Friday June 4, 2010 - Medieval city of Brugge

Another beautiful day with blue skies and warm temperatures – which is very good, as we will spend the entire day on foot – wandering around the old city of Brugge. We had a late morning – not starting until 9 AM which gave people the chance to go for a run, a swim or just sleep in a bit. At nine we all met down in the lobby of our hotel and set out on a walking tour of Brugge with Lidia as our guide. We left the hotel and wandered towards a beautiful park just a few blocks away. The streets are narrow and lined with houses or buildings on both sides. Some are open to vehicular traffic while others are pedestrian and bike only. (But watch out for those bikes!!) Here we watched the swans, and entered an area that had originally be set up to house women who were on their own, and is now a monastery.

There is a canal running around the monastery with beautiful swans including this one that was nesting.We then headed across to the Our Lady Cathedral, but did not go in as yet – that will be later in the day. We then walked a little further, eventually stopping to board a Canal Boat Cruise.We were taken around the canals of Brugge, and introduced to the many buildings and sights that are on the edges of the canals.There were others on the boat including a young man from Oklahoma who will be stating med school in the fall.

After about an hour, we returned to the beginning, and were introduced to our guide for the balance of the morning Cathie. She took us on a walking tour throughout the centre of Brugge. She took us to the Burg Square where she explained the seven types and eras of architecture present on the square – everything from the thirteen century to the twenty first century (a sculpture that no one likes). We also made our way to the Church of Our Ladywith the famous Madonna and child sculpture by Michelangelo. It is a truly magnificent structure that is currently undergoing restorations.

We then returned to the square with the horse’s trough, and from there set out on our own to do a wide variety of activities. Tanus took a bus tour, while others relaxed over a beer with lunch, or explored the lace, souvenir and chocolate shops. It is impossible to avoid the chocolate shops as they are in every block and on every corner. The products range from the normal dark chocolates to other more exotic shapes and sizes.

The lace shops have a number of different examples of lace – everything from lace butterfly earrings that Pat bought, to complete suits and dresses in lace.

We returned to the hotel of a lovely dinner, and then retired to our rooms to pack to leave for Paris tomorrow morning.