The Thursday before last, I took my brother David and his friend Hope, who were visiting from L.A., to the town of Bruges (French) or Brugge (Dutch). It was not my first time here, as Ray and I went to Brugge during our housing trip last December. However, it was such a beautiful town that I did not mind visiting it again. Since Brugge is located near the coast about 1-1/2 hours drive from Tervuren, it was a treat that a friend of mine offered to watch PS after school, allowing us a whole day of sight-seeing!
The weather was much nicer (warmer with some sunshine) than my previous visit with Ray, which made for more comfortable sightseeing conditions. We walked through town and saw such sights as the Belfort, Cloth Hall, Markt, Burg Square, Town Hall, Basilica of the Holy Blood and Church of Our Lady, just to name a few.
I especially enjoyed walking through the Belfort while listening to the wonderful melodies played on a carillon of 47 bells pealing out from the bell tower.
And there was something about the small, intimate interior of the Basilica of the Holy Blood - I don't know how to explain it other than it felt "holy". As a matter of fact, I found out later that once a year (on Ascension Day) Brugge plays host to the Holy Blood Procession, which centers around a crystal phial, supposedly containing the blood of Christ. This precious religious relic is housed in the side chapel of the upper church.
We also discovered a charming shop called "The Chocolate Crown", which displayed large chocolate-covered krispies in its front window. They looked so yummy that of course, I had to try one. They reminded me of those sweet and addicting Clodhoppers that I used to buy at Costco during the holidays. Oh, so sinful!!
But, the highlight of the day was a canal boat ride through town. Although we had to wait an hour to board the boat, it was well worth it. One of the best ways to see the medieval beauty of this town is through its gorgeous canals. And if you look at the pictures in our slide show, you'll see how beautiful it truly is.
Just make sure to bring a warm coat during the winter!
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