsite, both very good and pleasant walk to the Gate and town itself.
Don't take the left hand fork from the aire but the right hand one. It goes through a lovely nature reserve with ponds, bridges, fruit trees and wild flowers. The other path goes parallel but past the campsite and sports stadium- much less interesting and they are the same distance.
The ceremony is very moving and the town itself interesting.
G


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## janet1 (Feb 10, 2012)

http://paulandlynne2011.blogspot.co.uk/p/jan.html

Loved your pics. Thank you so much. x


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## bulawayolass (Jul 27, 2010)

Just a quick thanks to Zepp. I decided for the first night when l was going to be a bit stressy l would go the safe option, have booked an overnight at the camping you suggested. I think looking to park on the road will wait till my confidence levels grow... or l get really tired :lol:


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## Sideways86 (Feb 25, 2009)

bulawayolass said:


> Just a quick thanks to Zepp. I decided for the first night when l was going to be a bit stressy l would go the safe option, have booked an overnight at the camping you suggested. I think looking to park on the road will wait till my confidence levels grow... or l get really tired :lol:


Enjoy your trip, maybe Tyne Cot cemetery etc. will be on your agenda

Have a good one!


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## tyreman1 (Apr 18, 2008)

So much to see all around Ypres,make sure you have time to spare for Tyne cot cemetery though.


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

bulawayolass said:


> Just a quick thanks to Zepp. I decided for the first night when l was going to be a bit stressy l would go the safe option, have booked an overnight at the camping you suggested. I think looking to park on the road will wait till my confidence levels grow... or l get really tired :lol:


When you check in at that site be sure to read the barrier instructions carefully, then maybe read them again.

It's a very familiar sight to see puzzled drivers huffing and puffing trying to work out how to lift the barrier.

It's very easy - if you read the instructions.

I think there have been threads here on the subject but I can't find them at the moment.

Ypres is a lekker place.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

tonyt said:


> It's a very familiar sight to see puzzled drivers huffing and puffing trying to work out how to lift the barrier.


Our problem was that we did not drive right up until the nose of the van was almost touching the barrier. Further back than that and it does not detect you so, however many times you flash the card, the barrier does not open.

G

(I'm sure too that, being an ex-Zimbabwean, she'll make sure she has her takkies on as the Ypres cobbles can be killers on the feet !)


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## stewartwebr (May 27, 2005)

Arrived at the site/Aire this morning after reading the post yesterday. Glad I booked last night as a few have been turned away due to no availability. 
We had a walk around town today and shall attend tonight 8pm ceremony. What a lovely place, wish we could have stayed longer we did not appreciate how large a town it is.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

stewartwebr said:


> Arrived at the site/Aire this morning after reading the post yesterday. Glad I booked last night as a few have been turned away due to no availability.
> We had a walk around town today and shall attend tonight 8pm ceremony. What a lovely place, wish we could have stayed longer we did not appreciate how large a town it is.


Get there in good time Stewart. Even in winter we found the space under the arch filled up quickly and early too.

G


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

stewartwebr said:


> .............. we did not appreciate how large a town it is.


You should have seen it in 1918. :?


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## Sideways86 (Feb 25, 2009)

Lets just be glad that we were not there, I believe 200,000 perished in the immediate area
R.I.P.


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## bulawayolass (Jul 27, 2010)

Grizzly!!! I am a Rhodesian not an x-Zimbo in fact l have never lived in Zimbabwe.








l told Andy couple of days ago l had to get some tackies as l only have crocs and generally go barefoot most places.

Many thanks for the nose to barrier tip and yup will read all instructions for everything very carefully. l had read someplace about nose to barrier but think it was about France/aires so hadn't realised it happened elsewhere. 
Also about getting there early we shall make sure we are, l am also taking a lot of tissues since Brian passed l have turned into an emotional wreck, as soon as l see or hear something even slightly emotional and l tear up... pathetic.

I am stocked up on maps, dictionary, phase book, taking words off here and generally trying to cover as much as l can.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

bulawayolass said:


> Grizzly!!! I am a Rhodesian not an x-Zimbo in fact l have never lived in Zimbabwe.


Apologies ! I hope not a whenwe though...??!!

.


> l had read someplace about nose to barrier but think it was about France/aires so hadn't realised it happened elsewhere.


We didn't learn from this experience however as, in May, we spent ages queued up at the barrier to the aire at Collioure, cursing the fact that the barrier was locked and no-one there to open it. In defence we had a French van behind us and he didn't work it out either.

The Cloth Hall in Ypres is worth a look too. When we were there they were re-furbishing it and had hidden recordings of cats purring and miaowing all round the outside of the building, activated by people approaching. We didn't realise that this was what they were until we got home and read about it on the net. We thought the place was infested !

You won't be the only one with your hanky out at the Menin Gate. Just as the firemen were closing the access road to the gate before the service the local bus to Paschendaele went past. So ordinary but so moving.

G


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

I've been to the gate ceremony several times and what I find stirring is the fact that as the crowd gathers there is a growing murmur as people talk quietly to each other - it's almost unnoticeable until the MC calls for quiet - the instant hush is deafening - you wait for someone in the audience to cough or say something - but they don't - the absolute silence remains..... very moving.


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## bulawayolass (Jul 27, 2010)

:lol: l don't think l will mention the cats to Andy he likes cats and if the recordings are there it will drive him nuts looking for them. 

It depends on what you term a whenwe..... I belong to quite a few of Rhodie f/book sites, follow modern problems have put several people in touch with lost relatives or friends on the desperately seeking site, l have Rhodie and Zimbo friends, we talk about the past and present, l still as far a l know have one of the biggest online Rhodesian Photo albums have old and new photos on there l keep paying not sure how many folk visit and haven't updated it since l think Brian passed. l keep it because it isn't expensive/yr and l am sure it does bring pleasure to people.....if that's your version l am guilty of being a whenwe, l am not ashamed of my memories.

If you mean the brigade of l hate all k**irs, lets take it back to how it was etc etc. No those are tits l stay well away from them.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

bulawayolass said:


> :
> 
> It depends on what you term a whenwe.....


Sorry..I was just teasing and shouldn't have. I meant the "When we were in XX..." brigade and I'm guilty of that too. I look back on Zim with a great deal of nostalgia and it's hard not to wish ourselves back there.

Is the site you mention only on Facebook or does it have a website ?

G


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## bulawayolass (Jul 27, 2010)

Not sure which you wanted so

If you mean the photo site it is this one Rhodesians Reunited Photos

Or was it the Friends/relatives that is only on f/book
Lost friends & relatives


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

Ieper is one place my wife refuses to return to...........it upset her so much on our first/last visit, that never again. :wink: 

tony


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## hogan (Oct 31, 2006)

Going again on our way back to the UK. Last time we were there in a corner under the arch were a small group of elderly Germans that were getting through lots of kleenex.

It is said that after the war 2 men on horse back could stand opposite each other on the edge of the town and still see each other.


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