Oostenders

Thought: Oostende is a much more interesting place to hang out than Dover. Apart from an excellent range of the normal type of shops it also has wonderful food shops interspersed on the main streets - so right next to a Zara or H&M there's a vishandel with beautifully displayed lobsters, trout, sole or mussels, or a traiteur selling ready-cooked chickens, lasagne, ready to serve meals with local shrimps and salad, or even tubs of mashed broccoli. And that's before you start on the patisseries, chocolate shops and even a specialist oil and vinegar shop. Why aren't all the Belgians very fat?