We used to spend 4-6 weeks every summer in Knokke when I was a young child and have many great memories of riding along the seafront promenade on the hired bikes and the other options they had and of course swapping sea shells for our hand made paper flowers with all the other children from various countries. Speaking different languages as a child was never a problem as being children we always managed to communicate well with each other. I also remember this was my first exposure to Fritte's with mayonnaise which coming from England was a new and different experience to eating chips with salt and vinegar along with my favourite childhood snack Streussel which whilst common in much of Europe is unheard of in the UK. Knokke was and possibly still is the Belgium South of France and was really a great place back then no idea what it is like now as haven't been there in over 45 years but holds great memories for me from my childhood.
Marc