Just as last year, the sun started to shine by the time we left the start location, and unlike the rest of the week, not a drip of rain spoiled it! We drove in between the battlefields where it al happened in 1815, and the first leg of picturesque roads lead us to the remaining of the breath-taking 12th century abbey de Villers. No time for visits as it was going to be a long day, but the outside view was stunning.

The next, slightly longer part got us to our lunch in Seneffe, followed by a quick drive around-and photo shoot near the BMC assembly halls, where, among others, the Austin Allegro and the mini were assembled. The halls closed down in 1981.

After leaving Seneffe, we visited 3 types of boat lifts on 3 different locations, and not the least ! The modern vertical boat lift in Strépi-Thieu being the tallest boat lift in the world, the classic one in Houdeng-Goegnies which is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance, and the inclined plane of Ronquières, where the boats are pulled on rails over a 1400 metre distance. It felt like a school trip for some. But surely one in style !

By the time we got home again, most of us were on the road for 12hours, needless to say it was an exhausting but enjoyable day for everyone. Well, almost everyone. Our Moke-friends who had prepared the whole route on paper, stranded their moke the day before in England with technical failure, and couldn't make it in time. But we'll make up for that on next years' IMD for sure !

(more pictures to follow soon when I've uploaded some)