Fabienne, resident:
The lady in white stands out from the crowd. Perhaps she was a debutante. A young woman making her first public appearance, strolling on the dyke, ready to be spotted by a potential marriage partner. You can imagine that it was useful having an attractive partner in the summer in Ostend. Seeing and being seen was what it was all about.
In those days a demoiselle from the wealthy bourgeoisie followed a strict daily schedule. In the morning, there was a visit to the market or the bandstand on Wapenplein. Bathing was possible from 11 a.m., but was best enjoyed in moderation. After lunch, time was set aside for personal visits, a game of tennis, a boat excursion or putting in an appearance at a horse race at Wellington Racecourse. The afternoon was preferably concluded with a walk on the palisade - followed by a dinner dance at the Casino Kursaal.
It was possible to stay overnight at the nearby Hôtel Continental. A room there cost a hundred francs. Was that expensive? In around 1890, a worker in heavy industry toiled at least ten hours a day, for a daily wage of about three and a half Belgian francs. So one night under the satin sheets was equivalent to the monthly wage of an ordinary working man. The gap between rich and poor was even deeper than the dyke.