I Fell in Love with Brugge

For any computer geniuses who may be reading this: I have a lot of photos to share, what is the best/easiest way, should I use flicker? what do you recommend.

Now Brugge

Brugge is a gorgeous, picturesque, clean city. The only detraction are the masses of tourists, but if you wander away to the quieter streets you will find them empty and peaceful. A city of cobblestone streets winding through brick houses with steps up the roof facades. The bricks are orange, brown, tan, yellow, red, and a few have even been painted (whitewashed in most cases). As you wander away from the center square you encounter canals, with bridges. The canals seem to be organized in a haphazard manner and don't all have streets running alongside them. I found it a little hard to follow the canals, I kept encountering brick buildings I had to walk around.

Jaci, Tess, Kai, Dan, and I (those of the group who went on the Maastricht day trip) arrived in Brugge at around 10 pm or so. The first train took forever to leave, it was late, and then we stood on the train (it was crowded) waiting for it to leave for half and hour. Luckily we made our connecting train. We reached the hostel, and joined the rest of the group. The rooms in the hostel were actually quite decent, and we had them to ourselves (our group was broken into 3 rooms one of 6, one of 4, and a double).

After a shower to shock one awake (it was cold). We went for breakfast. We found a place that was open, and ate waffles with chocolate—delicious.






After waffles, the flea market. A square filled with food (baked goods, cheese, meat (bleh), good food not fair food), clothing (from fashionable and over priced to the bargain prices the older women were examining). We scored on some sweaters. I was on the look out because I was concerned I didn't have enough layers for when the weather turned. I got a cardigan, sweater, and turtleneck for a total of 13 EUR.

But wait, there's more. We went followed the market down a street. Demonstrations of vegetable slicers in dutch?, and cheese samples. Another square at the end of the street, this filled with flowers, plants, and produce. There were even live animals. Chickens in boxes, hopefully being sold as laying hens. And bunny rabbits. I petted all of the bunnies. I was concerned of the fate of these bunnies, the only practical uses involve them dead. But on my way out I saw a girl (probably in her late teens) holding a black and white one. I saw her put it in a cardboard box. From the way she was holding it, she was buying it to love it.

Next: Choco-Story, the museum that tells the history of chocolate. At the entrance a sample of chocolate. The most delicious part, at the end a demo, and sample. In between interesting documentation of chocolate from when it was mixed with blood (Aztecs and Mayans) to present day. The reason why dark chocolate is superior to milk is the chocolate sugar ratio. Way more chocolate in the dark. The milk is just mostly sugar. Probably also why dark chocolate is thought to be healthier.



Going through the museum at our different paces, the group split up. I ended up coming out of the museum by myself. After part of the group and before the rest. So I started wandering around Brugge on my own. It's the type of city you can do that in. Eventually I ran into Rebecca, and we went to Our Lady's Church where Michelangelo's Madonna and Child is. I sat in front of it trying to understand why it was special. Sometimes seeing too much art, it all starts to look the same, and one has to stop and consider a piece to see it's value. Then we met up with others for dinner. Pasta for 4 EUR–almost more than I could eat, deal.

After dinner the entire group we booked a hostel with went out to a bar. We were in the back room, and at first it was just us. There was classical music playing and no smoke. It was nice to be able to just chill, and talk. I got a hot-chocolate. A few people were a little tipsy by the end, but no one was really drunk. Everyone was just happy.

It wasn't the alcohol either, 4 of us weren't drinking and everyone was happy before the bar.

Belfry at Night