After a quick one-night stay in
Paris, Leah's mom and stepdad ended their vacation and returned to the
States. Leah and I got back on the train to Belgium, to visit the little
town of Bruges. What a beautiful place!
This is Leah making more furry friends.
We stayed at a Bed & Breakfast called Arabesque. Our host, Martine,
was most gracious! She told us to take a boat ride along the canals
of the city. This is the "host-cat" welcoming new arrivals!
The next day we took Martine's advice. The
boat took us all around the city of Bruges. The history of the city
is amazing! The town origins date back to the 10th century, and many
of the Gothic building are still intact. This is one of the many
bridges around Bruges. The name "Bruges" means "city of bridges"
in Flemish, the national language of Belgium.
Leah standing on a bridge in Bruges. The
city's nickname is "the Venice of the North", and it's easy to see why!!
Of course, if one is going to visit Belgium,
it seemed only fitting to try an authentic Belgian waffle! Here's
me sampling a Belgian waffle in BELGIUM!! This is the real deal,
baby!
Not only is Bruges known for its canals and bridges,
but they also produce some of the finest handmade lace in Europe.
This is a picture showing how these intricate designs are made. The
more "bobbins" (threaded spools), the fancier the lace.
The center of town is called Markt Square.
It's filled with Gothic architecture. The Stadhuis, pictured in the
background, is a good example of how well-preserved the buildings are in
Bruges. In 1996 it was voted to outlaw cars on the square.
It used to be a parking lot, but now that the cars are gone, people can
walk freely around Markt without worrying about getting hit by passing
cars. Watch out for those motorcycles, though, they're still zipping
around!
Later in the day, we toured a brewery called Henrick
Straffe. It was built in the 1800s. Even though they no longer
make beer there, people can still tour the premises. This is the
view from the roof of the brewery.
This is Leah and I on the roof, with the Belfry
Tower off in the distance.
After
the tour, we got free samples of the beer. As you can see, my cup
is empty and it's time for a nap!
This is Leah on the boat, with examples of Gothic
architecture in the background. Our guide pointed out that each building
along this stretch was built in a different century.
Our tour concluded with a view of the oldest bridge
in Bruges, built sometime in the early 10th century. We could tell
it was old because of all the moss growing on it!
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