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Travel : Brugge

Niks and I left for a romantic weekend getaway to the charming city of Bruges on Friday, 23 February 2001. We travelled by Eurostar and arrived at our hotel Academie at approximately 10:00 pm.
At the hotel bar we had our first Belgian beer, a Leffes and then meandered into the town centre for a bite to eat. Had a delicious meal at an unusual restaurant whose decor consisted of memorablia from the 1920's. It had a very special, almost intimate atmosphere.
On Saturday morning we woke up to snow covered rooftops and brilliant sunshine. We had a delicious continental breakfast and then set out on foot to explore Bruges.

We had completely underestimated the chill factor, so our first point of call was at an outdoor shop to purchase some gloves - an absolute necessity! We took some beautiful black and white photographs of the humpback bridges and tranquil canals along the way. We also enjoyed winding our way through the cobbled streets, gazing at the many fine hand-made Belgian chocolate and lace shops.

As we approached the Market square, the Halles Tower or Belfry came into view. This 83 metre tower symbolises the power and the love of freedom of the burghers of medieval Bruges.
We climbed the 366 steps to the top of the Belfry and enjoyed the breathtaking panoramic view of Bruges. Directly opposite the Belfry , there is a row of sunny pavement cafes with their quaint step-gables and weather-cock-like objects on their roofs.

The Government Palace can also be found at the Market square. Another impressive building with its exquisite decoration and prestigious Gothic design is the city hall located on the Burg square. It was built during the 14th century and is one of the oldest city halls in Northern Europe.
Also on the Burg is the unique Basilia of the Holy Blood. The Romanesque double chapel was built in the 12th century to preserve a vial of Christ's blood, which is said to have been brought back from the Holy Land in 1149.

Our lunch in Bruges would not be complete without a delicious steaming pot of mussels accompanied by a beer. In the afternoon we visited the Church of Our Lady which houses the marble statue by Michaelangelo representing the Virgin and the infant Jesus.
We then sat down to some tea and scrumptious cake before heading off for an afternoon nap. In the evening after our day's sightseeing we enjoyed relaxing and sampling some of the tempting cuisine at one of the city's many restaurants off the Market square.

On the Sunday we enjoyed a horse-drawn carriage ride which took us to the Minnewater (Lake of Love). Our driver pointing out beautifully preserved buildings and gave us some historical knowledge about Bruges. Belgium is of course renowned for its huge range of beers so for lunch we decided to go and visit a bar and sample the local specialities. It was then full steam ahead purchasing chocolates, nougat and beer and squeezing in a Belgian waffle for tea.

We left feeling charmed by the beauty of Bruges and its authentic medieval atmosphere as well as having a great gastronomic experience.