I'm in Bruges!!! Eeeee! So exciting! I have always wanted to come here but my previous European gallivants never quite reached Bruges. But it is more than worth the wait!
Last night Elli, her Belgian friend Fabio and I walked to an observation deck but it was closed :( so we went for a beer instead! I had Kriek. It was amazing!! Reminded me of cider. Very fruity. Loving trying all the beers here! I slept well except a mozzie or something attacked my face and arm in my sleep so I look like a pimply teenager today! Oh well.
This morning I walked to the station and caught a 9am 1.5 hour train to Bruges. It's beautiful and sunny again today so the 15 minute walk from the station to my hostel was absolutely lovely! Saw some pretty flowers along the way too.
I checked in to my hostel but the dorm wasn't ready yet so I waited half an hour before joining a free walking tour that started at 12. In the mean time I chatted to an American guy called George from Ohio who said he and his friend are doing a pub crawl tonight. Elli and Fabian will be here later too so think we might all go!
Then the walking tour started. It was pretty good, I like doing these because it gives you an idea of where the main things in a town are. Most people spend a day here and a night if they're lucky, I have 3 nights and then will be back here next week on my tour so it's great having lots of time to see and do things! The tour was based on showing lots of film locations from the movie 'In Bruges' which I haven't seen. The minute I meet Troy on Friday and get my laptop I'm going to download it and watch! We also walked around lots of buildings including churches, the oldest bridges in town and Astrids Park where lots of people were lying in the sun. We saw lots of cute buildings which I think the guide said have the famous 'gable steps' (could be wrong, she was Venezuelan and a little hard to understand her accent) on their roofs. Some of the buildings are from the 1600s, but some were built as late as 1979 but just made to look medieval like the others!! Tricky.
We stopped at a chocolate shop and all the Easter choccies were half price so I bought some eggs. It was literally the best chocolate I've ever had in my life. I have bought a small box which I'm not opening yet. We shall see how long those last...... We also went into the beer museum where I had a beer I can't remember the name of starting with R which was a cherry beer. Delish!! I sat with a girl from Spain who lives in France and an Argentinian couple. Having been to all the countries of the people I meet definitely helps make conversation a lot easier!!!
We passed through Burg Square and got to the main square and the guide recommended lots of places to eat which I'll try in the coming days. Everything here is so beautiful that I'm finding it hard to describe! The buildings, the bridges, the canals. It's amazing and I love it. I keep joking to myself (gee that sounds sad) that all those people who told me I will fall in love over here were right....I have with Bruges I think!
Learned some interesting facts on the tour too. Bruges translates from the Flemish word 'Bryggja' meaning 'landing port'. But the Spanish call it 'Brujas' (broo-huss) which is the Spanish word for witches because when the Spanish arrived here and asked a local the Dutch accent was so strong that they misheard!
The tour ended near the main square and I walked around there for a while. Then I went up the belfry tower which is 83m high. It used to have a 19m spire on top but it kept catching fire and being struck by lightning so they got rid of it! I climbed the 366 steps and was pleased to see that unlike most people gasping for air like they had just run a marathon, I made it to the too pretty easily! Near the top is the world's largest music box - 48 bells and 30,500 holes for the pins to play music. Different tunes are played on the hour, quarter past, half past and quarter to. They are changed completely every two years! I was in the music box room for quarter to and up top for on the hour. I think I'm deaf now - it was so loud!! But the views were amazing and the music was nice too. Such a sunny gorgeous day.
The tour ended near the main square and I walked around there for a while. Then I went up the belfry tower which is 83m high. It used to have a 19m spire on top but it kept catching fire and being struck by lightning so they got rid of it! I climbed the 366 steps and was pleased to see that unlike most people gasping for air like they had just run a marathon, I made it to the too pretty easily! Near the top is the world's largest music box - 48 bells and 30,500 holes for the pins to play music. Different tunes are played on the hour, quarter past, half past and quarter to. They are changed completely every two years! I was in the music box room for quarter to and up top for on the hour. I think I'm deaf now - it was so loud!! But the views were amazing and the music was nice too. Such a sunny gorgeous day.
Came back down and walked to the supermarket. No breakfast at this hostel, which means no smuggling bread, cheese and fruit into my bag for lunch :( Bugger. The man at the supermarket told me I'm very lucky to be here this week. It's going to be 25 tomorrow and he said last week it was so cold he was wearing gloves when riding his bike!! Downside is there is no aircon anywhere here. I'm now sat on my bed melting. I got the top bunk, but I guess I had a good run of bottom bunks up until now. No air con and third level of the building. Never mind! Am a little annoyed at no lockers though. I've locked my backpack to my bed and am locking my valuables in there. Looking forward to hotel life recommencing on Friday!
Tonight I think I'm doing a beer tasting thing in the hostel at 7 and then maybe joining that pub crawl later. No cardigans will be lost tonight! (Refer Poland July 2014).
Love to all
Claire
Xoxox
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