Notes on Amsterdam, Bruges & Paris - Sept 8-28, 2014
 

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5TH

Our departure date couldn't come sooner. It felt as if we had been planning this trip FOREVER! Well, we had, I suppose. It was last Fall we decided to go to Amsterdam, Bruges and Paris.

With travel dates established and flights booked, I began the task of finding accommodations. I secured an apartment in Paris first - same building where we stayed two years ago on Rue Galande, one floor higher in apartment Fleur de Lys.

www.parisbestlodge.com

The search for a room in Amsterdam was more challenging. Every hotel I checked showed no availability for our dates! We soon learned there is a huge international media convention held annually in the city and in 2013, there were 50,000 participants! Yikes! We considered changing our itinerary but in the end, we decided that the dates we chose and traveling from north to south worked best for us. When DH found availability at the Marriott for 440 euros (yikes, again!), I asked to have one more afternoon to look again. Fortunately, I found a wonderful B&B called Tulipa and it was only 225 euros! It's all relative, I guess!

www.tulipa-amsterdam.com

In Bruges, I booked the lovely Cote Canal for the location and canal views. Not only that, there is a resident yellow Labrador retriever, Fidel. By the time we reach Bruges, DH & I will be missing our 9 year old lab so it will be nice to get our 'dog fix'.

With everything in place for our Fall trip, we could look forward to our busy travel year ahead: NYC in April, Sheridan Lake in B.C.'s Cariboo region in May and my ladies' trip to Calgary in June. Europe was nicely placed in September.

Here's our itinerary:

September 9 - 13: Amsterdam
September 14 - 17: Bruges
September 18 - 28: Paris

But now it is Friday and we are feeling a bit impatient for our departure day to come - only a few more days!

Let the grand adventure begin!

Fun planning a trip .. but now the super fun begins.. taking the trip.. bon voyage!

Definitely following along as Amsterdam & Bruges are on our travel ist in the future. After many trips to Paris it will be fun to read your take on it.

Let the party begin!!!

Looking forward to reading about your trip. Am curious if you liked the Fleur de Lys apt. I'm staying there in August and have read that the Rue Galande can be noisy at night.

Looking forward to reading more. I would love to go on a similar trip, just a little shorter, in a couple years.

I am also anticipating your report. Have been eyeing Paris Best Lodge for a future trip as well as the other cities you visited.

Thanks for your interest! Hope everyone will find this trip report useful in some way and perhaps a bit entertaining, too!

<b>powhatangal</b>: We liked the Fleur de Lys apartment. It was spacious, comfortable and well-situated for the places we wanted to go. There are 2 metro stations nearby. There is a bar across the street with revelers that seem to go on well into the night. But noise was never an issue for us. The bedroom is at the back of the apartment where it is perfectly quiet. At night, we slept with the bedroom window open.

I will write about the apartment in more detail in the Paris segment. Hope it will be helpful!

Also, here is the link to Cote Canal which I forgot to include:

www.bruges-bedandbreakfast.be

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH / TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9TH

Our Travel Day

We needed to be at the airport by mid afternoon to check in for our 18:40 flight. The cab driver would have received an extra $5 tip had he not talked so much ... incessantly ... during the entire car ride to the airport!

We are enamored with Lufthansa's good service, German efficiency and mostly palatable food in economy class. I watched a movie before dinner service. After our meal, DH closed his eyes and dozed off. I took a melatonin pill, read a bit and then wished for a little sleep. Our noise-cancelling headphones helped.

In Munich airport, what appeared to be a tight connection turned out to be fine. We made it to our gate in good time. Then, in less than two hours, we were in Amsterdam!

We took a cab to the Tulipa. Our driver was personable but not overly chatty. We liked that. He got a decent tip!

Paula, the owner of the B&B greeted us at the front door. We were taken to a large ... no, huge two bed suite. We were given this suite in the spring when renovations for the room we had booked was moved forward. It had canal and garden views; no balcony but a large bay window with a seat & pretty leaded glass windows; and it was offered at the same rate. We had more sitting areas, drawer space & room than we needed. We anticipated a comfortable stay here!

After settling in, we went to Café George just two minutes away for a quick dinner. Our server came to our table. He smiled. In a bit of an I'm-exhausted-give-me-some-food stupor, I smiled back. There was an awkward pause which I finally broke by saying, "Menu, please." With that two-word request, he knew what our language of preference was. He brought over menus and told us the evening's specials in impeccable English. Our meals were good. The service was good. But now we were really tired.

It had been a long travel day and that bed with the canal view beckoned us!

Thank you 2010 for the fleur de Lys apt info! I'm enjoying your report and look forward to more!

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH

There's an ethereal quality to the soft morning light here. The water was perfectly still and it held the reflection of the trees & townhouses that lined the canal across from us. It was a magical scene to wake up to.

Down the stairs we went, out the front door and to the building adjacent to ours. We rang the door bell and we were invited into the breakfast room. We had a lovely breakfast of fresh fruit, cheese & meat, yoghurt, scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and cups of strong coffee. What a fantastic way to start our day!

Later, as we were leaving, we met Dana, the resident 9 year old yellow lab in the front hall. Sweet girl! We got our 'dog fix' early.

Bicycles, vehicles of all sizes, buses and trams all seemed to share the roadway in a somewhat organized fashion. As pedestrians, trying to cross busy streets was challenging and a bit terrifying at first. We asked Paula how to navigate the traffic safely. Here's what she advised:

> Be brave!
> There are some marked crossings though not many. So, you can cross any where you like.
> If you begin to cross and there is a cyclist riding towards you, keep moving forward. Your first inclination will be to retreat back. But the cyclist will likely try to ride behind you. So, if you go back, you will probably will cause a crash.
> Have faith that cyclists will go behind you and cars will stop!

Wow! That's a lot of faith & hope to rely on while crossing the street!

Armed with a city map, we headed out for our first full day in Amsterdam. Mostly, we followed the tram lines and the canals as we tried to get our bearings and not get too lost! It wouldn't take us very long to recognize certain buildings, towers & bridges. We were establishing our own landmarks.

Highlights of our day:

> From Leidseplein, we walked along <b>Leidsestraat</b>, a busy street with trendy & exclusive shops - some of the same stores we have at home.

> <b>Bloemenmarkt (Flower Market)</b> is a long block of stalls dedicated to flowers, bulbs and garden accessories. What a feast of colours & shapes for the eyes! There were some unique varieties of tulip an amaryllis bulbs that I have never seen before. Amazing!

> Our walk continued past the <b>Royal Delft Museum</b> and the <b>Magna Plaza</b>, a shopping mall in a 19th century neo-gothic style building that was formerly the post office. Suddenly, we were in front of <b>Central Station</b>. We were discovering that distances are not great and Amsterdam is a very walkable city. Near the train station, we saw a multi-level garage for bicycles called a 'bike flat'. We were astounded by the size of the structure and the number of bicycles stored here! We decided to take a quick walk through Central Station to orient ourselves with its set up before our train trip to Bruges. We also found tidy WC's at .50 euros p/person.

> On the edge of the Red Light District is the <b>Museum Ons' Lievre Heer op Solder</b>. Behind the façade of a 17th century canal house lies a hidden church. It was built during the reformation when Catholics were forbidden to hold mass publicly. The exterior looked like any other canal house. Inside, the attic spaces of the house and two adjacent buildings were converted into a church. This was Amsterdam's best kept secret. Later, it was nicknamed <i>Our Lord in the Attic</i>. It is a fascinating story and it was worthwhile going through the well-preserved interior.

> We zig-zagged back through the Red Light District towards the Flower Market in search of Pannenkoekenhuis Upstairs, a place for lunch. Unfortunately, we couldn't find it! It has happened before that I have the wrong address - probably the case this time! We walked to <b>De Bijenkorf</b> which is a large department store in an elegant building on Dam Square. We had a simple lunch in the store's main floor cafeteria.

After lunch, we headed upstairs. I was looking for a fall jacket. Here, I found a great Sisley car coat in a black & gray herringbone with a stand-up collar, off-centre front button close and 3/4 length sleeves - stylish and perfect for our fall weather in Vancouver!

> We had dinner at <b>Toussaint Café</b>. Cozy atmosphere, nice vibe, good food. We shared a starter platter of duck rillets, cheese with caramelized onions, cornichons & artichokes. I had mussels with spaghetti and DH had tomato ravioli and Dutch beer.

> It was a cool but pleasant evening for our short walk back to the Tulipa.

> My final pedometer count for the day: 20,710 steps!

20,710 steps? I hope you finished the day with a well deserved pastry or dessert or dessert of some kind.

Looking forward to more =D>

I would love to know if you thought prices in "The Beehive" were a bargain compared to what you would have paid in Vancouver.

We did the exact same trip a few years ago, and also had the pleasure of staying at Cote Canal. Looking forward to the rest of your review!

<b>TPAYT</b>: No dessert this night but plenty of other opportunities to indulge during the trip!

<b>Dukey1</b>: I suppose shopping would have been more of a bargain at De Bijenkorf (and other places) if the exchange rate was more favorable!

<b>Iwan2go</b>: It was our first all-city itinerary but we enjoyed it! How long were you in Bruges?

We were in Bruges for three nights. we loved the city, though we were surprised at the cost of dining out. It was hard to leave Cote Canal! It was so beautiful.

marking for late digest of what appears to be captivating reading on my very fanorite city -Amsterdam.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11TH

I woke up this morning feeling the beginnings of a cold. Oh, no! Granted, we both usually get sick while on holiday but this was way too early for this to happen! Well, at least I was prepared - packed a supply of antihistamines, Advil and tissues in may suitcase. Hopefully, this will be short-lived.

For breakfast, Paula made us Dutch pancakes with sliced bananas. Delicious! This made up for our failure to find Pannenkoekenhuis Upstairs yesterday!

The Rijksmuseum reopened last year after an extensive 10-year renovation. With tickets in hand (bought on-line), we proceeded through the quick security check and entrance line into the museum. We were pleased that the crowds had not arrived when we did - about 10:30.

We focused on the paintings of the Dutch masters. We are both charmed by the scenes of every day life, pastoral landscapes and the portraits of merchants & their families. And I noticed the same ethereal light I saw shining our first morning captured in

Oops! Hit the 'submit' button by mistake. Sorry!

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... many of the landscapes. What an amazing collection!

It must have been a combination of overload and running low on energy but I needed a break! We went for lunch in the museum's café perched on the mezzanine of the light-filled main hall. Even after consuming our tasty sandwiches & cold drinks, I knew that I could only muster up enough energy to check out the gift shop! I bought a 2015 date book and a few postcards of our favourite paintings! I was done. It was time to leave.

Back at the Tulipa, I had a well-needed nap. I woke up later feeling ... well, okay. It was time to get ready for dinner.

We wanted to try Indonesian rijsttafel and so, we took Paula's recommendation to go to <b>Tempo Doeloe</b>. She made a reservation for us.

It was a longer walk than we anticipated but we arrived at Tempo Doeloe in good time. DH & I decided to have the small (10 plate) rijsttafel, medium to hot spiciness. Oh, it was such a wonderful variety of small plates, such beautiful flavours! We savoured every morsel. After a wee break, we ordered a dessert of cinnamon ice cream (wow!) with chocolate sauce and fresh fruit to share. The ice cream was delicious. We should have ordered our own - darn! Truthfully, we had more than enough, including white wine with dinner & coffee at the end of our meal. And we were grateful that it was a longer walk home!

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12TH

I woke up feeling worse than yesterday. After breakfast, I decided to stay at the B&B for the morning and sent DH out on his own for a few hours. I mostly slept and willed myself to be better. Such a wasted morning in a way but I wanted to enjoy our afternoon visit to the Van Gogh Museum. It is such a drag to be sick while away!

When DH returned, he reported back that he did what he enjoys doing the most when left on his own ... he went for a walk! So with no specific destination in mind, he walked towards Jordaan; over to the Center and zig-zagged his way back to the Tulipa. He said he recognized some streets that we had been along and buildings & stores we had passed. He considered going into the Magna Plaza to see the interior of the building but decided that it would be mostly stores and continued on. He did stop to look into shop windows with musical instruments and other interesting things. Most important, DH knew where he was! He was getting a good feel for this part of town!

We went to <b>George's</b> for lunch. Then, we had tickets & a timed-entry for the <b>Van Gogh Museum</b>. Maybe later, we could take a walk through Vondel Park.

There is something fascinating and engaging about seeing familiar places in a piece of art. It was not surprising that were drawn to Van Gogh's work during the time he was in Arles an St. Remy. Having been to Provence, we had our own memories & personal connections to this place and his paintings. We were treated to four floors of the most amazing art this afternoon!

There was a special exhibit by Emmy Andriesse, a Dutch photographer. She followed Van Gogh's footsteps to photograph some of the same landscapes and buildings that inspired the artist in Provence and Auvers-sur-Oise. She created this photo series of images shortly before her death in 1953. Her photos were absolutely captivating.

Tonight's dinner was close by, right across the street from Toussaint Café. It was good to have a reservation at <b>De Italiaan</b>. This place was packed!

We started with a beautiful antipasti platter and a caprese salad. DH enjoyed his ravioli dish. I blame my lack of enthusiasm for my cannelloni on my cold and not the chef. The service was very good. The atmosphere was lively & fun. Unfortunately, I was not!

It was an early night for me!

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13TH

I slept like a log but still had my cold when I woke up. Okay, this was getting tiresome. Even Paula's lovely breakfast did not appeal to me. I just had some fruit & yogurt. This was our last day in Amsterdam and I was determined that it was going to be a good one!

On our way to the Jordaan, we came upon a Delft store. In the window, we saw pretty Christmas tree ornaments and thought it would be a nice to get one for a souvenir. The ornament was a little pricey but we were assured that it was authentic and not a copy-cat. Our only hope was that it would survive the day packed in my purse, the rest of our journey and the trip home!

We wandered through the Nine Little Streets, an area filled with diverse shops and cafes. Attractive window displays were enticing and drew us into some stores. Who could resist this delightful hand-painted sign in front of GMZ: <i>A leather accessories label made with love and good circumstances designed by two Dutch sisters?</i> It was an interesting shopping area of clothing boutiques, specialty food stores, a florist and stores that carried leather goods, accessories, beauty/health products and more! Did I really see GABS bags in a shop window? It was fun to window shop here!

We continued our walk past Anne Frank's house and the long line-up of people waiting to go in. We couldn't miss seeing the tall tower of Westerberg, a 17th century Dutch Protestant Church. We stopped at Sara's Pancake House for savory Dutch pannenkoeken, a hearty lunch!

Back at the Tulipa, we had a relaxing afternoon. Later, we started packing for our departure tomorrow and got ready for dinner. We had an early dinner at Toussaint Café planned.

It was a bit confusing when we arrived at the restaurant. Tables outside were filled with folks having drinks and snacks. We were hoping for a table inside. Perhaps we were a bit early to be seated for dinner. But a server recognized us from a few nights ago and we were seated immediately. Guess we were close enough to the dinner hour!

We went straight to the main course: DH had steak with fois gras, potatoes & green beans; I had ravioli & salad. We left room for dessert: DH had apple cake; I had pear tarter tatin - yum! DH enjoyed his Dutch beer. This was another fine meal!

It was a blustery yet pleasant evening for our walk home.

I am following along and enjoyjng your report. Sorry you were sick!

<b>Some final notes on Amsterdam:</b>

We found Amsterdam to be a vibrant & interesting city. We were fascinated by the unique way the city is built around its canals and we were surprised how easy it was to get around on foot. We never did use the tram system because everywhere we wanted to go was within walking distance! The buildings were attractive, even those that had a curious sideways lean. And the people we encountered were friendly, personable and helpful.

There were so many more places we wanted to see & visit and I had so little energy ... sigh! Perhaps we were optimistic during the planning stage but we also included the following places on our list: Hermitage Amsterdam, Museumplein, Vondelpark, Albert Cuypmarkt and on my list, Tassenmuseum Hendrikje (Museum of Bags & Purses). I even wanted to peek in the Amsterdam Central Library if we had time! It looks like we have enough to fill another trip to Amsterdam and perhaps we can include a day trip outside the city!

Being the northern-most city geographically we have traveled in September, we anticipated cooler weather. It was very pleasant for walking & seeing the sights during the day. Light jackets were all that we needed. For evenings, I took a dressier coat to wear to dinner.

I had read that one doesn't go to Amsterdam for the food. Well, we respectfully have to disagree. We found our meals & the service to be very good. (My cannelloni at Da Italiaan when my taste buds were dulled by my cold doesn't count!)

We have a friend who works in a Vancouver hotel & convention centre. He said that likely the participants in the media conference in Amsterdam would stay on site for work sessions, meals during the day. And we think he was correct. It was our impression that neither the sidewalks nor the museums were teeming with people. However, we took no chances with our restaurant choices for dinner. We made reservations wherever we could. The only time we were impacted was on our departure day (Sunday morning) when taxis were in high demand. Even so, it wasn't a problem because Paula kindly phoned ahead and arranged for a cab to pick us up at the Tulipa.

More to follow ...



<b>Next: From Amsterdam to Bruges</b>

Very enjoyable. Hope your cold abated.

I'm enjoying your report so much and looking forward to your time in Bruges, a city high on our list. Love all the details, keep it coming!

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH

Alarm woke us early. I was feeling better. DH, not so much! (As it would turn out, our colds abated somewhat but were persistent and long-lasting. Overall, our 'enjoyment scale' of the trip was not impacted too much! Enough said!)

The Amsterdam to Antwerp portion of our Thalys train ride to Bruges seemed simple enough. In Central Station, we found our departure platform where there was an electronic schematic of the train. We were able to locate our first-class car. It was a comfortable 1 hour 15 minute ride. We needed to be composed and calm for what lay ahead. We had a tight connection - a mere 5 minutes!

In Antwerp train station, the train information board was written in Flemish, not useful for us. In a desperate search for our platform, we rode up elevators, down escalators and dashed across corridors. At last, we spotted an attendant who directed us to the correct platform and very gently told us that we had missed our train! Well, at least we could relax now. The next regional train was set to depart in one hour. So, this became an opportunity for us to have a snack and to marvel at the impressive interior of the station.

We had an open voucher for this portion and we rode to Bruges in a virtually empty car. In just over an hour, we arrived in Bruges, our home for the next four nights. Now all we had to do was find a taxi to take us to <b>B&B Cote Canal</b>. How hard could THAT be?

At the Cote Canal, Catherine greeted us and led us to the lounge where she gave us an introduction to Bruges: what's happening and a few cautions. Catherine was an advocate for what was authentic & worthwhile seeing and advised us what to avoid. We also went with her restaurant recommendations. She was glad to make two dinner reservations for us in advance of our arrival and the others, she called the same day.

Then, Catherine took us to our beautiful room, Suite Clin d'Oeil. Tastefully decorated, restful colours of cream & beige - a monochromatic scheme made interesting with different textures in the bedding, curtains and accessories. This was a lesson in good design! Our room overlooked the garden and a canal just beyond. We settled in and then set out for dinner at <b>Au Petit Grand</b>.

Our route took us across the canal and along the back of the Cote Canal where we saw Fidel, the resident yellow Labrador laying on his pillow at the window looking out. It was a very similar scene to his cameo appearance in the movie, In Bruges. Can't wait to meet him! With only the name of the restaurant and cursory directions ('Just off Market'), we needed to stop to ask for clearer instructions! We went in a bar and a server kindly looked up the restaurant on the internet. She sent us away with a simple map drawn on the back of a coaster! It was not far away.

Inside, the restaurant was attractive, bordering on pretty. The service & food were very good. We started with an amuse bouche of crab mousse with crostini. DH had cod, side salad of tomato & bocconcini and fries. I had grilled salmon, side green salad and scrumptious scalloped potatoes. Fish was cooked perfectly. We got through our main course and decided we were done for the evening! It had been a long day for us.

It was just a short stroll back to the B&B. It was an early night for DH. I wasn't far behind!

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH

There was an early morning fog when I looked out the window. It felt a bit like Fall. It is too chilly for breakfast to be served in the garden.

By the time we went down, the breakfast room was awash with sunlight. It is a lovely room, done in gray and white. There are two tables on which breakfast is placed: one with plates of cheese & meat, yoghurt, an assortment of croissants & breads

Oh my goodness ... I did it again! My fat fingers and my tablet do not always work cooperatively. Sorry!

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... and scrambled eggs and the second with sweet pastries, cereals and jams. We were served a carafe of coffee & fresh squeezed orange juice and we helped ourselves to what we wanted. Soft classical music played in the background. It was all very civilized!

Today we planned to spend the day in Bruges and explore the city. Here are the highlights & some observations:

> Bruges is a pretty city with cobblestone streets, picture-perfect scenes of canals, stone bridges, traditional houses & historic buildings. The virginia creeper vines that grew on many of the buildings were beginning to change colour. It was a sign that fall was approaching. There is a photo-op around almost every corner. This place is a photographer's dream!

> The only intrusion to the beauty of Bruges were the tour boats that zipped along the canals carrying loads of tourists. There was the occasional guide who announced various sights using a megaphone. These ones were particularly annoying! However, there are strict regulations regarding hours of operation. So, the boats started at a reasonable time and never went late.

> The climb up the <b>Belfort (Bell Tower)</b> left me breathless but the 366 steps up and then down made for a good count on my pedometer! Just as I got used to climbing the steep & narrow spiral steps clockwise, they would change direction! I just took my time. From the very top, we could see over Bruges in all directions. Back on terra firma, there was a violinist playing in the courtyard - lovely!

> After their life of service, the lay order of Beguines lived in <b>Beginjhof</b>. Today, Benedictine nuns live here. We walked in silence around the convent grounds; went into the simple church and a small museum which is located in a 17th century Beguines's house. It was serene and peaceful.

> In the <b>Church of Our Lady (Onse-Sieve-Vrouwekerk)</b>, there is a magnificent statue of a Madonna & Child by Michelangelo. It sits in a niche in a chapel. This afternoon, there was sunlight streaming in through a side window and it bathed the statue in a warm light, giving it an ethereal quality. It took my breath away!

> We bought 4 pieces of chocolates at <b>Mary's Chocolate Shop</b> to enjoy later. Could it be that the praline one would be my favourite?

> Our walk to <b>Bistro de Schaar</b> took us into a different part of town. Here, we had a lovely dinner. We started with an amuse Boucher of shrimp pate on crackers. DH had medallions of monk fish on a bed of creamed leeks and fries while I enjoyed magret de canard with raspberry sauce, a medley of grilled vegetables and nugget potatoes. For dessert, we shared flambe of figs with ice cream. It was all very good. We were hoping to return on our last night in Bruges to try one of the grilled meat offerings but sadly, de Schaar is closed on Wednesdays (and Thursdays, too). Too bad! But we were certain that we would find another fine restaurant for Wednesday night!

Waiting....waiting....waiting for more!

Same here!

<< <i>We started with an amuse Boucher of shrimp pate ...</i> should read <i>an amuse bouche</i>. >> I have an 'intuitive' tablet that automatically corrects the spelling of words it doesn't recognize. Not helpful when I use foreign words! I try to catch these but obviously I missed this one!

wunderbar2 & TDudette: Thanks for being patient! I will work on the next installment soon. Stay tuned!

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH

We booked four nights in Bruges intending to take a day trip, possibly to Ghent by train or perhaps rent a car for a day and drive to the coast. Given how we were feeling, we felt a leisurely exploration of Bruges was preferred. There were many interesting places still to see and things to do to fill our days.

Originally, the <b>Hans Memling Museum, formerly Saint John's Hospital (Sint Janhospitaal)</b> was built as a hospital in the Middle Ages. Later in the 19th century, it was expanded to include a monastery and convent. It was a place where Brothers & Sisters mainly tended to the spiritual needs of the sick because most did not have the medical background to treat what ailed the patients. Today, it houses Flemish Primitives by painter Hans Memling, medical artifacts and other works of art. The medical tools were crude and it was a bit frightening to think how & what they were used for! This was a fascinating museum to visit.

As we walked, we came upon other picturesque viewpoints. Are there any other kinds in Bruges? In some spots, we were jockeying for a favourable position with others (mostly groups).

We had lunch at Tom Pouce, one of those pricy tourist restaurants we were warned about. This one was on Burg Square. But we stopped here for a bite to eat, cold beverages and a table in the shade knowing that.

We saw a sign in the window of a chocolate shop: <i>A balanced diet is chocolate in both hands.</i> Yes, we can subscribe to that! Also, we think that beer & chocolate ought to be counted as food groups here!

The <b>Basilica of the Holy Blood</b> is well-known for its relic of the blood of Christ. The interior of this church was particularly beautiful with its decorated walls, ceilings & pillars.

The fish store faced the Fish Market and the restaurant, <b>Den Gouden Karpel</b> was accessed from the street behind (Huidenvettersplein). It was a warm evening so it was a treat to sit outside on the patio for dinner. We both chose Dover sole which came with fries and a salad. Simply put, our fish was delicious - sweet, tender! For dessert, we shared a refreshing medley of sorbet. Food, service & setting - all made for an enjoyable, leisurely dining experience. We made dinner reservations for the following night before leaving.

Did you see any lace making?

I'm enjoying your report. Never been to Bruges, but now have put it on my to-visit list!

I am really enjoying your trip report. I know have some more places on my bucket list.

I have one of those auto correct as well. I meant now. ;)

<b>TDudette</b>: I saw a number of shops that carried lace. It was fascinating to see all the different intricate patterns. And the Benedictine Nun who was selling tickets at the entrance of the museum in Begijnhof was making small lace items to sell. I sure can appreciate the skill, nimbleness of fingers and good eye sight required to produce fine lace!

<b>powhatangal and Paqngo</b>: While Amsterdam was on DH's list, Bruges was on mine. So, it was wonderful that we could work in both cities on this trip! Thanks for following along. There's one more day in Bruges to come.

There are two types of lace - machine-made lace and handmade and also antique lace - over 100 years old I was told some years ago - not all lace hanging in shop windows is created equal IMU.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH

Quite by chance, we met Fidel this morning! He ran in through the front door ahead of Catherine and then made a sharp right-angle left-hand turn past me into the breakfast room. Oops, I had left the door open - silly me! We went into Fidel's reception room (AKA Catherine's office) where we had a visit. He is an old fellow with a sweet demeanor who occasionally reveals the puppy he once was! He loved to be talked to, patted and rubbed. No translation required. We communicated through actions, ours and his. We all went away feeling good!

Today was <b>Market Day</b> in Bruges. Our first stop was the <b>Fish Market (Vismarkt)</b> with its covered arcade and large stone slabs on which cases of fresh fish were placed. It was interesting to see whole fish of all kinds on display. There was a huge pan of shrimp as well. Folks were in line to buy tonight's dinner. On the other end of the arcade, a few artisans had their handicrafts out. I bought a royal blue hand-woven linen scarf which will go perfectly with my Amsterdam coat!

Next, we walked to the <b>Markt</b> where trucks and stalls were set up on the large main square. The vendors sold local cheeses, sausages, fruits & vegetables and flowers. We saw probably the last of the summer fruit like strawberries and the beginning of fall crops like plums & squash. The flowers were gorgeous in colours of warm oranges & yellows. The rotisserie chickens, pork ribs & small roasts had us salivating ... and it was only 11:00! It ALL looked so appetizing!

Last stop: <b>Dumon Chocolate Shop</b> for our final selection of chocolates to taste: hazelnut (2) + caramels (4) - a snack for later or perhaps our dessert tonight!

We dropped our shopping off at the Cote Canal and we headed back out for a walk away from the centre. We were in search of the windmills alongside the canal that circles Old Bruges. We walked by two out the 4 existing windmills. We weren't sure whether they were working mills but later read that one does open (seasonal hours) and you can buy flour there. Best of all was the path along the canal that we shared with others out for a walk, a run or a bike ride on this sunny day!

We stopped for lunch at Carlito's. We sat in the shady interior courtyard for a lunch of pasta (DH) and pizza (me) and cold drinks.

Back at home, it was time for a rest, to do some writing and begin initial preparations for our departure tomorrow.

It was another pleasant evening to dine outside at <b>Den Gouden Carpell</b>. DH had turbot with spider crab which he described as outstanding. While my choice (catfish) was good, it was nothing special. What was special ... the crème brule which was served in a shallow, wide dish with lots of crunchy burnt sugar topping and a creamy custard!

Over dinner, we talked about our impressions of Bruges. Bruges was not unlike other popular destinations in which we've stayed - Florence, Venice, San Gimignano come to mind - where day trippers descend in the morning and leave in the late afternoon. So, that left the early morning & evening hours for the magic to happen! We were so glad that we stayed in Bruges.

Tomorrow is a travel day. It won't require much exertion but it has the potential to be stressful. It involves another train ride!


<b>Next: Train to Paris</b>

PalenQ: Thanks for chiming in with info about lace. Not being a lace aficionado, I wouldn't be able to tell whether a piece was hand- or machine-made, or would I upon closer examination? Would it be reflected in the price? Cheaper, machine-made. More expensive, hand-made.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH

Our train ride from Bruges to Paris via Brussels was seamless. Happily, we made our 15-minute connection in Brussels with time to spare! Then, what could be more exciting than to arrive in central Paris and have only a short cab ride to our apartment in the 5th arrondisement.

The Gare du Nord was a noisy, busy station teeming with travelers and commuters. It made us watchful & we held on tightly to our suitcases. We were offered a 45 euro ride to our apartment - uh, no thank you. We took an official Taxi Parisian from the taxi stand at the side of the building and had a pleasant ride through Paris traffic to Rue Galande for under 20 euro.

We entered the building using the code we were given. What a surprise to see that there was a painter working on a scene on the wall of the long, narrow hallway. We squeezed by, being careful not to knock the paint cans nor touch the wall.

Our apartment, Fleur de Lys was located on the 3rd floor. We carried our suitcases up half-a-floor and loaded them, our bags and me into the tiny elevator. While I rode up, DH walked up the narrow, steep steps to meet me. He was standing on the landing outside the elevator when I arrived. We carried our bags half-a-floor up to the apartment door. It probably would have been easier to ride up another floor and carry our bags down. Oh, well! We had another code to open the lock box that held the key.

We were very disappointed to see that the apartment hadn't been cleaned in readiness for our arrival. We called Thierry to let him know. He immediately arranged for the cleaner to come and expressed his sincere apology. We went for lunch; walked to Sorza on Ile Saint Louis to make a dinner reservation for Saturday; and picked up a few groceries at Carrefour.

Back at the Fleur de Lys, everything was clean, tidy & set up for our stay. Much better! We unpacked and settled in.

Thierry arrived about 5pm. We got our compulsory training on how to operate the combination washer/dryer, air conditioner and TV. We had already connected to the internet. We had done this before in 2012 when we stayed in Abelard apartment, one floor below. We remembered how Thierry's explanation made our heads spin! This time, it was more like a review. We were good to go! We settled up our payment and said our good byes. The Fleur de Lys was ours for the next 10 nights!

We went out to pick up some take-away for dinner to heat up later when we were hungry. We were in for the evening - perfect!

A few statistics:

>It was about 29 degrees Celsius in Paris today. We put away all our long sleeve tops & jeans. It was time for the summer clothes of which we brought just a few!

>There are 63 steps from the ground floor to our apartment! We learned to negotiate these steps ... slowly & carefully!