Crossing the Schelde into Flanders ... and hearing Oh Canada

From Middelburg, we descended the canal in a convoy,

passing through locks and bridges

to Vlissingen (for which Flushing in New York is named), until we reached the salt water Schelde River.

It was a rapid ride through Dutch Flanders

to the Belgium border where the local "Homeland Security" force to greet us was non existant.
Then, it was on through a Belgian nature reserve where an old man stopped us to ask which countries we were from. We variously replied; Germany, United States, Iceland and Canada. When he heard Canada, he told us he had been liberated by Canadian troops during the fierce fighting at the Schelde and that there was a large Canadian war cemetary nearby. Then, he started to hum the Canadian national anthem, Oh Canada. We all (including the Germans among us) were suitably impressed.




Comments

Margot said…
It's amazing to think that Canadians still mean so much to them after 60 years.
September 5, 2007 at 10:48 a.m.
The Old and the Restless said…
I found it interesting that the subject of the German occupation often came up with the Dutch. I was told this story from two sources: During the war, the Germens confiscated the bikes of the Dutch. Apparently at soccer games you still might hear, "Give me back by grandfather's bike".
Mom
September 5, 2007 at 1:54 p.m.
Unknown said…
Sandra -
Great pictures and stories. It makes one wonder how the Dutch view the Germans these days if the Canadian experience remains so vivid.
B. Hamilton
September 6, 2007 at 11:32 a.m.
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