Bruges - Days 5, 6 & 7 (Thursday May 29th, Friday May 30th, & Saturday May 31st)
- ledzeppelin6896
- May 31
- 4 min read
*Warning* - This will be quite the post because we've done numerous things the past few days! You've been forewarned!
Thursday morning in Bruges we woke up and had a local breakfast complete with cappuccinos, eggs and pastries. Afterwards we crossed the street in the main city square and took a horse & carriage tour of the city and gained an appreciation for the history and architecture of the city. Bruges is an old city with over a thousand years of history and plenty of character. Afterwards we decided to head to the Belgian (French) fry museum (Frietmuseum) located in the historic center of Bruges which dates back to 1399. There we learned all about the European love affair with the potato dating back to the 1400's and the hotly debated topic of whom created the deep-fried potato (France or Belgium).
Afterwards we headed to a chocolate making class located literally across the street from our bed and breakfast. During the two hour class we learned all about how to make chocolate and proceeded to create our own chocolate pralines filled with nuts, ganache, and berries. We also drank some amazing hot chocolate! Additionally we made the traditional flat chocolate pieces topped with nuts and fruits called mendiants. We will be sure to consume those before heading back to the states, so enjoy the pictures! Afterwards we decided to tour a bit more of the town and had a fantastic dinner at Vivaldi's. Katie had a traditional dish called waterzooi and Mike had pork cheeks with a nice side salad. Following dinner, we headed back to the room to partake in a well-earned good night's sleep.
The following morning we decided to have breakfast at our B&B and we were not disappointed. We had a puffy Turkish bread along with scrambled eggs, bacon, croissants, tea and cappuccino. Afterwards we headed back to the train station and took a short train ride to the Medieval city of Ghent. We decided that for this day trip, we'd follow the Rick Steves' recommended self-guided "city walk" as outlined in his Belgium tour guide. Taking the tram to the city center, we began the walking tour at the old Ghent Post Office and the St. Michael's Bridge and church. From there we walked to the Saint Nicholas Cathedral and were amazed by the enormity of this cathedral from the Middle Ages. From there we continued to the Ghent Belfry, Saint Bavos Cathedral, City Hall, and through an alley called "Graffiti Lane." We finished the walking tour at the Castle of the Counts. We both enjoyed the visit to Ghent and gained an appreciation for the historical background of the city. It's hard to believe that this city, like most other European cities, has so many churches/cathedrals/basilicas that are so enormous and ornate.
After taking the tram back to the train station, we returned to Bruges and decided to walk the town a bit, and we eventually ended up once again at the Pittahuuis in the city center. Katie was especially happy because this is one of the few places where we can get gluten-free fries that were NOT cooked in beef fat! We were sure to wash down the snack with a thirst-quenching gluten-free beer! Afterwards, Katie surprised Mike and took him to the Bruges Beer Museum in town. At the conclusion of the tour we were able to sample several different types of beers and lambics. From there, we decided that it was time to do laundry at the laundromat down the street. While that was going, we crossed the street and had a nice dinner at De Roopoorte. After dinner, we took a nice, picturesque walk to the Minnewater lake at the south end of town and enjoyed an almost perfect evening taking in the scenery. The weather was just right for a nice long stroll to one of the most beautiful areas of Bruges.
Saturday began once again with breakfast at our B&B which included all of the aforementioned items in addition to some delicious Belgian & Italian cheeses. This day was dedicated to taking a self-guided, Rick Steves recommended, "city walk" of Bruges and some chocolate/souvenir shopping. We began at the Basilica of the Holy Blood and might have taken a few forbidden pictures of the interior before we quickly left due to a ceremony happening within a few minutes of our arrival. Pretty sure God won't care about that. Afterwards we decided to continue the religious theme of the morning by visiting Saint Salvator's Cathedral and the nearby Church of Our Lady. Across the street was the St. John's Hospital and numerous chocolate shops. We decided that our souvenir shopping should commence immediately at that moment and we must have hit 10 chocolate shops within a two block stretch along what the locals call "Chocolate Row." Along the way, we MIGHT have partaken in sampling some of the local chocolates and pralines!
The day finished with a quick stop at our favorite pub, the Monk, where we once again had a couple of gluten free mango beers which were quite refreshing on the warm Saturday afternoon. Then it was back to the B&B for a quick nap and web post (which is THIS one!). Tonight we will be enjoying dinner at De Koetse Restaurant in town before getting ready to travel to Amsterdam via train in the morning.
We both LOVED Bruges as there is so much history, character and culinary delights. If we could describe the food scene in Belgium, it comes down to four words: beer, chocolate, fries, and waffles! We will definitely be back someday to enjoy all that Belgium has to offer.
Until next time, as the Flemish say, "dag!"
You two know how to travel -- carpe diem, mes amis!