Holiday in Ostend 1955

The family travelled to Ostend, Belgium, by sea. Some locations on the images could be identified. The St George's Day Memorial in Brugge looked different in 1955 but is still recognisable. The statue of Jean Bart is located in Dunkirk. There is also a poster of the Art Gallery in IJzendijke which was showing an exhibition of Dutch Golden Age (Holland Gouden Eeuw). The racecourse is Hippodrome Wellington in Ostend. Judging by the scale of the event it must have been Grand Prix Prince Rose race held annually on the Belgian National Day of Freedom, 21 July. The sculpture in the last image is a part of a shrine in the old church tower, Peperbusse, also in Ostend.

And the man sitting on a bench must be the photographer. Despite a very unusual composition there is a certain visual appeal in this image.