Sad feelings on a wonderful day

If you see Val and me shrivel up a bit, that is a sure sign: Belgium deficiency!
We are the lucky owners of a Toyota van, so we put dog in van and off we go.
Where shall we go today?
Well, I saw an internet site about a place called Eeklo in Belgium, where they have a disused railway's lifting bridge over a hardly used canal, and there seems to be a lock there as well.
So Eeklo (Balgerhoeke) is where we'll go.
We have this strong determination, no getting sidetracked. But then, after passing through Antwerp there is the roadsign saying "Doel".

I say sorry and off we go to a place that will be sacrificed to Antwerp's compulsion for expansion.
Doel is a place behind a protecting dyke and under the steam of a nuclear power station, which in turn is conveniently located next to the Belgian/Dutch border, so if anything goes wrong. . .
In my newspaper I read that the village Doel is about to disappear, so maybe this is our last chance to have a look.
It is a peaceful village where nothing much seems to be happening.
No wonder, most of the inhabitants have given up their resistance and left.

The local pub/restaurant "De Jagersrust" (The Hunter's Rest) reflects the resulting general decay: no more wining and dining here.
At the same time a village like this attracts a species that was thought long extinguished: The Hippie!

On the dyke we find them, having set up theatre tents and some contraptions the purpose of which we can't fathom.
Oh I wish I could play the piano, because a pianist is what one of the tiny theatres is looking for. If you fit the job description, maybe you should apply. The place to go for as long as it lasts is here.

In one of the buildings an informal radio station has been set up.
The bus in front of it says: out of service.
Look at these images, my friends, before long this place will exist no more, at least not in this form.

On one side the container cranes seem to be marching in.

On the other side the nuclear power station.

And how about the lifting railway bridge over the hardly-used canal?
See Val's blogpages for a report.