Bruges

We visited Bruges, Belgium this past weekend. It was a quick, one night/two day trip, which was the perfect amount of time. We had a wonderful time. We heard from friends who studied abroad that Bruges with its canals, rivaled Venice. That seemed pretty bold, and we'll see in a few weeks how they compare, but Bruges truly was a beautiful town. Outside of Brussels, it was an easy train ride away and could easily be paired with a trip to Brussels. Its beauty is perhaps more understated and natural than anything else.

We rode our bikes that the hotel (Hotel Adornes) provided the first afternoon/night and all the second day. It was definitely the quickest and easiest way to go, as cobblestones aren't particularly fun with a stroller. They were bumpy with a bike, but at least you have speed! I felt like I could have taken pictures of everything. And I sort of did. But even as I was snapping away, I thought, these pictures will not do this town justice. I thought of so many of you who I wished could have been there to experience it with us!

Literally, every street looks like this. Cobblestones, beautiful wood doors, old brick, bicycles parked outside. Many, many of the homes had leaded glass windows. Ahh. Perhaps it was the old architecture, windows, bricks and the warms colors that I liked so much...I wished I had someone who knew about architecture to explain the steeped gables and iron supports to me.

Octagonal Belfry...a landmark of Bruges

On a bridge, statue of Jan Van Eyck is behind them

Dr. Evil: It's a Belgian Dip. (Please note that there are 2 spoons, and I was not eating the Belgian waffle on my own. Thank you very much. And I realize this is not cute. But I think my sister would appreciate this.)

Biking down cobblestone streets!

Beautiful.

Can you imagine having a little desk in that window that juts out over the canal?

Although definitely a place popular with tourists, it somehow did not feel overwhelming in the way London does with all the tourists. I definitely did not want to hang out in the Markt very long, but once away from there on our bikes, exploring the random streets in search of Belgian waffles and chocolate, it felt as if we had the city to ourselves. We had dinner Saturday night at a fondue restaurant, which was very popular with Wiley for obvious reasons. It was one of those nights that seems a bit magical, a bit surreal. Biking home that night with the canals reflecting the lights of the homes and the bridges, adding a golden hue to the water, I hated to end our bike ride home. I think I could have followed my boys on their bike for hours around Bruges that night.

Needless to say, Bruges is definitely a must-see if you are over in Europe for an extended amount of time. It is unexpected and humble beauty. It is so much chocolate that you might never have any again. It is water and warm colors. It is a funny boat ride down a canal, packed like sardines into a little boat with a man who when he speaks English, you don't recognize your own language. It is croquettes, mussels, and "famous" french fries. It is a perfect excuse to have a hot chocolate at least once a day.

Yes. I heart Bruges.