Brussels-Bruges-Brussels

 Today we went to Bruges.  The very first thing we discovered on arriving was that we should have gone to Bruges to stay and done a side trip to Brussels, rather than the other way around.  But I'm getting ahead of the story. As we walked to the station in Brussels two things were apparent.  Brussels is very proud of its history of popular art, and especially cartooning.  This is the home of Tin-Tin and where else in the world would you find a hotel with a huge Tin-Tin on its roof?

Hotel Le Lombard

A trifle kitsch perhaps, but there are a number of very attractive modern buildings in the city.  Not surprisingly for a country that prides itself on its social services, one of the largest buildings near the rail station houses the department responsible for these services.  It is a very modern, streamlined building with just enough decoration to minimise its look of functional austerity.

Building housing Social Services

On to the rail station which is huge and confusing.  The confusion may be compounded by the characters one sees having a drink or a cup of coffee in one of the many food and drink stalls.

Everyone seems quite unimpressed with a tea drinking zebra

Trains to Bruges leave just about every half hour and stop once at Ghent en-route.  The trip takes an hour and much of it is through lively countryside.

Waiting for the train to Bruges

We were surprised at the size of Bruges.  I think we anticipated a small medieval town.  We were certainly right about the medieval, but were quite wrong about the "small." The entire historic centre is a UNESCO world heritage site. The population of Bruges is 117,251 compared with just over a million for Brussels.

The centre of the old city is the market square, with buildings dating from the medieval period.

The Market Square

This exquisite gem of a city is breathtaking and overwhelming.  We did the tour and then spent hours walking through its lovely streets and parks. Many of the streets are still populated by medieval houses built in the Flemish style.

Old Houses

 Many of the houses around the Market Square, Bruges' centre of attraction, have been converted into shops and restaurants.

A beautiful old house, now a shop

There are numerous canals and because of its port it was once the premier commercial city of the world.

A Canal in Bruges

Bruges' most famous landmark is its 13th-century belfry in the Market Square, housing a municipal carillon comprising 48 bells. The city still employs a full-time carillonneur, who gives free concerts on a regular basis.

The Belfry

This is a devoutly Catholic city and there are numerous churches dotted throughout.  One of the most fascinating is found in the the second major square in the old city, the Burg Square.  The Burg was, and still is, the heart of the administrative Bruges.  Here is found The Basilica of the Holy Blood. The relic of the Holy Blood, which was brought to the city after the Second Crusade by Thierry of Alsace, is paraded every year through the streets of Bruges. More than 1,600 inhabitants take part in this mile-long religious procession, many dressed as medieval knights or crusaders.

Basilica of the Holy Blood

Not far from the two squares is the old fish market.  Dating from 1821, fresh seafood from the North Sea is available from Tuesday to Saturday between 6:00 am and 1:00 pm.  Nearby over a door can be seen a testament to the area.

Near the Fish Market

There is much, much more to be seen but time didn't allow us to explore the city to the degree we would have liked.  Hopefully we will have an opportunity to return to beautiful Bruges some time in the future.