Ostroy Omloop Jersey

The Omloop Jersey is a personal travelogue of the colors, exotic textiles, and quirky medieval architecture of Flanders and Ghent where the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad race starts and finishes.

Highlights include a mash-up of cannabis leaves, flower art from my hotel shower curtain, Moorish geometric patterns, 19th-century bird etchings, and Japanese candy-wrappers in the dark moody colors of Flanders that are so distinctive.

Ghent has 400 kilometers of bike lanes and more than 700 one-way streets, where bikes are allowed to go against the traffic. It also boasts the world's first cycle street, where cars are considered ‘guests’ and must stay behind cyclists. A highly recommended cycling tourism destination, especially if you love cobbles and gravel.