Seeing Verdun in 1972 provided forty years worth of focus for every November 11, seeing it a second time will provide forty more. The powerful and somber impact of this sacred ground has came at the expense of over 200,000 dead soldiers and 400,000 wounded in less then ten months. Walking around this crater-filled park-like setting of battlefields you could easily be fooled into thinking it was part of a landscapers design. Broken and twisted remains of military defences are scattered everywhere and tombstones mark where towns once stood. 100 years later and you can still feel the pain. On our way to Verdun we spent a day in Metz, France which turned out to be a lot more interesting than I remembered it from 1972 when Bert and I spent a week in the back lot of a VW dealership having a new Van engine installed.  Luxembourg City is a short drive from Verdun and it was a great place to spend a day just walking about. We found a really good campground and managed to get some domestic things accomplished. We crossed into Belgium and stopped at the” Waterloo Battlefield Monument”. Strangely our camping books did not list any campgrounds in Belgium so we inquired at the restaurant. The fellow pointed to a park like setting out back and suggested we stay there.  We did, and what a great spot under the tall chestnut trees. Just a short hop away were the 226 steps that ascend to the top of the monument made from battlefield soil. The Lion on top looks out over Napoleon’s final battlefield and guards a new Europe. Over 300,000 soldiers fought here and changed Europe forever. Lit up at night, It’s a very impressive sight from the RV window. Off to Brussels for some famous French-fries and waffles then onward to visit “Venus-of-the-north”… Brugge.