Today is my first day leaving Brussels. I took the train to a city called Bruges. I’ll be back in this area later this week, but for today just explored mostly on my own, along with a few audio tours I had found online.
The day started a bit earlier than I had initially planned, as today is a “General Strike” in the country. Airlines are shut down 100%, and trains have limited service. The train I had planned on taking normally runs every 30 minutes, but today it only runs every 90 minutes. I left my apartment around 6:15, but was glad I planned ahead. There were a lot of very long times at the information booths.
Train ride was nice though, and the day wound up being interesting. I have been using audio tours which are much cheaper, and in some ways more convenient, but today’s was a bust – in part because it didn’t start at the train station, and wasn’t connected to a GPS like some of the others have been, so it just told about the spots in the order it wanted to, versus what I was near, etc. It wound up being a bit of a puzzle but I found some help along the way.
Bruges (also Brugge, because nothing has one name)
The main city is actually entirely a UNESCO site. In the 14th Century, it had a booming economy – it was connected to the North Sea by way of canal, so it was a huge commercial hub. The larger area was conquered a number of times (having been under Austria, Spain, French and the Netherlands rule. It wound up becoming a very poor area. Centuries later, a Belgium author published an article along with pictures of “Dead Brugge” which created interest, and the area began to revitalize. Since it had been so broke for 400 years, no one had come through to develop anything, so no new buildings had been built – so the city is amazingly well preserved.
It also wasn’t bombed during WWII. Legend has it that Hitler actually was briefly in Brugge, healing in a hospital, during WWI, and fell in love with the city. Separately, Churchill had also visited the area and loved it as well – so both agreed, similar to Paris, not to bomb it.
Minnewater Lake
This lake and immediate area (called the Lake of Love) is a little bit like a movie set – tree lined paths, cute bridges, swans being all swan-like.
It was very peaceful – though a bit funny, when I met a Canadian photographer while getting a coffee, who told me that the city keeps a minimum of 101 swans at all time. There was an emporer who raised taxes and made them cancel all festivities; there was a revolt, and the people wound up killing a friend of his who was there to try and get them under control. His name, loosely translated, was Long Neck. The town was eventually recaptured, and as punishment, they were made to raise swans (i.e. long neck birds). It isn’t actually law anymore, but they think it would be bad luck to stop – so City of Brugge actually have 120, just in case. They were put in a care facility not that long ago, when the Bird Flu was prevalent.
I googled the story later (trust the random Canadians, but verify), and found it online as well, and the city really does keep doing it. They were apparently told if they didn’t, the city would fall to ruin, and they’ve decided it just isn’t worth the risk.
Beer (and sustainability)
There is an old brewery in the the main part of the city (6th generation brewer). The sales of Strong Henry and Brugge Fool were so high that they wanted to still brew in their current location, but needed production offsite. The issue with this is that the old town is tiny – not meant for large trucks.
However, the Belgium are nothing if not creative. They now have a 3km beer line, underground, that runs through people’s basements. The trade of letting them use your basement for the line was free beer.
This reduced transportation and environmental impacts of about 30 trucks per day.
The Princely Beguinage Ten Wijngaarde
So the Beguinage were sort of nuns, but not. These were women – maybe poor women without dowries, but also rich women that just didn’t want to get married again. The did a lot of the same stuff as nuns, but no life-long vows.
One of the things the non-nuns did in their free time was to create lace. It’s a beautiful tradition that many families still maintain, and teach the younger generations. The region still honors it as well. I thought this city map/directory is the most beautiful map I’ve ever seen.
Markt Square
This is the central square of the city. The eastern side is dominated by the Provinciaal Hof building which dates from 1887 and is the seat of the West-Vlaanderen provincial government.
The Belfry (or Belfort) in Markt Square is another UNESCO site. 366 steps to the top, in case you were counting. The tower burned at least three times in history.
The square also has a lot of local and important retailers.
One store is called “The Chocolate Line” where they make world-renowned chocolate. They’re known for pushing the envelope in flavors, using things like saffron, as well as interesting products.
And then of course, a high quality shoe retailer – maybe you’ve seen them in the states?
St Bonifacius Bridge
The smallest bridge in Brugge, and I’m told also one of the busiest. My new friend Andy the Canadian photographer was heading the same way I was generally, so he offered to show it to me as it is his favorite spot. He also made a few political jokes, and so I asked him how he knew they wouldn’t offend me. He said he knew my politics because I “came to Brugge by train.” So make of that what you will.
Sint-Janshospitaal
One of the oldest and most preserved hospitals in Europe, constructed in the 12th century – and operated until about 20 years ago. The nuns handled care, and the monks handled the operations. The hospital was full of works of art, which the church spent money on instead of medical equipment with the belief that it helped people coping with their pending death peacefully. Perhaps painkillers may also have helped, but what do I know?
As the Church was slowly killing people in their art gallery/hospital, they realized they needed to cast a wider net. They went to the homeowners in the area, and offered a substantial tax abatement if they’d put a statue on the corner of their home, for marketing basically. There are a ton of original still throughout the city, as well as some that appear to have been modernized a bit.
The Apocalypse
I have no idea why, but a park I walked by had the 4 Horseman of the Apocalypse. That’s all the sign said – no explanation about why there were there or anything. I thought they were cool, and hopefully not a bad omen?
Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk
The 112-meter-high spire of the Church of Our Lady (Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk) is the tallest in Belgium, and the tallest brick building in the world. Work began on the nave and aisles around 1230, the outermost aisles and chapels being added in the 14th and 15th centuries. There is a Michelangelo sculpture inside, but it was closed today.
Lunch! With Italians!
I had previously found the place I wanted to go for lunch, which served a generally traditional Flemish Stew. (Flemish stew is normally beef braised in dark beer). I was enjoying my meal in solitude, though at some point I realized the couple next to me were trying to talk to me. They’re Italians, and decided I looked lonely. (I had been enjoying my stew and reading a book, so was actually quite content, but whatever.). We talked for about 15 minutes while I ate. The wife said she was guessing that I was from Canada. I laughed and said no, the US, but did I sound Canadian? She said not really, but I was just so polite… (So well done, Mom. You raised a Canadian?).
Once they knew I was from America, they suggested I move to Portugal, as they apparently have very favorable visas for Americans.
Basilica of the Holy Blood
Next stop, a different church. The Basilica of the Holy Blood (Heilig-Bloedbasiliek) is famous for the crystal vial kept inside that contains a drop of Christ’s blood brought back from the Holy Land by Dietrich of Alsace in 1149, on his return from the Second Crusade. Each year in May, apparently the relic is carried through the streets of Bruges in the Procession of the Holy Blood, which isn’t weird at all.
Sticky Hands
And then, I ate some chocolate.
First though, I made it. I attended a class that taught us to make, and enjoy, traditional Belgian Chocolates. We were led by an expert “chocolatier” and made our own pralines. I was a bit of a disaster. Do you remember that I Love Lucy episode, where she and Ethel were working on the packaging line, and it was moving too fast for them?
Yeah. But still, a good time was had by all 🙂
I had initially planned on dinner in Bruges but changed my plans because of a combination of work calls and the train schedules – though admittedly, I wasn’t very hungry after eating about 7 pounds of pralines – so took the train home early instead.
The most exciting thing just before my train ride home was that I had the correct change to pay for the bathroom access (about $1).
The most exciting thing on the train road home was that I discovered they have built in trash cans! (I saw a guy across the aisle use his).
And one of the other most exciting things I saw today is a parking meter that was solar powered. The future is now!
It was an early enough morning, and tomorrow is a full day adventure, so I’m off to bed. Alas, only 9.6 miles of walking today. Tomorrow is a driving tour, which I am infinitely grateful for, as my legs need a rest day.