We disembarked at Zeebrugge.
We
got on a bus that drove us to a station—most likely Blankenberge—and we went to
Bruggezone; we were now in Bruges, at their largest train station.
Unfortunately, as we got off the train, I realized I had lost my card! (The
cruise card was a small credit card-like thing that you needed to get on or off
the boat. They would scan it to make sure you were a passenger, and use it for
the drink sticker, attached to the card.) Rather frantically, I ran up the
escalators to our train, but could not find it. I was really distraught, and
mad at myself. After we were sure it was gone, we decided we should go to
church. Kirk had found out where it was, and we started off, with Kirk in the
lead. After a while, we became lost; and were coming up to another train or bus
station. We decided to go in and see if we could get directions or find a map.
After we were in one part, Mom and I went down one of the halls. Oddly, the
vending machines looked a little familiar. In fact, so did the ads and
restaurants. Suddenly we realized that we had gone in a giant circle and had
come back to the same station!
This
time around, we actually got directions, and got to the apartment were church
was faster, even though we did get a little lost this time too. At the
apartment, we met two other people from Utah; one was the wife of a Church
painter, and the other a student. We talked and after a few minutes, left as
the apartment where church should be was empty.
We
went to a delicious waffle place, and I got ice cream and whipped cream, as did
Kirk, while Mom got strawberries and cream. Dad didn’t get any for some reason.
Next,
we went to the old city square. We saw lots of cool stuff, including a choir,
and some performers. There were also many horses with carriages, and one almost
ran over Kirk and me! While we were in the square, we had some frites or French fries. I just had
ketchup on mine, while Dad got curry flavor. I thought his was nasty. After
that, we went to a museum about the Euro. It was somewhat interesting. We also
saw the Basilica of the Holy Blood, the belfry of Bruges (Belfort), the City Hall (where the Euro exhibit was), and the
Church of Our Lady. The Historic Centre (what I called the city square) is a
UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We
strolled to a walking street, and began shopping. We went to a lace shop where
Mom got some lace for Grandma and the girls, while I bought a lace rendering of
the Belfort. We went to two chocolate
shops, a Christmas-y shop, some of the touristy stores, and then went back
through the city. We met the cruise people at Zeebrugge and then they drove us
back to the ship. When we came back, thankfully, I was able to get my card back
easily.
Brugge
is the Flemish spelling of Bruges, and the city was very beautiful. There were
many canals, and most of the streets were cobbled. Horses pulled carriages
through the roads, and much of the architecture is medieval.
Waiting at the train station.
We love taking pictures of each other.
Kirk leads the way!
One of the many canals.
The station we found after getting lost.
The weird store that Mom and I recognized.
The tree-lined canals.
Yeah, verbraeken!
The cobbled streets.
A heron in the water.
The scary statue.
It was so green.
We all liked the little alleys and confusing roads.
Mom's Belgian waffle.
My Belgian waffle! It was so delicious.
The Belfry of Bruges.
The Frites shop, it was a little wagon at the Historic City Centre.
The horse-drawn carriages that kept trying to run over Kirk. This was in the Markt, close to the Belfry and Provincial Court.
Kirk and his frites and lemon Fanta.
The carved wood shop. It had tons of little painted figures.
And some ridiculously expensive cuckoo clocks.
Belgian chocolate.
The Provincial Court.
Taking pictures by a picturesque canal.
Kirk was done smiling by now.
Mom liked Brugge too.
The fog covered lake.
The Basilica of the Holy Blood. It looked pretty scary.
The canals have made Bruges one of the "Venices of the North."
Coming back to the train station, on purpose this time.
THE END
