Wallonia Wanders

Never underestimate the power of travel to turn that frown upside down!

I was feeling a little low, when I left Brussels on Sunday morning, tired from too many late nights, drained by an intense work schedule, and clouded with a disproportionate amount of travel anxiety for the week ahead.

I had a hostel booked in Namur, and had planned to visit another city that day, but as I stood at the station, I was tempted to go straight to the hostel and pass out for about a century.

However, I share my concience with a stubbornly adventurous spirit, who wants to get the most out of every opportunity, and she convinced me that I would enjoy a little escapade into the realms of Wallonia, Belgium, starting in Dinant.

Dinant did not disappoint! I left the train station, and the first thing I saw was a huge saxophone statue with a plaque showing a map of Finland... Interesting?

So I guessed there was something jazzy to discover.

I kept walking, following good old Google maps towards the river where my jaw quite literally dropped at the panorama before me.

The Charles De Gaule Bridge (decorated with more saxophones) lead to an impressive Notre-Dame, towering in the centre of a carefully laid out riverside town. The church was like the town's head with the lines of buildings representing two arms stretching along the waters.

Crowning the town was an elegant hill, looking at me through the eyes of a grand citadel as I crossed the bridge and entered the picture.

Using the free audio tour app 'Izi travel', I crossed the river and wondered through the town's 'arms', learning about the birthplace of the man who invented the saxophone and the origins of the cobbled streets.

Now that I had explored above ground- it was time to go underneath it!

Grotte La Merveileuse is an underground cave in Dinant, discovered in 1904, before being used as a shelter in World War 2, and hosting Jazz concerts ever since!

A short speech was given by the tourist officer, and we were set free to roam through the caverns.

No photos could emulate the beauty of the intricate natural carvings on the walls, or the forests of stalagmites I walked through.

The 'great hall' could have been summoned from a Tolkein novel, and the orange light made me feel as if I had stepped back in time.

With my mood successfully elevated by Dinant, I headed back to Namur, and checked into the Auberge de Jeunesse. It was a little further out from the city than I expected, but had lovely rooms, a cozy bar, and a kitchen where I could make myself some dinner.

I had heard great things about Namur's Citadel, but was too tired to walk up the huge hill, so thought it would be a good idea to take a Bolt scooter!

Now, I'm not the best scooterist... and the cobbled streets were a bit bumpy... but I enjoy laughing at the silly things I do, and hey - it got me there in one piece!

The views from the Citadel were incredible, and there were little plaques with information about it's Roman origins. Standing on millenia of history, and looking out onto miles of society, reminded me that whatever I may be feeling in my tiny little head, there is so much more out there- and at least some of it has got to be good- right?

Back in the hostel- nobody else had booked into my room. I thought about going down to talk to people at the bar, but this time, prioritised my rest, and curled up to watch a movie- getting an early night before another day of adventure!