A Day in Brugge

Brugge was the first major European city we visited. Like Roeselare, it is part of the Dutch-speaking region of West Flanders, Belgium. It is most known for its historic city center -- a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Brugge is an hour from Bee's home by bus, and it can also be reached by train if you're coming from other Belgian cities like Antwerp, Brussels or Ghent. 

Hmm.. where to start? 

Like I said, what draws tourists (like us) to Brugge is its very well-preserved medieval city center. I think it was here, that moment when I stepped onto the vast Market Square, when it sank in, "Wow, I'm really, really, really in Europe."

Even Bee, who's been to Brugge seven times, excitedly took pictures. 

We did not have an itinerary when we were there, so we basically just let our feet take us where ever. 

Welcome to Stad Brugge. 



The streets -- open to pedestrians, cars, bikes, and the occasional horse carriage. 

Some are busy.
  

Some are quiet. 

A few landmarks:

The Provincial House

The Belfry Tower

In Europe, al fresco is the best way to dine. We ate at a restaurant called Friterie 1900.

Belgain fries, when there's no rice. 

Burgers, fries and nugget-y things. 

After lunch, we were in the mood for dessert. We shared one chocolate-coated Belgain waffle, with bananas and strawberries and cream on top. 

Speaking of chocolates...

There was a chocolate shop in every corner of Bruges, each one with a delectable display... in every shape, size and form you can imagine.  

Assorted.

The truffle-kind.

Blocks and blocks of chocolates.

Hours of walking, in and out of these sweet shops, we didn't know where to go to next. 

Nasan na ba tayo?

But there was an upside to getting lost. We stumbled upon this quiet, quaint spot. 

We spent a bit of time here. We sat on a bench and took lots of pictures. Like Amsterdam, Brugge is a canal-city, and is dubbed as "Venice of the North".

These trellises and flowers, so romantic! 

  
A labrador, sleeping by the window (he even has a pillow), undisturbed. No noise...

...save for the oohhs and aahhs of tourists on a canal boat ride.

Quiet time always ends with Bee being silly. He didn't fall off, thank goodness.

After our own little tour of Brugge, we went to visit one of Bee's grandmothers. She lives a few minutes away from the historical area. Bee calls her Tantaje, which means 'Little Aunt' in Dutch. Indeed, what a sweet, little lady. She offered us coffee and pastries and chocolates and lots of incredible stories about her family. 

We were beat, but it had been a truly, truly awesome day. 

Now, all that's left to do was wait for the bus to take us back to Roeselare.

Until our next destination (hint hint: city of lights), 

Binky

~~all photos by star, bernard and binky