Saturday 11 June 2016

Waterloo

The next stage of our road trip was to Waterloo battlefield. I have to be honest and admit that I thought I was going to spend the day walking around a field, but I actually got a a huge and very pleasant surprise!
Pickle-Lily going up the Lion's Mound

It was the bicentenial anniversary of the battle last year, and to commerate it a huge new subterranean museum was built under The Lion's Mound monument. Still doesn't sound very interesting? It was amazing!
I wish I'd taken my knitting in for an action shot!
 Think state of the art - Harry Potter style moving pictures,
3D with moving smoke!
a guillotine with heads falling in the basket (using screens I hasten to add).
Off with her head!

 A multi sensory battle theatre where the battle happens all around you in 3D with sound, smells and 'shaking' floor. Touch screens, interactive everything and at the end you can record what you've done and send it home to yourself!
Getting ready for battle

We also did The Panorama, Hougoumont Farm where we had a lovely chat to some English re-enactors who were camping there, and during the day marched to the visitor's centre and did displays. I must admit I did not envy them sleeping in traditional canvas tents - maybe the motor homes were all parked out of site!
Camping 1815 style

However Mr P-L decided he would walk the battlefield himself so Pickle-Lily and I got the bus back to the motor home where I enjoyed a cup of tea and some knitting!
If you do go to Belgium and a visit to the battlefield of Waterloo is suggested for the day, don't worry you will enjoy a good day out! A word of warning though, there's no signage to the entrance or that it's even there!
There's no signage be warned!