Knokke Heist

I hurry out of NATO headquarters and into the warm sunlight with particular eagerness, because I know it’s the last sunny day we are due to have for the next week. I meet Tatevik at the Gare Central and we head outside to eat our packed lunch before boarding our train for Knokke-Heist. The town is situated in the north in Flanders, on the North Sea. Our train takes us eastward past Ghent and Brugges, and despite nearly being on the wrong train car before the train was split (one must always take care in Europe and one can never ask “am I on the right train” enough times).

Knokke is an affluent beach community, as the shops and restaurants clearly indicate. We forgo the rental charge for beach chairs and lay out our towel to lie down. The water is cold, and full of jelly fish, but the sun is warm and its nice to enjoy what seems like summer for only a moment. We walk the length of the beach, and I take occasional pleasure by throwing Tatevik on my shoulder and spinning her until she can’t stand. We’re tempted to wait until dusk but the air is growing cool, so we opt to return to Brussels.

Back in Brussels we head to Kebab alley by the grand place, and tuck into some massiver Doners before heading into the main square to watch some of the Jazz Festival. I’m exhausted and barely standing, so when it gets close to last metro I’m hugely relieved to catch it home.