"Shrimp Fishing on Horseback—a Belgian Tradition Visit any good seafood restaurant in Belgium, and you'll see gray shrimp on the menu. In fact, you may even be offered a bowl of these small, sweet delicacies to nibble while you decide on your main course. These days, the majority of the gray shrimp are harvested by modern fishing techniques, but there is still one place, on the Belgian coast, where you can step back in time. In the town of Oostduinkerke, in Koksijde, a small group of souwester-clad fisherman take to the frigid sea on horseback. You can watch them bring in their catch and, if you're lucky, you can even sample a few. The fishermen drag nets behind their heavy horses, normally sturdy Belgian breeds. This form of fishing doesn't disturb the sea floor like modern day trawling, but it is much harder work. Make sure you see this magical spectacle before it's gone forever. For more information and a photo essay of the Shrimp Fishermen of Oostduinkerke, follow the link: http://cheeseweb.eu/2013/05/shrimp-fishing-horseback-oostduinkerke-belgium/"

"Trotting Along the Belgian Coast On a recent trip up and down the Belgian coast, as the sun was setting on one of the beaches NOT in front of a town, I saw in the distance several horses and riders coming up the beach. When they passed, on the horizon a ship was also passing in the opposite direction. This picture is the result. The Belgian coast runs from De Panne on the French border right up to Knokke-Heist, on the Dutch border. For convenience, and the fact that it gets very congested in the warm months, there is a tram that runs the entire coastal distance."

"Beach Huts in De Panne Being a guy from the Jersey Shore (which has nothing to do with that television show!), I love the sea front. The seaside resort of De Panne in Belgium is a place worth visiting. Sure, Belgium is usually rainy and cold but there are hot sunny days too, so it is advisable to hit the coast and check out De Panne. Its a typical Belgian seaside resort with lots of cafes and restaurants and a very big sandy beach. What I like about De Panne is the old style mobile cabanas, which were once popular along the Jersey Shore going back a century. The town was also the home of Belgium's King Albert during WWI, since it was the only area that was not occupied by the Germans."

"A Coastal Cuppa with Croissants There are no shortages of places to eat and drink in the Belgian coastal town of De Panne. If you're looking for a snack and a good deal, head to Patisserie Antoine, just a couple blocks from the North Sea. You can get a couple of croissants with a coffee for about $5. Of course, there are many other enticing things on the menu as well as a mouthwatering selection of cakes and tarts."

"Sand Sculptures No summer passes without sand sculptures! And this year there is so much more to enjoy: posing next to Lady Gaga, footballing with David Beckham, sharing a frame with the Mona Lisa, giving a speech with Albert Einstein, stepping on board the Titanic, cuddling up to Brad Pitt, cycling against Tom Boonen, playing tennis with Kim Clijsters, dining with Al Capone, to name but a few! Get ready for an exciting journey through the fantastic sculptures of our Sand Wonderland: meet great scientists and inventors, discover the most dramatic events from our history, stand face to face with the most famous people of all time and rub shoulders with the most legendary sporting figures and pop stars of the 21st century. The festival is built by 40 or so professional sand artists from all around the world. No fewer than 20,000 tons of sand will be sculpted on an area covering some 4,000 m², good for a visit of at least one and a half hours. The festival in Blankenberge is officially the largest sand sculpture festival in the world (Guinness Book of Records 2010). The Sand Sculpture Festival takes place in the Duinse Polders in Blankenberge from Saturday, June 15, 2013 until Sunday, September 15, 2013, and is open continuously from 10am to 7pm."

"A Zen Oasis in Oostende You’ll be hard pressed to find it in any of the tourism literature, but just off Oostende’s bustling beach promenade is a tiny oasis of tranquillity. In the middle of the Konings Park is a beautiful Japanese Garden. The garden was created in the ‘Kaiyusschiki’ style and includes water features, bamboo, statues and a rock garden. Wander the winding paths or simply relax and enjoy the peace and quiet with your own personal moment of zen. The garden is free to the public but is only open on weekends. It’s well worth tearing yourself away from the beach to enjoy."

"Art, Food and a Stunning View at the Beausite Galerie Imagine dining on fresh North Sea grey shrimp risotto, mussels and artichoke, while sipping champagne or Belgian beer, as you watch the sun set into the sea. After your meal, you head downstairs to view the latest art exhibition and browse vintage furniture and clothing. Maybe you meet up with a group of local artists for a chat over coffee or just curl up with an art book and a comfortable pillow. You can do all of these things at the newly opened Galerie Beausite on the beach promenade of Oostende. It’s the perfect place to while away a few hours (or an entire afternoon). The gracious hosts/owners encourage lingering and a tasty treat is never far from reach. Watching the world pass by on the beach below is as relaxing as admiring a colourful fish tank. Heaven."

"Hearty Meal in Cold Oostende Going to the beach at the North Sea in fall/winter is one of my favorite things to do in Belgium. I love the miles of empty, clean beach. Yes, it's cold and the wind is blowing like mad, but then you get to run inside a restaurant and have a nice hot meal. That is exactly what we did today. After walking around on the boardwalk, renting an electric car for the kids to drive around, we chose the brasserie Le Bord'Eau for lunch hoping it will be nice. Their fish and potatoes stew is delicious and hot. I loved the presentation too. It comes to the table in the cast iron pot they cooked it in. It is steaming hot and smelling incredible. It kinda looks like fish waterzooi, a Flanders specialty. This dish had three different kinds of fish, boiled potatoes and vegetables in a superb cream sauce. Very pleased with my choice and will have it again next time I feel like bracing the elements at the beach, in winter."

"Fun at the North Sea One of the main reason we go to Oostende is so that the kids, and us, can ride the cars and bicycles they have available for rent on the boardwalk. A lot of places offer them, and the variety of vehicles is pretty large. You can rent electric or pedal cars for the very young, starting even at 2-3 years old, and for bigger kids and grownups you can rent these quad-cycles for two, three, to up to ten people. Renting them is not expensive and it's a lot of fun for everybody. It's a great way of seeing the entire boardwalk which is pretty long. Renting is done by half an hour or an hour and you keep it as long as you wish with paying at the end. The longer you rent it, the cheaper it is. A form of ID must be presented and kept as warranty while you ride your chosen vehicle."

"Fun at the North Sea One of the main reason we go to Oostende is so that the kids, and us, can ride the cars and bicycles they have available for rent on the boardwalk. A lot of places offer them, and the variety of vehicles is pretty large. You can rent electric or pedal cars for the very young, starting even at 2-3 years old, and for bigger kids and grownups you can rent these quad-cycles for two, three, to up to ten people. Renting them is not expensive and it's a lot of fun for everybody. It's a great way of seeing the entire boardwalk which is pretty long. Renting is done by half an hour or an hour and you keep it as long as you wish with paying at the end. The longer you rent it, the cheaper it is. A form of ID must be presented and kept as warranty while you ride your chosen vehicle."

"Grill Your Own Meats Restaurant Eclips is a cozy, trendy spot, just off the beach promenade. The focus is on tableside fondues and grills, and it is a meat lovers paradise. Owners Chris and Sharon Verdonck greeted us warmly and explained the menu and concept to us. In addition to their role as restaurateurs, they are also the chefs, servers, and even cleaners—they run the entire show themselves and are dedicated to excellent service. And that’s exactly what we received. We enjoyed a mountain of fresh meat which we had fun cooking ourselves on our little grill. The best was yet to come, when Chris prepared my Irish Coffee table-side, flames and all. It's no wonder Restaurant Eclips tops the charts of all of the review sites for Ostend. It's a treasure! Our full review: http://cheeseweb.eu/2013/09/3-eat-restaurants-oostende-belgium/"

"Elegant Seafood on the Belgian Coast One of the highlights of our visit to Oostende (Ostend in English) was a gastronomic seafood feast, à l’Ostendaise, at the acclaimed Bistro Mathilda. À l’Ostendaise is a restaurant venture running until the end of September 2014 (so you still have a whole year to try it out) in which local fishermen challenge the chefs of Oostende to use different seasonal seafood products each month. On certain days, there are even special ‘Fisherman’s Dinners’ where the fishermen join you for a meal and answer questions about their trade. Bistro Mathilda is an elegant and bustling restaurant beside the lovely Léopold Park. It is run by Luc Deklerck and his wife Gerda Maenhout who were friendly and professional while attending to each and every detail in their lively restaurant. The dishes were artfully presented and each of the featured ingredients shone. It was impossible to choose a favourite dish as each offered something unique and tasty. Pictured here is the second of our 5 courses: Gravlax with cockles, fennel, sea parsley, celery and cucumber. We were also impressed with the wine pairing choices and the final tea and coffee ending. For a full review and photos of all courses: http://cheeseweb.eu/2013/09/3-eat-restaurants-oostende-belgium/"

"Sleep Near the Beach in Oostende's Mondo Hotel To see everything there is to see in Oostende, I highly recommend spending an entire weekend (or longer) in the city. For a good night’s sleep, try the Mondo Hotel, located minutes from the Promenade, in a quiet corner of the city centre. Our hotel room included a mini-kitchen (although minus a fridge which we found a bit odd) and a vast bathroom with a tub and shower. We enjoyed the champagne breakfast buffet, complete with Belgian waffles, in the artsy dining room. There are 28 ‘Cosy Rooms,’ 18 ‘Superior Rooms,’ 2 suites and 14 ‘Family Rooms,’ with extra bedrooms for the kids."

"Admire Belgium's Best Artists at Mu.Zee Several people had recommended Oostende’s art museum, Mu.ZEE, to us, over the years. Still, I expected a small gallery we could visit in an hour or so. How wrong I was. We had over two hours to explore the collections, before our lunch reservation, and we barely scratched the surface. The museum is deceptively large, with corridors snaking off in all directions. The permanent collection focuses on Belgian art from 1850 to the present. Highlights include works by James Ensor, Léon Spilliaert and Constant Permeke. Mu.Zee also host large temporary exhibitions of both international and Belgian artists. More Information on things to do in Oostende: http://cheeseweb.eu/2013/10/10-reasons-visit-oostende-beach/"

"Ride the World’s Longest Tram Route on the Belgian Coast Belgium may have one of the shortest coastlines in the world (69km), but it’s home to the world’s longest tram line. The Belgian Coast Tram (De Kusttram, in Dutch) runs the entire length of the coast, from De Panne, near France, to Knokke-Heist, near the Netherlands. You can ride the entire 68km, or hop on and off at the 70 stops along the way. There are 1, 3, 5 and 7 day passes available for you to enjoy throughout your holiday on the coast."

"Explore History at Oostende's Atlantic Wall Museum Just outside of Oostende’s city centre is one of the best preserved sections of the infamous German Atlantikwall. This defensive series of bunkers ran all the way from Norway to the Pyrenees. You can wander through the subterranean fortifications and see what life was like for the soldiers stationed inside. Allow several hours to visit the entire museum and be sure to visit during the warmer months as the museum is closed from 11 November to 23 March. The Atlantic Wall Museum is part of the larger Raversyde complex, which also includes the Prince Charles Memorial and the Anno 1465 (Walraversijde) Fishing Village Museum. More Information on Oostende: http://cheeseweb.eu/2013/10/10-reasons-visit-oostende-beach/"