A day well spent, in Ghent

Not the best day for it, but I went to Ghent today to see my friend L. in the short window of opportunity between her return from Australia and departure for San Francisco.

Had lunch in the Groot Vleeshuis, or old (15th century) Meat Hall, hung with Ganda hams, and wandered around the Patershol district in the rain. Here we went to an art exhibition at the Caermersklooster (former Carmelite Convent), which doesn't seem to have met with everyone's approval to judge from the comments in the visitors' book...

Then had coffee at the Pakhuis, one of the best designs I know of by architect /restauranteur Antonio Pinto.