I arrive at my first meeting point, at the Centrum Ronde van Vlaanderen brewery , decorated and dedicated to cycling, just like the museum. There are also some bikers seated there. So I take my place, getting ready to enjoy a good Belgian meal. Unfortunately, if the atmosphere was super nice and original, the wait was long. I think the two waiters were really overwhelmed by all the cyclists, the festivalgoers who stopped in large numbers, me and also many tourists who seemed to take part in an orienteering race. That makes a lot. The wait was worth it and I enjoyed a succulent Flemish Carbonnade , a raspberry beer and a good waffle.. Welcome to Belgium!
I enjoy some free time to explore the city. Oudenaarde is a quiet town and there does not seem to be much going on there. But this weekend, the young festival-goers have invaded the streets and we can say that it moves. The terraces are full, it screams, it laughs and we hear in the distance the first guitar chords. 16h soon, the festival and the first concerts of the day will begin.
I take a bus to my accommodation, a B & B a little out of the way. Despite the impoliteness and impatience of the driver, I manage to find my stop and trudge to the B & B, the Hof ter Kammen , which seems a little off the festival and downtown. It will be complicated. I am very welcome and I settle in a charming room. Everything is in the effigy of cycling . Bikes, decorations, photographs …. The family is a fan of cycling and welcomes cyclists from all over the world on the roads of Belgium. That night, Australian cyclists were sleeping there.
Feest in het park
The owner of the B & B has the incredible kindness to take me to the festival by car. Phew, saved to go, I
In front of the Oudenaarde Eye
would not have to walk for an hour! So here I am at Feest in het Park , a small festival organized entirely by volunteers for 17 years ! The style of music is varied and is divided into four scenes: DJ scenes, electro, ska, reggae and pop-rock.
So I found on arrival at the VIP area , Tine, my buddy festival , sent by Tourisme Flandres. We chat and explore the festival a bit. We meet a friend of hers, a volunteer, artist’s chauffeur, Kevin. The opportunity to go to ask, chat a little and get to know each other in the VIP area. A cozy bar with sofas, clean toilets, stars and a TV for lazy people … this is the VIP privilege! We meet Isi and Andrés . They won an online contest and tour the Flanders festivals in mini-van! What an incredible chance! So we all go for a ride on the ” Oudenaarde Eye “.
