Brugge (Bruges)

4-6 August 2003

Heat wave continues! I arrived at the Brugge train station in the morning. I walked to the tourist information office in the center of old town (the one in the train station was closed). There, they booked a room for me at Hotel Salvators (www.hotelsalvators.be/). There was no air conditioning in the rooms, but there was an oscillating fan and a window that could be opened. Under normal circumstances, air conditioning would not be necessary. I found very useful the computer with free internet access! They had a small bar that some of the locals went to; I made several friends there and got lots of tips on restaurants, beer, lace and chocolate. Interesting paintings and surroundings.

The first day here was Black Monday; all the museums were closed. So I walked the streets once again using the guidebook, "Rick Steves' Amsterdam, Bruges and Brussels, 2003" by Rick Steves and Gene Openshaw (Avalon Travel). I love his comments. The next day was my museum day.

• my hotel, Hotel Salvators
• view from my hotel room
• view of St. Salvator Church from my room
• Markt (Market Square). There are two main squares in Brugge, Markt and Burg.
• Belfort tower from inside compound, the Belfort Tower is in the Markt square
• Belfort Tower, 366 steps
• view of Markt (at bottom) from Belfort Tower
• view from Belfort Tower, Church of Our Lady on the left and St. Salvator Church on the right
• view of St. Salvator Church (on the left) from Belfort Tower
• view of Burg Square from Belfort Tower
• tiny street off Breidelstraat, Breidelstraat connect Markt square with Burg square
• de Garre bar down the tiny street. I went here twice, excellent beer selection; it's mentioned in Steves' book
• Burg Square, Basilica of the Holy Blood on the right, Town Hall on left (stage set up in front)
• Basilica of the Holy Blood, the relict, a phial of Jesus's blood (supposedly), was brought out in a special ceremony by a priest. After the ceremony, everybody filed up to get a closer look, so I got in line too. When I got closer, I realized that they were all in line to kiss the phial! So I went ahead and kissed it too, unusual behavior where I'm from. For more information, see their website, www.holyblood.org.
• Stadhuis (City Hall)
• Blinde Ezelstraat, note the original iron hinge from the old city gate
• view of canal from bridge at Blinde Ezelstraat, this used to be a 13th century moat
• looking back at Ezelstraat
• cafes near Huidevettersplein
• view of canal from Rozenhoedkaai street
• canal from Rozenhoedkaai street again (different time of day)
• along Dijver canal
• view of tiny bridge from Greathouse Museum(?)
• spire of Church of Our Lady
• Church of Our Lady
• Michelangelo's Madonna and Child in the Church of Our Lady
• Begijnhof, founded in 1245 as a sanctuary for women
• Begijnhof
• Minnewater area(?)
• lady making bobbin lace at Irmas; I bought lace here as souvenirs for my family
• close-up of lace making
• The Hobbit restaurant, I don't have a photograph (it was night), so I scanned their business card. The locals at my hotel bar suggested this restaurant; it's also mentioned in Steves' guidebook. I had an excellent meal of all-you-can-eat, dry-rubbed ribs. They were great. This is a bar and grill kind of place, not a formal restaurant. Their web address is www.hobbitgrill.be.

Tuesday was my museum day (I arrived on Black Monday when the museums were closed). I went to the tourist information office and bought a CombiTicket for 15 Euros. This gave me entrance to five museums from a list of several. More information about the museums of Brugge can be found at www.brugge.be. I went to the following. There are more than five here and I had to pay for some of them. I didn't understand the system at first and got into some of the museums with the ticket when I shouldn't have. I thought I could go to ALL the museums on the list, not just five.

1. Arenthuis (Brangwynmuseum)

2. Basilica of the Holy Blood, see their website, www.holyblood.org

3. Belfort or Belfry Tower

4. Brugse Vrije (Renaissance Hall)

5. Church of Our Lady

6. Groeninge Museum

7. Gruuthuse Museum

8. Memling Museum

9. Stadhuis (Town Hall)

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