September 1 – Wednesday: Sunny & cool
Bruges is a beautiful city and it’s very exciting to be here again. Jeff and I visited Bruges seven years ago, but I wasn’t feeling well and I didn’t see very much of it at the time. Last night, we drove into the medieval city through one of the huge gates. There’s something exciting about entering ancient portals and carefully driving down narrow cobblestone streets. As the guide says, “To step into the old town is to be transported instantly back to the Middle Ages…..” UNESCO recognized the cultural importance of the historic center by awarding it World Heritage status. About 25,000 people live in the “old center” and about another 100,000 people live outside the historic district.
One of the Canals in Bruges
We drove as far into the heart of the city as we could and then luckily found a parking place. It was a little after 6:00 PM and we had to find a hotel for the night. We had parked very close to the center market place and when I looked around, I remembered the location of the hotel we had stayed in seven years ago.
Entrance to the Navarra Hotel
I couldn’t remember the name, but I knew where it was! As we walked there, Jeff remembered it also, and we inquired about a room. Luckily, The Navarra Hotel had a double room for us! It’s a nice, comfortable hotel located just off the central Markt square and near everything. The room is large, by European standards, with a very large modern bathroom. Breakfast and free WiFi are also included.
Street View of the Navarra Hotel
We settled into the Navarra and then went out to walk around a little and to find dinner. The city glowed in the evening light. We chose a small simple restaurant, called Dell’ Arte, near the hotel, and we were surprised by how good our dinner was. I had “chicken waterzooi” which was a delicious thick chicken and potato soup. Jeff had cheese croquettes, Flemish beef stew, Belgium pomme frites and home made ice cream. Afterwards we walked back to the hotel and collapsed!
Wednesday Market
It was bright and sunny and cool this morning! Breakfast was another European treat with excellent coffee! We were eager to go out and enjoy the sunshine. The temperature was cool but refreshing!
Today was Bruges’s Wednesday Market Day and the Markt was full of vendors selling meats, fruit, vegetables, cheeses, chickens, flowers, etcetera. I wish they had markets at home; they’re a lot of fun!
We decided to just walk and explore the city without any agenda or plan. Then we could enjoy the city and admire the great variety of architectural styles of the buildings and, of course, take photos!
The Fish Market (Vishandeler)
We meandered around and eventually reached the outer moat in the northern part. There really is a water-filled moat surrounding the old historic city. Just outside of the moat is a “ring road” for cars.
Another Canal With a Tourist Boat
Interspersed along the ring road are several huge Medieval “gates” which cross over the moat and allow entry points from the outside. I imagine there must have been a wall originally around the entire city.
Typical Houses in Bruges
There are a lot of tourists in the center of town, but fewer tourists venture out toward the moat. All the streets have cobblestones and bikes and cars clatter along noisily. There is also a series of canals running through the city, so taking a canal boat is a popular tourist activity. For us, just walking the streets and looking at the buildings, and taking photographs, kept us occupied for hours. We stopped twice for cold drinks of iced tea and small snacks, and to rest a while. Bruges is a fun place that we both enjoy a lot!
Near the outer moat there are windmills in several places. They are on high hills and are made out of wood. The windmills were probably used to grind grain to make flour.
One of the Windmills Near the Moat
As we returned toward the central Markt, Jeff wanted to buy some chocolate at his favorite chocolatier, Dumon. He bought 250 grams of dark chocolate-covered orange peels and a small box of assorted chocolates. Then, at about 4:30, we returned to the hotel to rest and take a break and try the chocolates. Dumon chocolates are out of this world!! They are very very delicious….
Later we wanted to go to dinner. I wanted my favorite Belgian meal of “moule et frites” – mussels and fries. I did some research on the Internet and found a highly recommended restaurant, but when we went there, it was closed on Wednesdays. We found another restaurant nearby and I had my mussels, but the sauce was a bit too plain. Oh well, tomorrow I’ll try the other restaurant. All in all, it was a good day…..
Dumon Chocolates – Yummmm….