Photography Essay - Evenings in Torrox Costa

Torrox was the first place that we called home in Spain. Many were the evenings that we spent on the beach.

Blankenberge - Everybody to the Pier!

Today, I take you back to the Belgian coast, to a town called Blankenberge. Just like Ostend, it has a train station in the centre, which connects it with some of the most important cities and towns in Belgium. Cross the road and you can take the "Kusttram" (Coast Tram) and go to any of the other coastal towns.

The location in Blankenberge that attracts locals and tourists alike is without any doubt the pier, constructed in 1933, it is 350 meters long and is built in the art-deco style. Having a walk here and admiring the views of the sea and the nearby dunes is a must.

I took all of these pictures around mid-February of last year - so, just a couple of months before leaving Belgium for Spain - and as you can see, even on a sunny winter day, Blankenberge attracts a lot of visitors. Can you imagine what it is like duri8ng hot summer days?

Some more facts and numbers:

• The train station of Blankenberge was built in 1863.
• At the beginning of the 20th century, Blankenberge was a popular destination for Royals.
• In general, tourism started booming after World War II.
• Want more information about what to do and where to stay in Blankenberge? Check out the official touristic website.

When Old Makes Way for New - Duinbergen

Earlier this week, when I wrote about the coastal city of Ostend, I complained about the ugly new pier and highrise apartments and hotels that line the promenade... Unfortunately, such unflattering buildings so close to the sea are not restricted to Ostend itself; you find them literally everywhere at the Belgian coast.

After some aimlessly driving around on a beautiful autumn day in 2017, my travel partner and I ended up in the town of Duinbergen. This municipality belongs to Knokke-Heist, known to attract the more financially fortunate Belgians to the coast. Duinbergen though is smaller and has fewer shops. A bit further away from the coast, you can find lots of charming villas, built in the first half of the 20th century.

Although it was late September, temperatures were high enough allowing people to walk around in summer clothes and bathing suits and have some good old fun in the sea. I am quite sure however that the seawater must have been very cold...

Tourism started here at the beginning of the 20th century and exploded after 1950. Duinbergen is one of the last municipalities along the western part of the Belgian coast and is close to the border with the Netherlands.

So, that's it for this week on the travel website. On Monday I will take you to an island in the Belgian capital. Concerning the movie website, so far the Halloween special of Ghost Adventures is still not available on YouTube. Maybe I will update the site on Sunday, either with the special or with something completely new.