Mai Tai Tom Stays On Track Through Belgium, Paris and Strasbourg
 

After quite a few destination ideas for our 2024 trip were kicked to the curb by the group, we finally decided 18 days visiting Brussels, Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Paris and Strasbourg would make for a fun and eventful excursion. We used the rail system to get to our destinations, which was a perfect way to travel and fairly stress-free (well, except for me worrying about getting to the train station on time). Join us on our latest journey, and although it was certainly an enjoyable trip, by the end it did have me pondering that I might need to rethink our future travel destinations. With a few twists and turns and changes, we are finally off to Brussels ... All aboard!! ... and yes, we really did get to Belgium on a Tuesday. (story with photos in link below) without, you know the rest of the story.

https://travelswithmaitaitom.com/cha...st-be-belgium/
Another trip is in the books, and we successfully navigated throughout Belgium and France without many mishaps. Just like the great American folk singer Woody Guthrie (albeit on much nicer trains), Tracy, Kim, Mary and I rode the rails to Brussels and Bruges …

Ghent and Antwerp …

Paris and Strasbourg …

… plus a town I owe a big apology to for maligning it the past four decades.

My long-time friend Tim has told me, on more than one occasion, that I tend to look back on all our trips with rose-colored glasses, but in my defense, that’s because on our dozens of journeys I have had very little to complain about, and, outside of my own stupidity, nothing has bothered me all that much. On our recent trip, however, my rose-colored glasses picked up a few thorns along the way. There weren’t enough to dampen what was another interesting and enjoyable trip, but enough to give me pause and reason to reflect. But no time to pause now, let’s get on with the trip!

CHAPTER ONE: If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (Really)

Day One - Air France Lets Us Down (Twice), I’m Your Biggest Fan, Spill The Wine, Seeing Red, Where Are All The People?, An Earlier Train To Brussels, Where’s The Sauna?, They’re “BELGIAN” Frites!, The Frite Guy, It “IS” A Belgian Beer and Mussels In Brussels

In attempting to decide on a destination for our late summer/early autumn 2024 sojourn, I sent Tracy, Kim and Mary numerous emails detailing a multitude of possible itineraries, but in all honesty, none really thrilled me. Then one day Kim responded that he had heard friends raving about Belgium. Belgium? It hadn’t been on my radar, but suddenly my interest was piqued.

I started researching, and the more I read about Belgium, the more I liked. There would be no more waffling, we would start our latest adventure in Brussels!

I considered an open-jaw ticket to Brussels with a return from Paris, however after I found a huge sale from Air France, I decided we could fly round trip from LAX to Paris, and take a train from CDG to Brussels upon arrival. The flight would land at 9 a.m., we could catch the 11:50 or 1:05 direct train to Brussels from Terminal 2 at CDG and … Ah, the best laid plans.

I was about to book online the 1:05 train, which would give us plenty of time as it was located in the same terminal as Air France, however the airline emailed that our flight had been changed, and we would now arrive at 11:15. The last time we were at CDG it took at least two hours to clear immigration, so, in an abundance of caution, I booked a later train. Well, at least we were able to retain our Premium Economy flight tickets.

Then two weeks before our flight, another email from AF arrived announcing that the type of aircraft was changing. Fortunately for Kim and Mary, they were home when the email arrived and they were able to keep one Premium Economy and pay to have Kim bumped up to Business. Unfortunately, neither Tracy or I was home, so after reading the email later that day and calling AF I found, to our dismay, that they had changed our seats to the rear of the aircraft. With some finessing I was able to obtain economy seats with a little extra leg room, but they were not the seats we had originally purchased.

Even though she has been off the “TSA Naughty List” for a few years, after going through security at LAX, Tracy, who sleeps on top of the covers while I am under two blankets, was sweating bullets. But there, like an oasis in the desert, stood a giant industrial fan that seemingly could cool the Sahara and, fortunately, my lovely wife.

It came in handy for Mary, too, who couldn’t find her global traveler number (foreshadowing alert), and had to go through the longer security line. The two ultimately basked in coolness, drawing quizzical looks from bemused travelers, and then we were on our way.

As we crawled our way to our seats in the back of the plane, we passed by Kim who was sipping champagne and hobnobbing with passengers in Business Class. He nodded his head quickly at us, not wanting the others to know he associated with such riffraff.

A little further, we passed Mary sitting adjacent to an empty seat in Premium Economy. Nobody could sit next to Mary on this flight, not because of anything she said, but because the seat was “broken.” As we were to find out, that wasn’t the only seat on the plane with difficulties.

Tracy and I had aisle seats adjacent to one another. Shortly after buckling in, the guy next to the window in the row in front of me slammed his seat into the woman behind him in my row. I thought how rude he was, as we hadn’t even taxied, but then I realized his seat was “broken,” too. Although my seat was technically ok, every time I leaned back it made a loud squeak like a badly oiled door opening and closing. We were off to a rocky start.

Luckily, there was only one incident on the flight that I know of, but unluckily it involved me. About two hours in, I ordered a white wine, but the flight attendant brought red. Not to worry, I told her, I am an equal opportunity drinker.

As I relaxed in my noisy seat, and just as Cary Grant was about to be sprayed by a crop duster in North By Northwest, the person in front of me reclined his seat backward like a rocket launch, and my cup with red wine took an unexpected journey toward my lap. With my catlike reflexes (ok, I was really lucky), I was able to grab the cup before it tumbled into my lap. I looked down, and since I was wearing dark blue pants and a blue sweater, the wine stain was hardly noticeable. “Phew,” I thought, “that could have been embarrassing.”

However, the gentleman sitting next to me had made a rather unfortunate wardrobe choice on this day. His clean, white pants were now an interesting shade of red. Thankfully, he was a very nice guy, who just smiled and said, “Not to worry, my mom will wash these when I get to her house in Paris.” International incident averted.

When we disembarked in Paris on this Tuesday morning, we encountered quite a big (and pleasant) surprise. Arriving at Passport Control we were stunned to find the area virtually empty. It took us 30 seconds to have our picture taken and passport stamped and then all our bags popped up quickly. It was about a ten-minute walk to where the trains are located, and looking at my phone, I was shocked to see it had taken just a little more than half an hour to disembark, go through customs and be at the TGV-RER station at CDG. My first thought? What the hell are we going to do for the next four hours?

Well, there was that 1:05 train, however the line at the desk was long and after about ten minutes we realized they were still talking with the same person.

Fortunately, we noticed an official looking man helping at one of the ticket machines. He said we could exchange our tickets, but we’d have to pay the difference in price. Not wanting to spend our first afternoon in Europe at the airport, we collectively agreed, “Let’s do it and get to Brussels earlier.” Soon, we were on our way, and I was hopeful we would actually have time to see a sight or two before dinner.

Halfway into the 2 1/2 hour ride to Brussels, as the group drifted into semi-unconsciousness, I could tell the only thing we would be seeing was an early dinner. At the almost exact time the train crossed from France into Belgium, I thought I could get a charge out of the gang by blurting out, “If it’s Tuesday, it must be Belgium!” The silence was deafening.

Arriving via taxi at the Thon Hotel Bristol Stephanie, Kim said, “Well, at least we can try the sauna.” Before leaving I had seen an online deal from the hotel that for an extra €18 per night we could be upgraded to a room with a sauna. Both couples took advantage of the offer.

Tracy and I walked into our room, and because we were so tired, we stumbled to the bed, took off our shoes and laid there for a few minutes. Wait, what about the sauna? It was nowhere to be found, although we did have a spacious room with a great shower. Kim and Mary didn’t have a sauna in their room either, but we were all too tired to go down and make a change, so we just made sure they didn’t charge extra for the room.

Thon Hotel Bristol Stephanie is located on the “trendy” Avenue Louise (about a half hour walk south of the Grand’Place), and I had read that the location around the hotel is situated in “one of the liveliest areas in Brussels” and caters to a “young, multi-cultural and artistic” crowd. Once again, our group seriously impacted the age demographic upwards.

Although there were no saunas in our rooms, the hotel had a gym and sauna for guests, but also something even more important … a quiet, chic bar. After being awake for the past 24 hours, our chicness quotient was non-existent. We ducked in.

The four of us settled in for our traditional celebratory first cocktail of the trip. Tracy made a toast to the fact that over the past 24 years, we had spent 274 days traveling in the U.S. and Europe with Kim and Mary.

And they said it wouldn’t last! This is our motley group in Vernazza in 2001 on our first trip.

I had made dinner reservations at the nearby Le Rendezvous-Vous des Artistes (Rue Dejoncker 24), which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2025. The area certainly lived up to the “lively” moniker, and people seemed to be enjoying themselves at the various restaurants we passed throughout the district known as Saint Gilles.

This restaurant had an energetic vibe from the moment we entered. If we wanted a spot with great ambiance for our first night, Le Rendezvous-Vous des Artistes more than filled the bill.

“Hello Dolly!”

The staff was outstanding and friendly. It billed itself as “Restaurant-Brasserie-Bar à Frites.” As you’ll read shortly, I should have paid more attention to that sign.

We started with Les Entreés, sharing the Croquettes aux fromages, and then it was on to the really good stuff. The restaurant prides itself on serving “authentic Belgian cuisine,” so I ordered the Carbonnades flamandes; Belgian Beef stew “Flemish style.” Then I made a terrible mistake when I asked the server (and I blame lack of sleep for this faux pas), “Does it come with French fries?”

He laughed (a least I think he was laughing) and rather sternly replied, “It comes with BELGIAN frites. They were invented here.” He then pointed to the window where “the Frite Guy” was cooking up what looked like thousands of Belgian frites. Both the frites and the stew were tremendous.

Luckily my error was quickly forgotten when Kim asked what kind of beer they had. “We have Stella,” our server replied. Kim then said he would prefer a Belgian beer. By now our server was wondering who these people were at his restaurant, “Stella IS a Belgian beer.” Sleep deprivation is a terrible thing. Kim enjoyed his Stella along with a main course of Saumon grillé à la béarnaise, avec des legumes du jour et pommes de terre nature.

Hopefully our sleep deprived miscues were out of the way as Tracy and Mary were up next. Tracy’s Hangar steak with balsamic onions was very good, and she declared the frites the “best she ever tasted.”

Finally, Mary lived up to her seafood devouring reputation by flexing her mussels and downing a pot of les moules au vin blanc.

Rendezvous-Vous des Artistes made for a terrific first night restaurant choice, and I would highly recommend it not only for the food, but for the fun, friendly service. But remember, “Belgian Frites.”

Thankfully, it was less than a ten-minute walk back to the hotel, and since we had hit the 30-hour mark of sleep deprivation, all of us fell asleep quickly, which was good. We needed an early start to cram in as many Brussels sights as we could since this would be our only day here (major planning error on my part).

And, oh, the sights we would see: from a giant ferris wheel to a palais containing more than 2,400 rooms, two parks, one of the most famous squares in the entire world, two churches, a tour of Brussels historic Town Hall, one basilica, a beautiful art gallery containing a painting by my favorite artist ever and the most overrated “attraction” in Europe. Yes, our first full day would definitely be quite the workout!

Next - CHAPTER TWO: Underrated Brussels

Yay! Always a treat to read your reports! Hopefully, no hospital visits were a part of this trip

Looking forward to this report!

I had the Belgian Beef Stew (Flemish style) in Antwerp and loved it! Your trip is evoking so many good memories.

Yippee, another maitai & co. adventure begins!

"There would be no more waffling." Really??

Like Stella, they too are Belgian.

Oh goody! Tom and Tracy and Kim and Mary are back. Type on, Tom.

""There would be no more waffling." Really??"
I couldn't help myself on that one

"Like Stella, they too are Belgian."
and we almost had one on Day 2.

Great, I've been waiting for this. I used so much information from your Spain trip report and am very interested in this! Have to go out now but will read it when I get back.

No other country in the world calls frites French fries, which is even worse than the fact that only 3 countries still use imperial measurements (United States, Liberia and Myanmar). You are alone in your vocabulary.

Carbonnades flamandes used to be made with horsemeat, which probably helped to keep it off the menu of American visitors. For the last 30 years or so, it has been made with beef.

Looking forward t more of your adventure. You do have a way with words that keeps the reader wanting more.

Along for the ride, Tom! You picked a really good area to stay in, we like the Louise district a lot! (I liked 'flexing her mussels')

Lavandula

Oh yeah!!! I love your trip reports!

Ohboyohboyohboyohboyohboyohboyohboy...

I've been looking forward to this! We were supposed to be in Belgium around the same time as you but had to cancel last minute because a a pet emergency. So I can now live vicariously through you!

Really looking forward to this, still making you drink Stella, the Bâtards.

I wish you and Tracy and Kim and Mary would travel more :) . I love your trip reports.

YAY! So happy to see this and can't wait to read more! :)

Another great start, Tom! Wonderful that you have stayed friends for so long.

On our only (should have done at least one more) full day in Brussels we came across a giant ferris wheel, the largest building constructed in Europe in the 19th century, two parks/gardens, one of the most famous squares in the entire world, one church, one cathedral, one basilica, a tour of Brussels historic Town Hall, a beautiful art gallery containing a painting by my favorite artist and visiting a little guy who must have had a really good press agent to get him so much attention. Story with photos in link below ...

https://travelswithmaitaitom.com/cha...ated-brussels/
CHAPTER TWO: Underrated Brussels

Day Two: Under Construction, Corner Park, Meeting Our Quotient, Fight Fight For Old Notre Dame, “Miraculous” Boat Ride, Missed Waffle Opportunity, Ain’t It Grand, A Port In The Storm, Flower Power, El Bosco, Soulless, Gotta Pis, Checking In With Mike (Again), No Reservations and Butter Me Up!

One of the great things about a flight to Europe is that when you wake up early the next day you can’t get back to sleep. Much to the chagrin of my travel companions, that meant an early start. The forecast had called for rain, but the skies were clear as we exited the hotel.

Nearby (about a ten-minute walk) would be the Palais de Justice de Bruxelles on Galgenberg Hill (Mont Gallows), which got its name because it was where crowds would gather to see people get hanged. I was really interested in seeing this building, which was reputed to be the largest building in the world when it was constructed from the 1860s to the 1880s (it’s still considered the largest Palace of Justice in the world). It also has a dome supposedly even bigger than St. Peter’s Basilica.

As we approached, we sensed trouble. Seeing a lot of cranes and scaffolding, we knew this wouldn’t be quite as spectacular as I had imagined. Had I researched more before leaving, I would have known the structure has been in disrepair for the past 40 years.

There was a sign saying it was open to the public, but before entering was something that was hard to miss … La Grande Roue. The View (as it is known) ferris wheel reaches 180 feet up, and for €9 this relatively new attraction takes its guests to the highest point in the city.

Fortunately for my cohorts, it didn’t open for a few hours. Just in front of the ferris wheel is the Belgian Infantry Memorial dedicated to Belgian foot soldiers who fought in World Wars I and II.

We checked out the city view before entering the Palais de Justice.

The first tour did not start for 90 minutes, so we decided to sneak in for a few minutes to check out the interior. Good to get those first stairs early.

Tours don’t start until later in the morning, so we didn’t see any rooms. Kim, Mary and Tracy were ready to fire their tour guide.

We walked around the interior and second floor, but with no rooms to see, we were on our way toward other Brussels’ sights..

A few bloscks away we walked by and through a Flemish neo-Renaissance style flower garden, Square du Petit Sablon/Kleine Zavelsquare.

It’s a picturesque square and garden surrounded by 48 statues representing Brussels’ various guilds and another ten that highlight the renowned humorists of the 16th century.

The ornate fountain and statue near the back of the park was erected to honor the resistance fighters, Counts of Egmont and Hornes, who were decapitated during the Spanish siege in the 16th century.

An intriguing church (here we go again) across from the square was calling my name, but we really needed some caffeine and sustenance. We spied a sign for Le Pain Quotidien, which we have dined at in many cities in the U.S. I was kind of disappointed we didn’t find something more authentic, but then I discovered that Le Pain Quotidien was actually founded in 1990 … in Brussels. And, by the way, we have never been disappointed with the food, no matter what the city.

I had planned for our next stop to be Notre-Dame du Sablon (Church of Our Lady of the Sablon), but was having trouble finding it, so I said, “While were are here, let’s check out the church across the street, and find Notre-Dame afterward.” Much to my surprise, as we entered Tracy whispered (with that “Tom, you idiot” look in her eyes), “This IS Notre-Dame du Sablon.” I should have had an extra cappuccino.

Seems this church has lots of names including Église Notre-Dame des Victoires du Sablon, but in any case, it’s a beautiful Gothic church, which actually began as an Archer’s Chapel (a bunch of straight arrows, I presume) in the 13th century. And to think, it all started with stolen property.

The legend is that a woman named Beatrjis Soetkens had a vision. In that vision, the Virgin Mary told her to steal a “miraculous statue” in Antwerp. (It’s the first I have ever read that Mary was also a crime boss.) Well, old Beatrjis, not one to argue with the Virgin herself, stole the statue, surreptitiously (and “miraculously”) made her way back undetected to Brussels by boat and then put it in the chapel. There are a few statues recreating the event in the church. We never saw the real statue. Perhaps we needed a miracle.

Once the church’s cathedral was completed in the 15th century, the rich and famous flocked here. We started our mini self-guided tour … from the left is a marble sculpture from the 17th century, a font and a sculpted effigy of Claude Bouton, chamberlain of Emperor Charles V, and his wife Lannoy.

The stained glass here …

… is extra colorful (and clean as were nearly all the stained glass windows we encountered on this trip).

This painting was ordered by four prominent members of the Great Serment of the Crossbowmen of the Sablon with their patron saints behind them and has been recently restored.

Continuing around the interior we passed by a tomb of someone who must have been important, a Pieta and a painting of the Annunciation.

The church includes two Baroque chapels, financed by the wealthy Thurn and Taxis families. The Taxis, I believe, transported people around town charging a fare (that might be incorrect). This is the chapel commemorating the little known Saint Marcouf, who had a lot of duties, including protector of the French crown, while also being the patron saint of apothecaries, cloth merchants and aiding people with swollen glands. A busy man, indeed.

Quite a magnificent entrance to the Chapel of Saint Ursula, which is thought to be the mourning chapel of the Thurn and Taxis families.

Famed Brussels sculptor Jan van Delen (and a few of his friends) created the most spectacular area in the church. Poor St. Ursula has an arrow through her, proving once again it’s tough being a saint.

Thankfully, Tracy still has a flexible neck and can take these ceiling shots.

The tomb of Lamoral is particularly striking. Various artists contributed to the sculpture that “shows how the fame of the dead prince will outlive him, illustrated as a lively battle between Virtue and Time, while Fame sounds the praises on her trumpet.”

van Delen also created these two allegorical figures representing Charity (Caritas) and Truth (Veritas).

And yet another ceiling for Tracy to photograph.

Église Notre-Dame des Victoires du Sablon was quite a surprise as I hadn’t read much about it before leaving, and I was glad we stopped in.

A sign helped us with directions and as we headed toward the Grand’Place, flowers …

… and macarons piqued our interest.

The Caffe Leffe in Sablon Square looked of interest …

… but Belgian Chocolate Makers really had us savoring some sweets. The woman at this store touted their waffles as “the best in Brussels,” but unfortunately the waffle-maker was out for an hour and sadly we did not return. We probably would have spent the rest of the day eating waffles and chocolate had he been there.

Look up on the wall. It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s SuperSmurf.

No, you’re not. We see you.

The Place Saint-Jean / Sint-Jansplein.

Shortly, we arrived in arguably the most famous square in Europe, the Grand’Place. It dates mostly from the late 1690s courtesy of Louis XIV, who had his troops demolish the square (except for the Town Hall Spire). Four years later, a square even more more grand than the first one was completed. Take that Louis!

I never like seeing horses haul overweight tourists around town, so these horseless e-carriages were a welcome sight.

And Mary stopped by a chocolate shop named just for her (or at least that’s what we assumed).

The Maison des Brasseurs (Brewers House) dates all the way back to the late 1600s (all the brewers financed the reconstruction of the house after Louis destroyed it). Today, it’s a national museum of the brewery industry. By now, I knew we should have planned for an extra day here. The equestrian statue up top is of Charles of Lorraine.

There are a number of guild houses. The Chaloupe d'Or (Golden Boat) is the old headquarters of the tailors' guild. On top is a statue of St. Homobonus of Cremona, the patron saint of, who else? tailors. It seemed like a good fit. To the left is Le Pigeon (not named for the droppings on St. Homobonus next door). This was the painters guild, but is more famous for housing author Victor Hugo when he was exiled during the coup d'etat of Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte in 1851.

The highlight of the Grand’Place is, in my opinion, the Town Hall. In the mid-1400s a weather vane was placed atop the tower of my good friend St. Michael, patron saint of Brussels (and me). The original was replaced in 1993. The façade of the Town Hall has something like 300 sculptures, and fortunately for you I don’t know anything about them. It is the only remaining medieval building on the Grand'Place.

We entered the courtyard, and just after snapping photos of a couple of statues, the skies opened up and it started pouring. The four of us scurried inside, and, voila, there was a museum.

Price of admission for the tour including audio guide cost €15, however for the three oldsters, it was only €6 euro each. I have an expensive wife.

We were greeted by St. Michael. Looking at this piece, I’m glad I’m on his good side (the original St. Michael weather vane is in the Brussels City Museum in the King’s House on the Grand’Place). We picked up our audio guide..

According to legend, the architect who designed the building jumped to his death after realizing it was asymmetrical. I guess it was too much of an undertaking.

Some of the rooms of interest included:

The Portrait Room

The equestrian painting of Marie Therese was one of the main focal points.

You would expect the hallway of a Town Hall to be beautiful.

The Council Chamber is a “wow” room.

The ceiling painting is Assembly of the Gods.

Tapestries adorn the walls.

The Maximillian Room was named after a portrait of Holy Roman Emperor Maximillian and Mary of Burgundy (center).

The David & Bathsheba Room had a nice fireplace and an interesting clock.

Fortunately, nobody stole anyone’s wife here.

The Belle Chamber was quite lovely.

The Wedding Room was, not surprisingly, setting up for a wedding.

We reached the oldest part of the building, the Gothic Hall, which, in reality, is neo-Gothic.

There are statues and tapestries, the one on the left representing the Embroiderers' Guild.

We had wanted to see the Staircase of Honour, but it was closed on this day. We did, however, see the Corridor of Honour, and its magnificent wall and ceiling paintings.

I thanked Michael for the visit and asked him if he could keep me safe the rest of the trip. He said, “You really are asking for miracles.”

Back out onto the Grand’Place, the sun was shining again, as we walked the cobblestone streets and soon arrived at our next destination. We gazed up at the equestrian statue of King Albert I, the beloved king of the Belgians from 1909-1934, who died in a mountaineering accident in 1934. The statue was erected 17 years after his death.

At the top of the stairs, we admired a garden signifying we were at the Mont des Arts, an area that has numerous museums.

The garden connects the lower and upper parts of Brussels and was landscaped for the 1910 Brussels World Fair.

And just like that, the rain started pelting us again, so we dashed under an allée of trees, up more stairs, catching a quick glimpse of a cool relief and sheltering at a nearby self-serve bar/restaurant. Château Moderne.

To be kind, it was not very good, from the sub-par sandwiches to the weird tasting croquettes to whatever awful white wine they were serving. On the plus side, they were consistent, and it was indoors.

When the rain stopped, we admired the splendid view from the terrace out toward the Town Hall, and in the far distance, the Basilique Nationale du Sacré Coeur.

Next up on the agenda, Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique. Along the way we checked out some street art by a Welsh-born street artist who goes by the unusual (and unappetizing) name of Phlegm, which he created on the side of KBR, Royal Library of Belgium. ‘The World of Bruegel in Black and White’ is a tribute to painter Peter Bruegel who had died 450 years earlier. Phlegm was commissioned to do “a modern rendition of Bruegel’s Seven Deadly Sins series.” Phlegm has coughed up a lot of interesting art.

Heading to what we thought was Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, we discovered we were staring at the Royal Palace of Belgium. Unfortunately, you can only tour the palace during August.

Turns out the Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique is four museums in one, but on this day we were really only interested in Musée d'Art Ancien (Museum of Old Masters), which covers the 15th to the 17th centuries.

I was particularly intrigued in a painting by Dutch artist Hieronymus Bosch (El Bosco). Later in our tour, he would be “out Bosched” by another artist’s painting in the gallery.

In 1801, the museum was founded by none other than Napoléon, who seized the art during the French Revolution. Some of my favorites as we meandered along were:

I started to sing the music from Les Miserables when I saw this painting, but it’s really “The Belgian Revolution of 1830, 1835.”

The 1675 Fountain of Neptune had some weird stuff going on. It’s similar “in type and composition of Bernini's Triton Fountain in Rome.”

We took a look at “The Beheading of the Innocent Count” by Dirk Bouts.

Jan Verhas painted “The Parade of the Schools of 1878 in the presence of King Leopold II.”

Then it was time for my guy Bosch. The “Temptation of St Anthony Triptych” is a Bosch copy from the very early 1500s “Wait,” I thought, “Haven’t I seen this before?” I had seen the original in Lisbon and another copy at the Prado in Madrid.

Peter Paul Rubens and Rogier van der Weyden were featured.

van der Weyden’s famous Portrait of Laurent Froimont was also on display.

As was Lucas Cranach’s Adam and Eve.

There was one painting that I would have bet my easel was a Bosch creation. The Fall of the Rebel Angels was first thought to be by Pieter Bruegel the Younger. However, it was then attributed to Bosch until 1898, when a date and signature was found in the left hand corner. It was actually the work of Bruegel the Elder. Always respect your Elders is the moral of the story.

The Fall of the Rebel Angels is an homage to Bosch. According to Wiki, “Painted in 1562, Bruegel's depiction of Lucifer falling with his fallen angels is taken from a passage from Revelation 12, and reveals the artist's profound debt to Hieronymus Bosch. This is shown through the grotesque, ugly or distorted, figures painted as half-human and half-apocalyptic creatures.” I loved it!

Bruegel also had a much calmer winter landscape.

After walking by the original “The Death of Murat” by Jacques-Louis David, we had a decision to make. Where to next?

Deciding between the Atomium or Basilique Nationale du Sacré Coeur, we choose the latter. It was a decision that I believe we can now all admit was a mistake. The journey to the basilica took ten minutes by Uber.

Basilique Nationale du Sacré Coeur touts its dimensions as the fifth largest church in the world, however upon further review when I got home, I found it is really #14. In any case, it is quite imposing from the outside.

Inside, the words that came to mind were sterile and stark without much soul.

Construction started in the early 20th century, but it was not consecrated until 1951.

We made our way to the second level. Yes, it’s big.

We hopped on the elevator to the top, and reviews saying it has a great view were right on.

We looked out at what might have been, a modernistic structure constructed for the 1958 Brussels World Exhibition. The Atomium is also the #1 tourist attraction in Brussels. Oh well.

All in all, the Basilique was a forgettable experience.

Back in Brussels, Kim and Mary headed back to the hotel for a little r&r, while Tracy and I did continued exploring. At one corner there was a large crowd of people taking photos which could only mean one thing. We were at the Mannekin Pis, a tiny bronze statue of a boy peeing. Supposedly he has more than 1,000 costumes that are changed frequently. I read that he also has his own dresser and obviously a good press agent.

One of many legends surrounding the statute is that it resembled the “son of a nobleman who attempted to seduce the virtuous Saint Gudule. Heaven’s punishment was to condemn his son to remain always a child, and always relieving himself.” That gave us the idea to see Cathédrale Saints-Michel-et-Gudule next.

Along the way we saw street art from Sarajevo artist Rikardo Druškić near the Grand’Place celebrating the BalkanTrafik Festival, which celebrates musical artists from the Balkan countries

Work on this cathedral began back in 1216.

This is the statue of Anointment of Jesus in the tomb.

Just like in every Brussels church we visited, the stained glass windows glowed.

The Great Organ was, well, great, with 43,000 pipes.

Another thing that really stood out was the pulpit depicting Adam and Eve being expelled from the Garden of Eden, which happened because they were the apples of each other’s eyes.

We could have stayed longer to admire more of the artwork, but by now we were dragging, so back to the hotel we trudged for one of our patented 15-minute naps.

Earlier in the day, after a unanimous decision not to return to the Grand’Place for dinner, Mary recalled a nice looking restaurant near our first night venue. She texted and got reservations at a restaurant called Colonel. I asked Mary about it, and she assured us it wasn’t Colonel Sanders.

We arrived at the appointed time at Colonel Louise and were told they didn’t have reservations for us. After some discussion, we discovered that Mary had made a reservation at its sister restaurant Colonel Fort Jaco. Who knew? They took us anyway.

Dinner was a mixed bag. Mary and Kim enjoyed their filet and flank steaks. Meanwhile Tracy and I, who were very hungry and decided to splurge, ordered the prime rib-eyes at €44 each. It was a steak house, after all, and our lunch had been underwhelming. Both steaks were undercooked and seemed a long way from prime. A double-header of disappointing meals on this day.

But it wasn’t a complete disaster. Before dinner, we enjoyed the Colonel’s house-baked bread with a salted butter sent from the heavens. It was incredible, so much so we ate it with a fork (don’t tell my cardiologist). My apple tart flambée was terrific, as well.

As for Brussels … I had read so many negative comments about it before leaving, so maybe that’s why I subconsciously screwed up and only planned for one full day. Everyone we met was nice, and we could have easily spent an extra non-rushed day or two. I’d also forgotten that Brussels is the de facto capital of the European Union, and the city is replete with museums and attractions to keep you busy. Plus, how can you go wrong in a city known for beer, frites, waffles and chocolate?

Yes, I left out Brussels sprouts. Nobody’s perfect.

Tomorrow, we’d hop a train for the short ride to Brugge (Bruges), where we would spend three nights. We’d admire the lovely canals and town square, visit a church with mysterious relics, walk over a bridge with a legend, see the only Michelangelo statue that’s not in Italy, sample some Belgium brews, watch Tracy gun down predators by the dozens and have dinner where a well-known movie was filmed. Oh yeah, we would also have our first encounter (but certainly not last) with bicyclists in Belgium and France, plus I got to dance with some friendly frites.

I'm glad I'm not the only person who finds the cathedral a crummy waste of time. Secret tip: never visit the cathedral of Lille either.

I'm so glad that Belgium is another country that resists the American desire to overcook its beef. Love it or leave it; Or order something else. :serious:

Incredible photos... Town Hall particularly impressive. Just wow.

Sorry about the Basilique. I don't think you did so badly going there - it's the world's biggest Art Deco church. I once went there for a concert. The couple in front of us was feeding each other sardines from an oily tin on a fork. The woman next to us was sobbing and behind us there was a couple kissing. People were talking. I was trying to listen to the concert but I was really distracted. If you want an even uglier church, Dunkirk has a concrete cathedral with yellow and green glass windows (unsurprisingly built after WWII). Glad I saw it but would be happy never to see it again.

Lavandula

'I'm so glad that Belgium is another country that resists the American desire to overcook its beef. Love it or leave it; Or order something else. https://www.fodors.com/community/ima...ojis/1f610.png'

I always order medium rare and in some cases rare, but there's also a really badly undercooked steak like the ones we had. You know what they say about assuming something. You needed a chainsaw to cut it.

PS - By the way, a steak well done is not a steak well done, if you know what I mean.

Love these entertaining, funny, witty; wonderfully photo heavy Trip Reports. Looking forward to the next installment.

With such a bicycle culture everywhere we traveled in Belgium and France, Tracy decided to honor the late, great Mrs. Gio throughout the trip. As I finish up Day 1 in Bruges in the next day or so, here was our first tribute to Mrs. G

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...41946a2a7.jpeg

as our drivers would say "sorry mate I didn't see you" :-)

I always enjoy your reports. Looking forward to the rest.

As to steaks, I'll have mine medium rare.

Today, we make it to Brugge (Bruges), where we would spend three nights. We’d admire the lovely canals and town square, visit a church with mysterious relics, walk over a tiny bridge with a legend of love, see the only Michelangelo statue sold outside of Italy during his lifetime (not to mention stolen a couple of times), sample some Belgium brews, watch Tracy gun down predators by the dozens while I danced with some fried friends and end up having dinner at an excellent restaurant where a scene from a well-known movie was filmed. All that, and we still ended up “blue” after dinner. Story with photos in link below...
https://travelswithmaitaitom.com/cha...ree-in-bruges/https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0fda04841.jpeg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...29422e211.jpeg

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b7f0a4b67.jpeg

Chapter Three: In Bruges

Day Three - Wandering Aimlessly, Canal Zone, Dodging Bicycles, Old Relics (Not Us), Skipping The Palace, Eyes On The Fries, Tracy The Terminator, Beer Break, Please Don’t Stand On The Cow, Marry The First Person You See, Captivating Kerk, From Italy To Bruges, Monuments Men (Part One), Due Diligence To Do Diligence and Blue Markt


Taking an early morning train, we arrived in Bruges after a 50-minute ride. Our hotel for the next three nights would be a pleasant stay at Boutique Hotel Sablon (Kopstraat 10). The hotel has a charming patio area, which sadly we didn’t take advantage of due to some rainy weather and chilly temperatures (wimpy Southern Californians). This statute in the courtyard is of a magician, which the artist claims, “Magicians are the ambassadors of happiness.” We quickly disappeared.

By late morning we were strolling through beguiling Bruges. Being a Thursday, there weren’t the massive crowds we had feared. However, there was some good looking food.

Throughout our trip, Tracy took photos of bicycles she liked, and as were to find out, Bruges (and everywhere else we went) has a ton of bicycles.

It was a short walk to The Markt, an area that has been used as a marketplace since the mid 1900s. It has numerous, brightly colored buildings, including many guild houses. Unlike in Brussels, Bruges uses real horses to transport lazy people around town.

This statue in the square is from the 1880s and is of 14th-century revolutionaries Jean Breydel and Pieter de Coninck.

I tried to feign climbing inside the car, but instead I look like I’m … let’s just move on.

We wandered around town for a spell and realized we had basically just walked in a circle, which we seem to do in many cities. Although we were virtually next to the Rozenhoedkaai (Rosary Quai), the brain trust walked in the opposite direction.

Obviously we needed some caffeine, so Kim and Mary went to grab some, while Tracy and I ducked in to Sint-Salvatorskathedraal (Saint Saviour's Cathedral). It’s the oldest church in Bruges, with construction begun more than 1,000 years ago.

By now hunger had beaten out history, so we skedaddled pretty quickly.

After hearing rave reviews of how lovely Bruges was, we were happy the city lived up to expectations. It was really peaceful walking through different parts of town (for the most part).

However, one has to be alert as they walk. Bicyclists (mostly on their way to work, I assume) and pedestrians co-exist here on an up-close level. While many of those on two wheels are polite and even ring their bell when coming up from behind, there are a good number who think they’re Lance Armstrong (although perhaps not on steroids), and zip through town very fast, often narrowly missing their pedestrian counterparts. To be honest, it was a bit disconcerting at times. However, Bruges was not nearly as dangerous for pedestrians as a city we visited later on this trip (stay tuned).

We finally made it to the Rozenhoedkaai at the junction of the Dijver and Groenerei canals. This area is one of the, if not the, most photographed places in Bruges.

After admiring canals, we stopped to take a look at the exterior of Bruges Stadhuis (City Hall). It is one of the oldest city halls in the low country, begun in the late 1300s. One of our many mistakes on this trip was not buying a ticket to see the Stadhuis, which includes the adjacent Brugse Vrije (Palace of the Liberty of Bruges).

A nondescript entrance in the corner of The Burg on the other side led to the Basiliek van het Heilig-Bloed (Basilica of the Holy Blood), built in the 12th century as a chapel for the Count of Flanders. In 1150, the King of Jerusalem (Baldwin III) gave the Count of Flanders “a cloth allegedly soaked with the blood of Christ.” He brought it here. The vial of blood is located at this basilica (there are more than a couple of stories how it came to be here).

The lower chapel is dedicated to St. Basil.

We entered the Chapel of St. Ives. Built in 1504, it holds the relics of St. Basil and Charles The Good.

The chapel was very small, and we wondered how did this become a basilica (that’s Basil the Great in the center)?

On the way out, we almost missed the upper chapel until Tracy noticed people going up the stairs and wanted to see what they were looking at.


Wow! Now we know why, in 1923, it was declared a minor basilica. Vibrant colors have had some observe that it looks like a “Venetian-like palace-of-a-church.” It’s quite stunning.

The painting behind the altar is The Mystery of the Cross painted in 1905. The lower part depicts the vial coming to Bruges.

One of the prettiest chapels we have visited in recent memory.

And the actual vial? It’s located in below opulent tabernacle. At certain hours the vial is brought out so visitors can see and touch it (for the price of a donation).

The basilica museum contains the Reliquary of Albert and Isabella …

… Maria of Burgundy’s 15th century crown …

… the Great Reliquary of the Holy Blood …

… along with a 16th-century candle holder.

Ever since Portugal, Tracy likes to take photos of me walking down the stairs in case there’s some unexpected tumbling.

It was a spectacular day for walking Bruges, but I had my eye on a potato museum, although some might see it as a half-baked idea.

It was time to get our frites on at the Frietmuseum, which bills itself as “the world’s only museum dedicated to pommes frites.”

Here we learned about the roots of the potatoes (in more ways than one) and cultivating potatoes, while also learning that the first potato arrived in Belgium in November 1567 with a shipment from the Canary Islands.

The museum was only mildly interesting, until …

… we reached a room that Rambo would have loved. There we encountered the evil Potato Bug. But not to worry, we became Potato Troopers, and, in an arcade-style game, we gunned down as many of the little buggers as we could. Sadly, Tracy’s score blew me away, which is why I have banned all weapons in our house.

My favorite part of the museum was the Fritt’ Kaberet, where they had dancing and singing frites. Can there be anything better than being on Dancing With The Frites?

We ended up with a couple of goofy photos. It’s a place if short of time you could certainly pass on, but all in all, thanks to killing bugs and dancing with frites, it turned out to be kinda fun at the end.

Back on the street, we passed by a statue of a man who I called, The Birdman of Bruges. In reality, it is of Papageno, a character in Mozart’s opera The Magic Flute. Instead of a bird in the hand, it was a bird on the head.

Also on our walk through town was a store whose sweet motto resonated with me.

Earlier in the day we had strolled by a cow, albeit not a real one. It stood at the entrance of Brouweru Bourgnone des Flandres (Kartuizerinnenstraat 6).

We stopped in to the brewery to sample a cold one or two. We called Kim and Mary to join us, but warned them to not “stand on the cow.” That piqued their interest enough to come by.

We had tapped in to a refreshing spot.

Although we did not take part, they offer tours and flights of beer.

We sat at the bar, but as we walked toward our next stop, we saw they had a charming terrace overlooking the canal. Next time.

Speaking of that next stop, I had read about a famous little bridge in town located near Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk (Church of Our Lady).

Built in 1910, the stone Bonifaciusbrug looks ancient and is also known as “The Bridge of Love at First Sight.” Legend goes that you will marry the first person that you see after crossing the bridge. At first glance, I would have been charged with bigamy if the legend had been true.

I really liked this little area.

Ever since I was a kid, I have been obsessed with who is on various statues. Among other things, Juan Luis Vives was “a Spanish humanist, eminent in education, philosophy, and psychology.” Many call him the “father of modern psychology.” Maybe he could have helped me with my statue obsession.

Next, we stepped inside Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk, built between the 14h and 16th centuries.

Seen here behind the Gruuthusemuseum (which we’d visit tomorrow), it is “the third tallest brickwork tower in the world.”

The others can’t hold a candle to it.

Although the church is free to visit, there is a charge to see the artifacts of the church O.L.V.-Kerk Museum, which contains Michelangelo’s only piece of artwork that left Italy during his lifetime.

A reliquary containing part of the arm of St. Anthony the Abbot. In 1531, the people of Bruges picked him as Patron against the Plague.

A couple of late 17th century confessionals were interesting.

There was the Da Baenst Chapel and a 16th century Pieter Pourbus triptych, The Adoration of the Shepherds.

The most stunning chapel, in my opinion, was the Blessed Sacrament Chapel.

Gerard David’s early 16th century The Transformation of Jesus on Mount Tabor is a prized piece.

We happened upon a room containing tombs from 1501 of Mary of Burgundy and her father Charles the Bold. Mary was the daughter of Charles The Bold, the last duke of Burgundy. She was only 20 when her father was killed in the Battle of Nancy.

Sadly, only five years later, Mary was killed while on a falcon hunt when her horse tripped, throwing her into a ditch and then landing on top of her. She died a few weeks later, and in 1482 was buried at Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk.

She was married to Maximilian of Austria, who was devastated and commissioned her tomb. At the foot of her tomb is a dog.

The choir here is impressive with 30 Coats of Arms of the Knights of the Golden Fleece

The piece de resistance of the museum is the Madonna of Bruges, Michaelangelo’s early 16th-century sculpture, and the only sculpture by Michelangelo to be sold outside Italy during his lifetime. It has had quite a history. It was confiscated by French revolutionaries in 1794, but then returned in 1816.

The sculpture was once again stolen, this time by Nazis fleeing Bruges in 1945. Hidden in a salt mine in Austria, it was recovered in 1946 by the group known as The Monuments Men, and returned to Bruges. It’s an integral part of George Clooney’s 2014 movie The Monuments Men. The statue was actually smaller than I thought it would be from the movie. (BTW … Tracy said the book was better.)

Before exiting we took at look at the 17th century painting The Adoration of the Magi.

Finally, we gazed at this 18th century rococo pulpit.

Shortly thereafter, we received an alert, that a 5.0 earthquake had hit near our house. Of course, the over-concerned pet parents called our petsitter who said, “What earthquake?” I guess it wasn’t that bad.

On the way to dinner that evening we glanced at the King Charles II Memorial on the side of the Grand Hotel Casselbergh. Charles, when he was a prince, sought exile in Bruges during the English Civil War. His history is quite interesting.

Doing my due diligence, I had made a dinner reservation at Diligence (Hoogstraat 5). It was the first of three great dinners we enjoyed in Bruges.

It was a cozy little bistro featuring Belgian/French cuisine, and as Tracy noted, “Our server was a hoot!” As he explained the beer special (buy four beers and get one bottle to go), Kim asked wistfully, “Where were you in my 20s?”

Without missing a beat, our server replied, “Not alive yet.” Ouch!

Then Mary, forgetting she was talking with someone whose first language was not English, asked, “Does Bruges get ‘nutso’ on weekends?” I wish I had taken a picture of his perplexed face.

The beer of the night was Kim’s Grimbergen Dark.

Kim, Tracy and I all ordered the Flemish Stew, which our server assured us was “the best in all of Bruges.” It was excellent, and Tracy was happy I ate some vegetables on the trip. I told her pommes frites were vegetables, but she just shook her head.

Mary enjoyed her sea bass.

Diligence was one of the places where the movie “In Bruges” was filmed. Diligance is where the bar scene featuring actor Jordan Pentrice, a self described “person of short stature,” met up with a prostitute. I guess I should watch it.

I had made early reservations for dinner on many evenings in order to get blue hour photos. On this night, the weather cooperated. We had finished just in time.

It was was very chilly …

… and the wind was whipping.

We took one last look at the Belfry …

… and slowly made our way back to the hotel.

The following day in Bruges would be another busy one. In the morning we’d visit two museums, check out a Middle Ages charitable hospital, use our noodles to find a delicious lunch, stroll through town over to a beguinage and serene lake, relax on the patio of a hotel with a grand view, have dinner at an ultra-charming restaurant, and then risk a coronary event to take blue hour photos back at the Rozenhoedkaai.

Next - Chapter Four: Bruges Is More Than A Day Trip

I also wondered why the Basilica was a basilica. I think it's because it is a place of pilgrimage:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basili...the_Holy_Blood

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basili...atholic_Church

I didn't know why, I just thought it had to be big to be a basilica (but evidently not). Looks like you had a really nice time in Bruges (sometimes you need silly photos to bring a smile to the face :) ). How could you go wrong with a frietjes museum?

Lavandula

How did I miss the start of another Maitaitom report? Following....

Lots to see in Bruges. Don’t see it as just a day trip. Today we’d hit Groeningemuseum, Gruuthusemuseum and Sint-Jansspitaal (Museum of St. John’s Hospital), before enjoying a great Thai lunch. Then it was off to Minnewaterpark with cool views, walk by a 13th-century beguinage and enjoy a beer at a “shabby chic”castle, chat with the swans and rest up a bit at a canal side restaurant for for our own Happy Hour. It was back to Minnewaterpark for dinner, and finally a mad dash to see if we could catch some blue hour photos at the Rosary Quay. (story with photos in link below).

https://travelswithmaitaitom.com/cha...an-a-day-trip/



Chapter Four: Bruges Is Much More Than A Day Trip

Day Four: Get a Room!, The Flemish Primitives, A Home Attached To The Church, Don’t Dust The Unicorn, Not Your Average Hospital, Losing My Cookies, Using Our Noodles, Topless Bartenders, Begin The Béguine, Lake Of Love (And Death), Beer At A “Shabby Chic” Castle, Hot Chocolate & Wine, One Restaurant I Wanted To Try & Turning Blue Looking For Blue

Up early again because we had 10 a.m. reservations at the Groeningemuseum, and we were hungry. In the lobby of Hotel Sablon, we saw more of the many pieces of art the hotel displays. These guys obviously knew the ropes.

We stopped for the requisite canal photos as we strolled through town.

As we approached Bonifaciusbrug (Boniface Bridge) Tracy and I explored the nearby Arentshof Park, which contained numerous statues.

The most interesting were De Vier Ruiters van de Apocalyps (The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse), Revolution, War, Hunger and Death were represented, but we cut to the chase and just took photos of hunger and death in the park, virtually in the shadow of Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk.

Reaching the bridge, we took some photos …

… but then Tracy and I witnessed something which is still etched in our minds. In a secluded area near the bridge, it looked like Kim and Mary were becoming quite amorous in a serious public display of affection. As it turned out, she was just helping crack Kim’s back (or so they claim).

It was a short walk from there …

… to the Groeningemuseum. It was here we would learn about the Flemish Primitives, which at this time in the 15th century was a new movement in painting, started by Jan van Eyck, Robert Campin and an old favorite of ours, Rogier van der Weyden.

We first learned of him in 2015 when here was an exhibition of his work at the Prado in Madrid. In 2016, we were also wowed by his famed Beaune Altarpiece (Last Judgement) at Hospices de Beaune in France.

There are two copies of his work here, The Portrait of Philip The Good wearing the Order of the Golden Fleece, and Saint Luke Drawing The Madonna.

Here are two of van Eycks creations. His Madonna with Canon Joris van der Paele is considered one of the museum’s top masterpieces, complete with St. George giving a tip of his hat.

Hans Memling worked in van der Weyden’s workshop.

From the Death and the Miser to the The Martyrdom of Saint Catherine, there are plenty of end of life paintings …

… like this corrupt judge being flayed to death in The Judgement of Cambyses by Gerard David.

An interesting character enters from the right in The Last Supper by Pieter Pourbus.

And here we have The Death of the Virgin.

Even Lord Byron could not escape his death bed. Does anybody live in these paintings?

The museum has a Bosch … or does it? The Last Judgement had been attributed to Bosch, his workshop or a collaboration of the two. From The Garden of Eden on the left to Hell on the right and weird stuff with imaginary creatures going on in between, I loved it. I might need psychological help.

I also patiently enjoyed his Triptych of Job.

More death awaited Belisarius’ wife.

Finally some positiveness in the Allegory of the Peace of the Low Countries from the 16th century. The painting symbolizes peace between the Catholic and Protestant provinces.

The paintings of Archdukes Albert and Isabella and our trip through six centuries of art by Belgian artists was complete. It turned out to be quite a fascinating learning experience.

How do people know which one is theirs?

In a matter of minutes we were at the next of three museums of the day. I seem to be getting a little cocky (especially since it was raining) at this stair navigation thing.


The Gruuthusemuseum takes a look at 500 years of Bruges history. Located in a palace built in the late 1400s, it served as the “base of operations” for the Gruuthuse family, and contains a number of artifacts that bring to life those five centuries. Luis of Bruges (aka Louis of Gruuthuse) was a wealthy man thanks to … beer. At the time, according to the Visit Flanders website, there “was a consumption tax on gruit, then an important component of beer. With few exceptions, it was forbidden to brew, distribute or import beer that was not prepared with this family’s gruit.” The house is even connected to OLV-kerk.

Between St. Michael and St. George, it was tough being a dragon.

We might be nuts, but if there is something with a squirrel, it will be photographed.

There was lots of interesting furniture pieces like this cabinet from the late 17th century.

She’s on top of the world in this tapestry …

… along with other artwork in this room.

This late 18th-century fan depicts a “marriage proposal in a pastoral landscape.”

We wound up a circular staircase with stained-glass windows and more tapestries.

Gruuthuse had his own private chapel that was connected to O.L.V.-kerk. This tapestry from the Rubens workshop is entitled The Piety of Hannah.

As expected, there were lots of religious artifacts.

Unfortunately there was a large group of people, which made getting to the oratory and seeing the window that actually looks into part of Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk virtually impossible. This photo is courtesy of Visit Flanders.

The terrace has some nice views out toward Bruges.

The poster of the Bruges 1907 Exposition stood out in the next room.

Usually on these trips, I’m the one who gets reprimanded. This time, however, it was Mary. As we descended the staircase there was a statue of a unicorn. Mary must have seen a little dust, and being the impeccable housekeeper that she is, attempted to dust it. From out of nowhere a loud “Non!” was heard.

We took a glance at the decoratively carved ceiling, and our time at the Gruuthuse Museum was history.

Kim and Mary took off for O.L.V.-kerk, which they had skipped the day before. Before leaving, we admonished Mary not to dust the Michelangelo Madonna. Meanwhile we were off to the hospital … for historical purposes only.

Along with the Groeningemuseum, Sint-Jansspitaal & Memlingmuseum are two of the biggest biggest tickets in town.

People who rode these type of bicycles were far more cognizant of pedestrians.

Before entering Sint-Jansspitaal (Museum of St. John’s Hospital) and Memlingmuseum, was a sculpture called Pax (or Kiss of Peace). It shows two monks attempting to comfort each other after their monastery was bombed during World War II.

While I have been known to frequent hospitals on other trips, this was only to see one of the oldest preserved hospital buildings in Europe. In the 12th century, the hospital was a refuge for those who needed medical care or even just a place to sleep. Today it is also a museum with many treasures, some by the great early Netherlandish, Flemish Primitive Hans Memling, which included the altarpiece of John the Baptist and John the Evangelist. He was a German, who emigrated to Bruges … but I’m getting ahead of myself.

People who came to Sint-Jansspitaal were treated with respect and kindness, along with receiving food and even a cold brew or two.

Nuns were the caretakers.

They followed the rule of St. Augustine, who was often depicted with a burning arrow.

I took a quick glance in another direction and wondered, “Why is that woman holding a pig?” As it turned out, the woman was part of the contemporary sculpture, The Bridge. It’s “a woman lovingly embracing a chimaera, half human, half pig.” The lesson is to love people regardless of race, religion or belief.

This “Christmas crib” is from the mid 15th century. It’s called that because sisters “rocked the crib” (sounds like a dance party) of baby Jesus.

Some of the sick were transported to the hospital in this Sedan Chair.

The Whisper Sofa, which had recently been installed, also has a message. The artists asked people of Bruges “to donate garments of loved ones” to the hospital. Along with personal testimonies, the artists made this sofa in an attempt to deal with sorrow and grief.

Patients were given hope by touching the remains of saints. Apollonia was supposed to help with toothaches. Cornilius with fits and Roch with the plague. When all else failed Ursula and Barbara made sure you didn’t die suddenly, so you’d be prepared for life after death.

We passed by the chapel …

… and then it was time to see Memling’s ultimate masterpiece, The Shrine of Ursula. This gilded, mini-cathedral tells the tale of Saint Ursula with a set of paintings. The shrine supposedly “preserved the relics of 11,000 virgins.” No, I’m not going there.

On one side of the shrine, Ursula is shown protecting her “companions” while holding the arrow that killed her. It is an impressive piece to say the least.

Before leaving we saw one more Memling painting …

… and a painting of the old wards that has recently been restored. Another memorable stop in Bruges.

Out in the courtyard we could have stopped at the sister Apothecary, but we had already stopped to get preventative cough medicine, plus we were starving.

In search of a restaurant, instead we came upon a vibrant store that flaunted an array of macarons. I was unable to resist the urge.

We bought a couple, which were put in a box. Outside, Tracy took a lovely photo and then handed off the box to me for some reason. I fumbled the pass and the two macarons lay dead on the cobblestones. The scene was so horrific we couldn’t even a take photo of the deceased sweets. We went back inside and purchased two more, with Tracy handing me one … carefully.

Walking through Bruges, there are a plentiful amount of Ave Maria figures.

I told Tracy that that was a lovely display of purses. She told me that they weren’t really purses, but chocolate. I didn’t dare try to pick one up.

Now very hungry and deciding we could not just live on Flemish stew alone, we discovered Marco Polo, where we decided to Thai one on.

The mother-daughter combo cooked up some delicious dishes that really hit the spot.

They were very nice, too. If in town, give it a try when you need a diversion.

This sign might be as clever as any one I’ve seen.

We texted Kim and Mary to meet us at another brewery. We hopped on over to Huisbrouwerij De Halve Maan, which I had read was the most popular brewery in Bruges. And they were right. It was filled with damn tourists, so locals like us just decided to leave in search of greener pastures.

Dear God, they’re everywhere!

We headed toward Minnewaterpark and first passed by One restaurant, which is actually the name, We had reservations for dinner on this evening.

Not far from there was Sashuis (Lock keeper’s house), a 16th century former masterpiece guardian house. It seems locks were built here in the 12th century, and “this building regulated the water management for the Bruges canals until the 1970s.”

We took in a terrific view of Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk.

Next up were a row of whitewashed houses. Beginjnhof is a 13th-century beguinage (“an architectural complex which was created to house beguines: lay religious women who lived in community without taking vows or retiring from the world”). Today it houses Benedictine nuns.

Two lovely couples stop for a brief respite.

A building had dominated our views as we strolled around the lake, and it looked like it had a patio where four weary souls could find comfort in a libation.

We arrived at Kasteel Minnewater, and sure enough there was a terrace upon which to relax and have a beer and wine. The setting is charming, but the property has seen better days. I kind of worried when I saw this sign. Tracy called it, “shabby chic.” That was good enough for us and after finishing our drinks, we were on our way again. Somebody could turn this into quite a moneymaker.

We came upon the only part of Minnewaterpark that one can feed the swans. I think they knew it. There are many legends surrounding what is called The Lake of Love.

Once upon a time, “a young maiden whose name was Minna once lived in Bruges, and was hopelessly in love with Stromberg, a humble fellow her father did not approve of.’ Her dad didn’t like that and set her up with another guy. Minna left, but didn’t want to displease Stromberg or her dad, and soon she went on a mission. When Stromberg found her she was so weak that she died in his arms.”

Stromberg “built a dam in the river to dry out the middle, on the dry bedding he made a grave where he laid his Minna to rest forever. Then let the water back in again. On the bank where he had found Minna, he placed a heavy rock on which he engraved Minna water. Where once stood the stone, now stands the 'Poertoren by the Minnewater', and where once the dam was is now the Minnewater Bridge. All loving couples want to take a picture there.”

Some more canal stops, and we were back in Bruges, where we saved Kim from an oncoming bicycle. Just kidding, that wouldn’t happen for a few more days.

While Tracy and Mary went in search of scarfs, Kim and I settled in to a table overlooking a canal at a place called Opus Latino, which touted its location as the “best hidden terrace in Bruges.” It was pretty chilly, so Kim ordered a hot chocolate. It was pretty chilly, so I ordered more wine.

Dinner at One Restaurant that evening was quite good, and the restaurant oozed charm in a rather old-world setting. A family affair as the son is the chef and his mom the hostess. There is also a patio overlooking the water, but it was too cold, even if we had ordered a hot chocolate.

For an appetizer, we split a couple of really good cheese croquettes with a crunchy exterior. They were perfect.

Kim and Mary enjoyed their sea bass, while Tracy opted for a very good goat cheese salad, with frites (of course)

I loved my meat balls in cherry sauce … with frites.

As we left, I realized we still hadn’t hit the blue hour, which I very much wanted to see at the Rosary Quay.

Along the way, we took another gander at the Bridge of Love (and Death).

Walking very fast (well, as fast as an old man can walk). At times I slowed down to see if my heart rate was at 200 yet.

Our macaron shop was just as beautiful at night.

We continued on.

Getting closer.

It came in sight.

It was as beautiful as I thought it would be, if not more so.

Well, there’s always that one guy to ruin a glorious photo.

There’s much to see and experience in Bruges. I know many people just make it a day trip, but similar to Sintra, Portugal, it’s worth more time than that.

Back to the hotel, and off to bed. We had an early train the next morning because the four of us wanted to pay our respects to “the most stolen piece of artwork in history” located in nearby Ghent.

Chapter Five: Ghent Me To The Altar (Piece) On Time

Bruges Bravos, Tom. We were the pauvres who only managed a day trip there so it was great to see it in more detail. Really nice!

"Bruges Is Much More Than A Day Trip" - I couldnt agree more.

Wonderful nocturnal photography Tom - I loved that first Bruges night shot. So atmospheric.
Glad to hear things went so well.
And now onto Chapter Five.
I am done. the Belgian

(sits in rocking chair making rapid motions; looks at watch every ten three minutes; waits impatiently for MaiTaiTom's next installment; whistles 'La Vie en Rose')

Love all of your detail and photos. Thanks so much Tom. You are an amazing researcher and planner!

Some have recommended Bruges as a town for my husband and I to have a longer stay in. To immerse ourselves, work remotely and “live” for a couple weeks. We loved Aix for a month (during Covid) and Sevilla for a month last Christmas. Bruges sounds somewhat similar: a couple of sights to see but lots of pedestrian streets, restaurants, shops, etc.

Any gut reaction? Too touristy? I recall you did not love Aix but loved Sevilla.

Thanks in advance!

"To immerse ourselves, work remotely and “live” for a couple weeks. Any gut reaction? Too touristy?'

Thanks lrice ... We absolutely loved Bruges. Before leaving I red how the town was inundated by tourists. Outside of the Saturday afternoon when we arrived back from Ghent, I thought the crowds were quite manageable. The evening we took photos at the Rosary Quay during Blue Hour, I thought there would be tons of people doing the same. There were only about six to eight people taking photos. We were in Bruges during mid September, so I can't speak to other times of year.

Yes, there are plenty of restaurants to enjoy, and if you feel like scooting out for a day trip or an overnight somewhere, Brussels, Ghent and Antwerp are all a short distance (speaking of Ghent, I'm finishing up tonight and will send out tomorrow) Personally, both Tracy and I would love to spend a couple of weeks in Bruges. There's quite a few things to see, and having two weeks, you could do them in small doses. Plus, chilling by a canal with a glass of wine or beer can't be beat.

lrice, you should ask the mods to start a new thread for you with the second half of your post. You will likely get a lot of answers, which will detract a bit from Tom's excellent TR, and I would like to take up the discussion with you.

Lavandula

Thank you Tom! Great to get your opinion fresh back from your trip! Looking forward for to more of your reporting!

Lavandula, I’ll DM you. Thank you!