We’re currently on an ICE train from Brussels to Frankfurt (traveling at 288km from what I can make out from the display) having spent the last two days in Bruges.
We left rather early this morning in order to get across the town to catch a local train from Bruges to Brussels. We tried very carefully to leave the hostel room rather quietly as a really friendly Canadian couple arrived late and were rather apologetic for waking us.
Our stay was in the brilliant Bauhaus hostel, there staff were all really friendly and the place was very welcoming. Our room, a four person dorm was made up of two bunks with lockers and a little sink area. The beds were comfy enough to sleep in, and the rooms were clean too.
The area with showers and toilets was unisex, which caught me by surprise at first, I thought I had entered the wrong bathroom! They were always pretty busy and seemed to be clean every time I used them. The shower was something to watch out for, a tad low for me, with the shower head fixed to the wall just below my neck line :D
After checking into our rooms at the hostel, we spent the remainder of the afternoon in the centre of Bruges which was only a small walk of around 10 minutes from the Bauhaus. We took in the fantastic views of the Belfry from the market place and ate some delicious friets (chips), which were probably the best chips I’ve ever tasted.
Carrying on with our walk, Emily took me to an impressive chocolate shop which was called ‘The Old Chocolate House’. She had been here for hot chocolate previously and said it was the best she had ever had, she wasn’t wrong there! We treated ourselves to a tasty thick milky Belgian hot chocolate whilst avoiding the little rain shower outside.
We spent the evening with our room mates for happy hour, the Bauhaus hostel has one every evening from 6pm to 7pm, where beers are only a €1 each. Well worth making!
Our Australian roomies’ continued some interesting stories about their travels over dinner in the Bauhaus restaurant. They had recently participated in bull chases through the streets in Spain and were travelling around Europe using Bus About, an alternative to InterRail. The food from the restaurant was really tasty, good quality, nicely priced and catered for vegetarians very well. So much so that we dined there on our own the second evening.
The following day we visited a Chapel that had a vial containing the blood which was said to be that of Jesus. We both one at a time went and touched it and whilst doing so said a little prayer.
We walked on into the centre to find a local produce market being held in the market place. Whilst there we entered the Belfry, where we climbed the 366 steps to the top, to enjoy the fabulous views it had to offer, the bells even rang a lovely tune for us whilst at the top. The climb down was a challenge for Em, especially the first section with narrow passage and the tiny circling steps barely big enough to take ones foot, with little to hold on to.
After our climb of the Belfry we walked through the market viewing all the fresh produce on the stalls and were even tempted into purchasing a huge waffle to share as a lunchtime snack.
We then took off in pursuit of a candy shop that Emily wanted to show me which demonstrated candy pulling throughout the day. We arrived to find one just starting which lasted about 30 minutes. It was really enjoyable to watch, you easily become transfixed in what they are doing. The addictive smells of sugar, the boiling bubbling hot sugar that was poured onto the counter top, the stretching and pulling of the sugar like rubber, thrown around and needed into colourful blocks before being coiled and cut into tiny little sweets. Quite a process!
Next up was a river boat tour, which for €6 was another excellent way to experience Bruges, after seeing it on foot, from the top of the Belfry and on the bus we used to get from the train station. The boat was a small craft, big enough for around 20 people, the skipper gave us a fabulous talk throughout the trip with history of all the various buildings and bridges as he navigated around all the canals.
Finishing the day with a quick walk around a chapel and grounds of a nunnery. Then moving on to what we had hoped to be a tour of Bruges brewery, but because of the queue and it being the last tour of the day, we decided instead to go and enjoy the product of the brewery. Where we enjoyed a glass of Zot in the brewery’s restaurant.
We crammed quite a lot in, in such short time and this is all because of Emily. She has visited Bruges before and new exactly what we should do and where we should go. Thank you Em for making the start of our holiday so enjoyable.
Two thing about Bruges. One: the sewers were really smelly in places. Two: Shop around for your chocolates, each shop is better then the previous. You can pickup a delicious box of with about 25 delicate chocolates for €10 from the right shop.
