Wednesday 27 June 2012

Belgium Day 1 - Bruges

Got up early-ish to eat breakfast and do the last few things (like get 7 days internet access (up to 50mb) outside of Germany but within the EU for 4.99 Euros) to prepare for Belgium. My uncle dropped me off to the train for about 9:30am and then it was off to Frankfurt Central, then onto a train to Brussels, where I had to catch another to Bruges. I arrived just before 4pm and picked up my code (no keys here at the Etap Hotel!) from the nice ladies at reception, dumped my stuff and headed into town.

Without intending to, I basically fitted in a whole day of sight-seeing. I didn't have a plan really since I left that for the full day I still had here, so wandered around aimlessly. Ela would’ve had blisters after a couple of hours, I reckon! The cobblestones are hard on the feet.

The hotel is right near central station (though you can't hear or feel it) and the old town is not that far, so I skirted the edge of the park around the moat/canals around the city for a little bit until I came by a square and could see the church spires to head towards. The town is bigger than I expected, at least the old part of it. It just goes on and on and on and on. It's almost like a museum town.

DSC05816

The first church I wandered past (St Saviour's) had an interesting spire:

St Saviour's Cathedral St Saviour's Cathedral St Saviour's Cathedral St Saviour's Cathedral St Saviour's Cathedral St Saviour's Cathedral

I wandered around and showed wondrous restraint in my photography, considering the availability of beautiful buildings:

 Church of Our Lady tower DSC05844 Near Church of Our Lady Near Church of Our Lady Church of Our Lady

There were a few horse carriage tours being offered around the place:

Church of Our Lady

The Church of Our Lady area had some really nice buildings, including itself:

Near Church of Our Lady Near Church of Our Lady Near Church of Our Lady Near Church of Our Lady Church of Our Lady

I walked on past more canals and down less tourist-infested streets:

opposite Church of Our Ladynear Church of Our Lady DSC05886 DSC05887 DSC05888 DSC05889 DSC05892 DSC05895 DSC05896

By now it was after 5pm and the tour buses had obviously left and only the tourists staying locally were still out. I doubt there were too many locals, except for those working in the tourism industry. I was now getting into the centre of the historic centre of town, approaching Huidevettersplein by the canal. (Wait for the panoramas when I get home!):

DSC05899 DSC05900 near Huidevettersplein Square near Huidevettersplein Square near Huidevettersplein Square DSC05916 DSC05917

There's a few little squares all around here. Most have outdoor restaurants and cafes set up. I walked past the Fish Market (which I saw the next day being used to sell paintings and stuff to tourists):

The fish market

and more canals:

DSC05919

and then headed in towards the Burg area with its gorgeous buildings:

Burg area Burg area Burg area Burg area - City Hall Burg area Burg area

I continued onwards edging near the Belfry and Halls and stopped for a coffee (but had a beer instead!) at a Cafe/Wine bar called Callebert Design Caffee, which is up a staircase and on a terrace out the back near the Burg area. The waitress was really nice and showed me where I could take some really good photos on a stair and balcony built for that exact purpose.:

DSC05942 Lace shop Belfry and Halls Belfry and Halls Belfry and Halls Callebert Design Caffee

Next photo-stop was at the Duver section of the canal:

 Duver section of the canals Duver section of the canals Duver section of the canalsChurch of our Lady Duver section of the canals

Then back to the Church of Our Lady area because I hadn't explored the area properly and hadn't realised you could walk into the courtyards there:

near Church of our Lady near Church of our Lady near Church of our Lady near Church of our Lady near Church of our Lady near Church of our Lady near Church of our Lady near Church of our Lady near Church of our Lady

Then through Guido Gezelle Plein where I started to think about dinner:

 near Guido Gezelle Plein Square  DSC06006DSC06008

I finally got to the actual centre of Bruges in the form of the Market Square. Beautiful! And fortunate that I photographed today, because the next day was market day and the place was full of stalls:

Market Square - Provincial Government Palace Market Square Market Square- Belfry and Halls

I then went in serious search of dinner - that I could pay for with a credit card and didn't require a minimum purchase (one place wanted 50 Euro minimum!). Not as easy as you might think! But of course there were beautiful things to photograph along the way:

Eiermarkt square DSC06028 Eiermarkt square

Dinner was at Ristorante Adriatico - Italian. But I didn't want chips and waffles for which Belgium is famous. I ended up eating the Osso Bucco - I reckon mine's better. The ambiente was very nice but the food less than average:

Ristorante Adriatico Ristorante Adriatico

It was 8:30pm and during dinner I'd decided that I would walk one of the walking tours indicated on my map. But I couldn't resist more shots of the Market Square in this nice light:

Market Square Market Square

The walk took me firstly to Jan van Eyckplein...:

DSC06040 DSC06041 near Jan van Eyckplein Square Jan van Eyckplein Square view from Jan van Eyckplein Square Jan van Eyckplein Square Jan van Eyckplein Square

and then along the canals, first out of the city:

Jan van Eyckplein Square Jan van Eyckplein Square

There were hot air balloons floating about as well:

Beside the canal direction north east Beside the canal direction north east

I continued along the canal some more and a man walking his dog started chatting to me and telling me that I must go and visite Damme because it's like Bruges but not so many tourists. I made a note of it (but didn't get there due to insufficient time).

Beside the canal direction north east Beside the canal direction north east Beside the canal direction north east

The canal through the city now turned into a moat around the city. I walked along the edge past barges (that people live on) and windmills for a while:

Beside the city edge canal between Dampoort and Kruispoort Beside the city edge canal between Dampoort and Kruispoort Beside the city edge canal between Dampoort and Kruispoort Beside the city edge canal between Dampoort and Kruispoort

It was getting quite dusky (it was nearly 9:30pm after all!) so I headed back into the city and back towards the hotel. I passed other things to photograph of course:

Beside the city edge canal between Dampoort and Kruispoort Kruispoort Gate near Kruispoort Gate Jerusalemkerk   DSC06114 DSC06118  DSC06122 DSC06126 DSC06128 DSC06129 

Until it was dark enough to play with some long exposure shots:

DSC06146

And a final few hand-held-twilight shots since I couldn’t be bothered setting up for long exposure. I was tired!:

DSC06151 DSC06152

Then it was home to the hotel and to bed after rubbing my foot oil on my poor tired tootsies, ready for the day in Bruges…