Bruges

I've been on hiatus lately, doing what I do best: traveling. So, I haven't had much time to blog, but I've got a notebook packed with nonsensical scribbles and a scrap or two of worthwhile remarks. I'll try my best to share some coherent tales of my three whirlwind weeks of European travel; we'll see what I come up with.

My first stop was Bruges, a little fairytale land in northwest Belgium. It's a compact village, so a couple of days was plenty to see the whole place. We spent a lot of time roaming in and out of streets and shops (we stumbled upon Madame Mis - the spelling was something like that - a wonderful shop with a mix of new and vintage ceramics, hats, scarves and clothes), meanwhile admiring the Medieval stone buildings and quaint canal.

That's really all people go to Bruges for, to just look at it (they certainly don't go to enjoy the cold, gray, rainy, generally depressing winter weather). There's not much to do, really; Bruges is a place to experience by wandering rather than doing activities.

 

There are two sites that pretty much every Bruges tourist flocks to, though: the belfry in the main plaza and the Basilica of the Holy Blood, a 12th century church where, as the name indicates, Christ's blood is said to be preserved on a cloth in a vial. The basilica has regular venerations of the relic, but we didn't visit at the right time to see it. Regardless, the basilica, with its dark, peculiar exterior, is worth seeing.

Basilica of the Holy Blood

As advertised, the 366-step ascent to the top of the belfry (4 euros for visitors under 26, 8 euros otherwise) does get tiring and steep, especially when too many tourists pack into the stairway, but it's not terrible. For safety, only 70 people are allowed into the tower at a time, and that's plenty, although that means you'll likely have to wait for a good chunk of time to enter.

Source

For simplicity's sake, I'll leave it to Wikipedia to explain why the belfry is important:

"The belfry of Bruges, or Belfort, is a medieval bell tower in the historical centre of Bruges, Belgium. One of the city's most prominent symbols,^[1] the belfry formerly housed a treasury and the municipal archives, and served as an observation post for spotting fires and other danger. A narrow, steep staircase of 366 steps, accessible by the public for an entry fee,^[2] leads to the top of the 83-metre-high building, which leans about a metre to the east.
To the sides and back of the tower stands the former market hall, a rectangular building only 44 m broad but 84 m deep, with an inner courtyard. The belfry, accordingly, is also known as the Halletoren (tower of the halls).
The building is a central feature of the 2008 film In Bruges. ...
The belfry was added to the market square around 1240, when Bruges was prospering as an important centre of the Flemish cloth industry. After a devastating fire in 1280, the tower was largely rebuilt. ...
The bells in the tower regulated the lives of the city dwellers, announcing the time, fire alarms, work hours, and a variety of social, political, and religious events. Eventually a mechanism ensured the regular sounding of certain bells, for example indicating the hour."

Rising above the city's main square, the belfry does offer spectacular panoramic views, but they're blocked by wire safety netting that ruins photos and the real-life beauty of what you're seeing. Although it's one of the most iconic sites in Bruges, the belfry isn't a must-visit, in my opinion, if you're short on time.

The view, captured by putting the camera through the safety netting.

You should defnitely visit the square and see it from the outside, however. While you're there, be sure to order some of the delicious stoofleez (beef stewed in beer and poured on fries) at one of the two frites stands just outside the belfry entrance. We paid 8 euros for a dish of it - twice - and it was worth every cent.

YUM.

Belgium is known for a few other ubiquitous delights: waffles, beer and chocolate. I was impressed with the latter two, although my lack of excitement regarding the waffles should be taken with a grain of salt because I bought them at a stand in a Brussels Christmas market, so I'm not sure I tasted proper Belgian waffles.

The beer, though, was superb. Thanks to a recommendation in our Use-it map (witty, youth-focused maps made for tourists by locals), we headed to 't Poatersgat beer cellar at around 7:20 one evening. It's a really cool place, full of stone and vintage, shabby chic decor. A waiter came over to us and said De Koninck beer, brewed in Antwerp, was free throughout the live band's performance (they were hired by the brewery). So, we hung out, drank seven free fabulous Belgian beers while listening to an incredible ensemble of cello, guitar and accordion. Can't complain about that.

I can't complain about the chocolate, either, although I wouldn't say I was blown away by it. But who am I to judge? I've rarely met a piece of chocolate I didn't like, so...

Until next time...Un saludo,
Teresa