BELGIUM

Location - Western Europe; Capital - Brussels; Population - 11 million; Currency - Euro MORE BELGIUM

A weekend trip to the Sand Wonderland festival took me along the Belgian coast in July 2013.

Belgium is part of the Euro Zone

Beach clubs run side-by-side along the Belgian coast at Blankenberge

Beach huts seem to be all the rage in Belgium, pictured here with the pier as a backdrop - Blankenberge

The town is a bit of a concrete monstrosity but the sand is very inviting on a sunny day - Blankenberge

I love the chilled feel of the Tao Bar with its massive beanbags and ambient music - Blankenberge

If you've been to Prague you'll likely have come across David Cerny's babies, and here they go crawling over Blankenberge's casino

The King (Elvis Presley that is) welcomes visitors to Sand Wonderland in Blankenberge

Sitting next to his mate Elvis is US President Abraham Lincoln - Blankenberge

The Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger and Keith Richards - Blankenberge

Most sculptures are housed in a huge marquee with a privileged few outdoors. Over 40 artists from around the world contribute to an annually changing theme. The detail on most of them is superb - Blankenberge

Sand Wonderland runs from mid-June to mid-September every year in a rather rundown and messy park. In 2013 the theme was 'Artworks, Inventions, Historical Events, Personalities and Popular Scenes' - Blankenberge

Ringo, George, John and Paul, aka The Beatles - Blankenberge

Barack Obama looking a bit trapped, in front of the White House - Blankenberge

An Egyptian pharaoh, and King Kong holds on tightly to the Empire State Building - Blankenberge

I didn't recognise either Rihanna or Madonna - Blankenberge

A fantastic one of Jimi Hendrix - Blankenberge

Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator - Blankenberge

Pope Francis - Blankenberge

Infamous American gangster Al Capone - Blankenberge

I much prefer the huge outdoor sculptures - Blankenberge

A scene from Hollywood blockbuster Avatar - Blankenberge

Frankenstein and his castle stand above, erm.. a werewolf? Blankenberge

Frankenstein and his castle look brilliant - Blankenberge

I asked these artists who this was going to be but they didn't want to spoil the surprise - Blankenberge

Count Dracula with a female conquest - Blankenberge

Dracula's woman - Blankenberge

The Black Pearl, surrounded by the cast, was another very impressive model - Blankenberge

Pirates of the Caribbean characters Davy Jones and Hector Barbossa - Blankenberge

Captain Jack Sparrow and the Black Pearl - Blankenberge

Waves bash against Noah's Ark - Blankenberge

Admire the sculpted lines - Blankenberge

The Chronicles of Narnia - Blankenberge

Alfred Hitchcock glimpses at the birds and the pyscho house - Blankenberge

The sculptures are sprayed with water to retain their moisture - Blankenberge

Fireworks mark a Flanders holiday - Blankenberge

Beach huts beaneath the Thermae Palace Hotel - Ostend

The 1930s Mercator, in the old harbour, is now a museum piece - Ostend

Boats moored in the old harbour at Ostend

The early 20th century St Petrus & Pauluskerk - Ostend

Some very imaginative and colourful bars between the old harbour and the church - Ostend

Chef checks out the scene - Ostend

I passed through Bruges on my way to Damme

The towering Belfort (belfry) dominates the Markt - Bruges

Gabled buildings, mostly restaurants, line the north side of the Markt - Bruges

Take a bike ride along the canals on the way to Damme and you'll pass several windmills - Bruges

None of these windmills were in operation though maybe they get cranked up at some point in the year - Bruges

Damme is about 5km from Bruges on an arrow-straight tree-lined canal

Fishing along the canal near Damme

A paddle steamer also provides an enjoyable way to get to Damme

The stadhuis forms the centre of Damme

The central square is surrounded by bars and restaurants - Damme

The Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk - Damme

Cycling down a road lined with poplar trees at Damme

Make your way just outside Damme and there seems to be canals everywhere

Unlike the ones in Bruges this windmill was in (full?) working order - Damme

A couple of kms north of Bruges is the moated Kasteel ten Berghe - Bruges

Lissewege is on the train line from Bruges to Zeebrugge

The main church at Lissewege

The village is only 4km from Zeebrugge and is known for its artistic bent and whitewashed buildings - Lissewege

It's worth a few hours if on the way to the coast from Bruges - Lissewege

Eeurgh! Art in the village of Lissewege

The industrial port city of Zeebrugge

The 21st century version of the windmill - Zeebrugge

Several powergliders swooped up and down, sliding across the beach at Zeebrugge

I've no idea if 'powerglider' is a proper term but these came with motorised fans on the back - Zeebrugge

After a few kms walk from Zeebrugge the pier at Blankenberge appears

Between Blankenberge and Ostend is the pretty seaside resort of de Haan

The beach stretches out to the North Sea at de Haan

Beaches all along the Belgian coast are very wide so there should be plenty of room on a sunny day - de Haan

The seafront at de Haan

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LINKS

www.visitbelgium.com - the Belgian tourist office

www.delijn.be - the coastal tram

www.visitflanders.com - visit Flanders

www.visitoostende.be - visit Ostend

www.eurostar.com - Eurostar train from London to Paris, Brussels and more

I am not responsible for the content of external websites.