The beauty of this trip is that nothing is completely set in stone. We had a definite beginning (Edinburgh) and we have a definite midway point (Munich, Germany for Oktoberfest). After talking to people who were traveling around Europe, we decided to change our plans from traveling to Brussels after Paris to going to Bruges. I'm so glad we did. I spent the morning of my birthday in the beautiful city of Paris, spent a couple of hours on a train, and arrived in the quiet little city of Bruges in Belgium, the land of waffles, chocolate, and beer! After a quick power nap to rejuvenate, I decided to wander around this adorable town on my own. The buildings were uniform for the most part, and consisted of what is called "gable roofs." Those are the step-looking structures attached to the facade of the houses. The city contains numerous spectacular canals since the hub of Bruges is surrounded by a river. I stumbled upon a serene monastery on the other side of one of these canals. It was silent and no pictures were allowed out of respect. But I stood there for a moment to enjoy the silence and the peace. The hustle and bustle of the city is always fun and keeps you moving, but to sit in the silence when all is quiet around you is one of the most peaceful feelings. Bruges has zigzag-like streets that resound when the horse and buggies rode against the cobblestones. I found myself lured to the sweet scent of the wonderful chocolate shops but avoided temptation until the next day. After wandering the streets, I stopped at a restaurant in the middle of the Markt, the main square of Bruges. I treated myself to mussels, Flemish stew (which was like beef stew but with pork), chocolate mousse, and a cup of coffee. The waiter gave me a free glass of house wine! It was wonderful to sit along the main square, listen to the bells toll beautiful music every 10 minutes, and people watch. I've never really spent my birthday like that. I'm usually surrounded by family in Maine or friends out in Amherst. It was weird celebrating it in such a quiet way, but it was much needed. Skyping with Hayley at the end of the night made the day complete, though! We'll figure it out, Mom and Dad :)
The next day, Corinne and I checked out this attraction called the Historium where we learned about the city at it's peak and what made it so unique. Bruges used to be one of the most important port cities during the 15th and 16th centuries, attracting people and trade goods from all over the world. Beautiful materials like silk found their way into the city as well as exotic animals. The painter Jan van Eyck was one of the most popular painters from the city around this time, and he captured the elegance and wealth that trading brought into Bruges. We also took a free walking tour offered through our hostel. It was very... well, let's go with interesting... Our tour guide was the least that we've (this was not through the wonderful Sandeman New tours), and the majority of us were trying to figure out if he was wicked drunk or wicked high. However, through the slurred words and awkward pauses, he proved to be very entertaining and quite informative. He brought us to the Bruge Beer Museum where, for €2, we had a local draft beer which was quite delicious. Our guide continued to have 2 drinks. We just laughed and continued our way. Corinne and I ended up meeting some wonderful people on the tour, bid them farewell and went to dinner. I was able to talk to Mom for a couple minutes, which was wonderful, then headed to bed relatively early since our train was early the next day.
Bruges was a much needed break from the large cities like Edinburgh, London, and Paris. It didn't offer much in terms of the most important sights to see, but we tried some chocolate, waffles, and beer and roamed around one of the loveliest towns I've been in. I haven't forgotten Brussels, though. On my next time through Belgium, Brussels and Ghent are absolute definites as well as a revisit to the adorable Bruges.
The next day, Corinne and I checked out this attraction called the Historium where we learned about the city at it's peak and what made it so unique. Bruges used to be one of the most important port cities during the 15th and 16th centuries, attracting people and trade goods from all over the world. Beautiful materials like silk found their way into the city as well as exotic animals. The painter Jan van Eyck was one of the most popular painters from the city around this time, and he captured the elegance and wealth that trading brought into Bruges. We also took a free walking tour offered through our hostel. It was very... well, let's go with interesting... Our tour guide was the least that we've (this was not through the wonderful Sandeman New tours), and the majority of us were trying to figure out if he was wicked drunk or wicked high. However, through the slurred words and awkward pauses, he proved to be very entertaining and quite informative. He brought us to the Bruge Beer Museum where, for €2, we had a local draft beer which was quite delicious. Our guide continued to have 2 drinks. We just laughed and continued our way. Corinne and I ended up meeting some wonderful people on the tour, bid them farewell and went to dinner. I was able to talk to Mom for a couple minutes, which was wonderful, then headed to bed relatively early since our train was early the next day.
Bruges was a much needed break from the large cities like Edinburgh, London, and Paris. It didn't offer much in terms of the most important sights to see, but we tried some chocolate, waffles, and beer and roamed around one of the loveliest towns I've been in. I haven't forgotten Brussels, though. On my next time through Belgium, Brussels and Ghent are absolute definites as well as a revisit to the adorable Bruges.