Prelogue - Basingstoke's trip report, Paris, Brugge, and beyond.
May 16th, 2008, 11:43 AM
#1
Original Poster
Prelogue - Basingstoke's trip report, Paris, Brugge, and beyond.
Just back last night from 40th anniversary trip with Mi Chica to Paris, Brugge, Antwerp, Haarlem and environs.
April 29th found us chilling out at JFK waiting to board our on time flight. Why JFK for a pair of Marylanders? Put that down to FF availability. People around us in the waiting area are speaking French and I even understand a few words. A good sign!
We pull away from the gate on schedule but are #21 on line to take off and I face my first crisis of decision. Do I take my ambien now or wait until dinner. I tried one the week before and it seemed to work. Always a man of compromise, I decide to take it with the beverage service.
I am told that dinner was chicken and rice. I am told that I ate it. I am told that I thought it was good. My ambien night passes quickly. Mi Chica who is keeps her body pure and does not approve of sleeping help wakes me over the English Channel and I write these notes.
An RER transfer and quick metro ride and we easily find our vacioninparis apartment building. It is apartment #176 at 95 Rue Sebastopol just steps (88, I counted them) from the Reumur Sebastopol station. The code works and we are in, happily noting the soon to be visited Monoprix in the same building. Is that convenient or what? The neighborhood looks ok and actually a bit better than I expected. Up to the sixth floor and we guess at which may be the apartment since the number was not in sight. The key fits! thus no embarassing encounter with a neighbor wondering who is fiddling with his door. We enter.
The apartment looks pretty much like the pictures. A small studio about 24'X 12' in size and clean. It has a usable kitchen, small table with 2 mismatched chairs but nice dishes and utensils including a cork screw for our welcoming bottle of wine as advertised. The bathroom is of decent size with a shower THAT HAS A DOOR. My fondest hope realized. The bed is comfortable. There are only 2 sets of towels to last 5 nights. Using the included washing machine for the towels will not be practical because there is no dryer. VacationinParis told us this in advance so we were prepared. Did we bring our own towels? You bet. Were they bulky? No. We had bought a couple of microfleece towels at the auto department at Target. Much cheaper than the ones in the camping stores, light, not bulky, and they dry very quickly. All in all, the apartment is comfortable and a great value at what had become 64 Euro per night due to the declining dollar since VinP is paid in dollars in advance. Did I mention that the apartment also had wi-fi and free local and north american phone service?
The weather is pretty cool with on and off rain but now it is nice. The first thing we want to do is find the Montorgueil Market. It is only 4 very short blocks away (under 500 steps, I counted 'em)and we love this place. Looking for a light lunch we browse the market noting the location of Stohrer's for later bread and pastry indulgence. There are lots of food shops of every kind, restaurants, cafes, etc. We notice a small place that seems popular with a 7-9 euro buffet with lots of salads that perfectly suit Mi almost vegetarian Chica. She has a vegetable soup and nice salad. I have a bowl of a lovely pea soup and salad. Everything was fresh and excellent. Total expenditure, 14 Euro for lunch, not too bad.
Off we go exploring.
Next, 5 days in Paris starting off freezing, ending up frying.
April 29th found us chilling out at JFK waiting to board our on time flight. Why JFK for a pair of Marylanders? Put that down to FF availability. People around us in the waiting area are speaking French and I even understand a few words. A good sign!
We pull away from the gate on schedule but are #21 on line to take off and I face my first crisis of decision. Do I take my ambien now or wait until dinner. I tried one the week before and it seemed to work. Always a man of compromise, I decide to take it with the beverage service.
I am told that dinner was chicken and rice. I am told that I ate it. I am told that I thought it was good. My ambien night passes quickly. Mi Chica who is keeps her body pure and does not approve of sleeping help wakes me over the English Channel and I write these notes.
An RER transfer and quick metro ride and we easily find our vacioninparis apartment building. It is apartment #176 at 95 Rue Sebastopol just steps (88, I counted them) from the Reumur Sebastopol station. The code works and we are in, happily noting the soon to be visited Monoprix in the same building. Is that convenient or what? The neighborhood looks ok and actually a bit better than I expected. Up to the sixth floor and we guess at which may be the apartment since the number was not in sight. The key fits! thus no embarassing encounter with a neighbor wondering who is fiddling with his door. We enter.
The apartment looks pretty much like the pictures. A small studio about 24'X 12' in size and clean. It has a usable kitchen, small table with 2 mismatched chairs but nice dishes and utensils including a cork screw for our welcoming bottle of wine as advertised. The bathroom is of decent size with a shower THAT HAS A DOOR. My fondest hope realized. The bed is comfortable. There are only 2 sets of towels to last 5 nights. Using the included washing machine for the towels will not be practical because there is no dryer. VacationinParis told us this in advance so we were prepared. Did we bring our own towels? You bet. Were they bulky? No. We had bought a couple of microfleece towels at the auto department at Target. Much cheaper than the ones in the camping stores, light, not bulky, and they dry very quickly. All in all, the apartment is comfortable and a great value at what had become 64 Euro per night due to the declining dollar since VinP is paid in dollars in advance. Did I mention that the apartment also had wi-fi and free local and north american phone service?
The weather is pretty cool with on and off rain but now it is nice. The first thing we want to do is find the Montorgueil Market. It is only 4 very short blocks away (under 500 steps, I counted 'em)and we love this place. Looking for a light lunch we browse the market noting the location of Stohrer's for later bread and pastry indulgence. There are lots of food shops of every kind, restaurants, cafes, etc. We notice a small place that seems popular with a 7-9 euro buffet with lots of salads that perfectly suit Mi almost vegetarian Chica. She has a vegetable soup and nice salad. I have a bowl of a lovely pea soup and salad. Everything was fresh and excellent. Total expenditure, 14 Euro for lunch, not too bad.
Off we go exploring.
Next, 5 days in Paris starting off freezing, ending up frying.
May 17th, 2008, 12:06 PM
#4
Original Poster
A word of explanation. During my active duty years, I had the opportunity to fly on Air Force and Navy flights on a space available basis and take my immediate family members with me. Mi Chica did not care for the uncertainty of space A so I used the system to take my kids on individual trips to Europe. Thus, I had been to Paris a number of times
but for her, it was her second time since our honeymoon in '68.
We started with an introductory Paris walk on our first day. It was cold but the rains were holding off for awhile. Down Blvd Sebastopol toward Notre Dame and an exploration of the cathedral its environs. That was enough for a first day and we metroed back to our apartment and hit the market for some dinner goodies.
We were a bit concerned about the next day - May 1. Would things be open? May 1 dawned and I made my first early morning walk to the Montorgueil market for our morning croissants from Stohrers. We also tried other croissants from other nearby places. All were far better than what is available at home but those from Stohrers were exceptional. That morning croissant run became the highlight of myh Paris stay - getting there as the market came to life is a feeling that can't easily be described.
No problem on Mayday. Everything we were interested in was open since we had not planned on museums for that day anyway. We walked, walked , and walked some more all through the Marais. Bus up the Champs Elysees , walk to the Eiffel Tower in a cold rain and bus half way back getting off near the Louvre and walking from there to our vegetarian find restaurant. More about that later.
Next - you want veggies? We got veggies. A vegetarian's dream.
but for her, it was her second time since our honeymoon in '68.
We started with an introductory Paris walk on our first day. It was cold but the rains were holding off for awhile. Down Blvd Sebastopol toward Notre Dame and an exploration of the cathedral its environs. That was enough for a first day and we metroed back to our apartment and hit the market for some dinner goodies.
We were a bit concerned about the next day - May 1. Would things be open? May 1 dawned and I made my first early morning walk to the Montorgueil market for our morning croissants from Stohrers. We also tried other croissants from other nearby places. All were far better than what is available at home but those from Stohrers were exceptional. That morning croissant run became the highlight of myh Paris stay - getting there as the market came to life is a feeling that can't easily be described.
No problem on Mayday. Everything we were interested in was open since we had not planned on museums for that day anyway. We walked, walked , and walked some more all through the Marais. Bus up the Champs Elysees , walk to the Eiffel Tower in a cold rain and bus half way back getting off near the Louvre and walking from there to our vegetarian find restaurant. More about that later.
Next - you want veggies? We got veggies. A vegetarian's dream.
May 18th, 2008, 05:48 AM
#5
Original Poster
We had planned to use our Vedettes du Pont-Neuf tickets pre-purchased at a good discount over the internet early in our stay but the cool blustery weather was just not quite right although periods of sunshine gave promise of things to come.
The end of our second day set us off in search of Les Cinq Saveurs d' Amada, a vegetarian restaurant about which we heard some good things. It was quite an uphill hike on Rue Cardinal-Lemone to #72 that turned out to be very near Rue Mouffetard. The hike was most worthwhile. On the way I spotted a fruit at a stand that looked very much like one that I had enjoyed in the middle-east called shesik. The shop keeper called it what sounded like "neffel." We bought a half kilo with great anticiipation, however although good, they were not shesik.
Les Cinq Saveurs d' Amada is not a 100% vegetarian place since there are a few items from the sea on the menu. On the whole though, they specialize in vegetarian and vegan dishes and they are wonderful. I had the setan dish that came with mounds of other vegetarian items and Mi Chica had similar but with tempeh. We shared and both dishes were full of flavor, fresh, used quality ingredients and were plentiful in quantity. The restaurant itself is simple, bright and cheery. Service was quick and friendly. There were several families eating there. All in all, one of the finer vegetarian restaurants I have been to. The bill including tea came to about 30 euro for both. We can heartily recommend this place for the vegetarians out there.
Afterwards, a stroll to see the evening pleasures of a lively Rue Mouffetard and a walk down to and along Blvd St. Germain until our feet hollered "no more."
Metro home - with an apartment we quickly came to call it home- to try some of that wine that came with the apartment (a nice Cotes du Rhone) and some pastry bought earlier in the day from Stohrer.
Next - you are my sunshine
The end of our second day set us off in search of Les Cinq Saveurs d' Amada, a vegetarian restaurant about which we heard some good things. It was quite an uphill hike on Rue Cardinal-Lemone to #72 that turned out to be very near Rue Mouffetard. The hike was most worthwhile. On the way I spotted a fruit at a stand that looked very much like one that I had enjoyed in the middle-east called shesik. The shop keeper called it what sounded like "neffel." We bought a half kilo with great anticiipation, however although good, they were not shesik.
Les Cinq Saveurs d' Amada is not a 100% vegetarian place since there are a few items from the sea on the menu. On the whole though, they specialize in vegetarian and vegan dishes and they are wonderful. I had the setan dish that came with mounds of other vegetarian items and Mi Chica had similar but with tempeh. We shared and both dishes were full of flavor, fresh, used quality ingredients and were plentiful in quantity. The restaurant itself is simple, bright and cheery. Service was quick and friendly. There were several families eating there. All in all, one of the finer vegetarian restaurants I have been to. The bill including tea came to about 30 euro for both. We can heartily recommend this place for the vegetarians out there.
Afterwards, a stroll to see the evening pleasures of a lively Rue Mouffetard and a walk down to and along Blvd St. Germain until our feet hollered "no more."
Metro home - with an apartment we quickly came to call it home- to try some of that wine that came with the apartment (a nice Cotes du Rhone) and some pastry bought earlier in the day from Stohrer.
Next - you are my sunshine
May 18th, 2008, 02:54 PM
#6
Original Poster
The sun has finally come out and we anticipate our first warm day. Our plan had been to go to Giverny on the first nice day - a trip that had been a dream for years.
Following is a previous post about our experience getting to Giverny that I had sent from Paris.
<After a picnic lunch, I wrote some notes for this post sitting in the Jardin du Luxembourg. We are facing the fountain in the pool. The Eiffel Tower is in the background and the
Senat is to our right. Everything is in full bloom-the fragrance is intoxicating, a feast for the senses.
This, our third day in Paris has been the first with really nice weather since we arrived. Until now it has rained each day with cold winds, yet every so often, a short period of sunshine to tease us with a promise of things to come.
This morning began on a bad omen. Our original plan was to go to Giverny on the first nice day, so off we went to Gare S. Lazare. There was quite a line at the ticket window so we split up - Mi Chica to wait on line and me to try my luck with the ticketing machine. She reached the window at the exact moment I inserted my credit card. Not needing 4 tickets today, I waved her over and as she reached my side it was just in time to see the dreaded can't read card notice. That is when I learned that the ticket machines will not take a magnetic strip card. Bummer! (do folks still say that?) No
Giverny for us today.
We decided to learn this lesson and headed over to Gare du Nord to pick up our pre-paid tickets to Brugge now instead of waiting for early Monday morning when we leave. While at the Gare, we picked up tickets for a Saturday Giverny trip so all is well that ends well.We even saved 8 Euro on the Saturday ticket.>
To continue anew - I have always felt that things happen for the best and our misadventure on our original try for Giverny fits that thought. Saturday's weather was even better than Friday's. The trip was quick and easy and the gardens were even more than I had hoped for. Being able to stand at the places where Monet had painted and recognize the scenes was a special thrill. This place is one that should not be missed. We left on a high that would last for days.
On Sunday after a delightful morning at the Musee d'Orsey we visited Rue Cler to see what the fuss is all about and compare it to Rue Montorgueil. I was surprised to find it pretty much a dead zone - nothing much was open other than restaurants. Rue Montorgueil on the other had was quite lively with a number of places open. We had our last dinner in Paris at the Cafe Montorgueil and it was a fitting end to this part of our trip. I had a terrific duck dish and Mi Chica had the restaurants special salad that was a mix of salad greens, roasted veggies and a type of sliced meat that was similar to prosciutto that she passed onto my plate. I highly recommend this cafe. Total cost about 30 Euro. Monday, off to Brugge.
Question: What takes longer - JFK to CDG or Paris to Brugge?
Following is a previous post about our experience getting to Giverny that I had sent from Paris.
<After a picnic lunch, I wrote some notes for this post sitting in the Jardin du Luxembourg. We are facing the fountain in the pool. The Eiffel Tower is in the background and the
Senat is to our right. Everything is in full bloom-the fragrance is intoxicating, a feast for the senses.
This, our third day in Paris has been the first with really nice weather since we arrived. Until now it has rained each day with cold winds, yet every so often, a short period of sunshine to tease us with a promise of things to come.
This morning began on a bad omen. Our original plan was to go to Giverny on the first nice day, so off we went to Gare S. Lazare. There was quite a line at the ticket window so we split up - Mi Chica to wait on line and me to try my luck with the ticketing machine. She reached the window at the exact moment I inserted my credit card. Not needing 4 tickets today, I waved her over and as she reached my side it was just in time to see the dreaded can't read card notice. That is when I learned that the ticket machines will not take a magnetic strip card. Bummer! (do folks still say that?) No
Giverny for us today.
We decided to learn this lesson and headed over to Gare du Nord to pick up our pre-paid tickets to Brugge now instead of waiting for early Monday morning when we leave. While at the Gare, we picked up tickets for a Saturday Giverny trip so all is well that ends well.We even saved 8 Euro on the Saturday ticket.>
To continue anew - I have always felt that things happen for the best and our misadventure on our original try for Giverny fits that thought. Saturday's weather was even better than Friday's. The trip was quick and easy and the gardens were even more than I had hoped for. Being able to stand at the places where Monet had painted and recognize the scenes was a special thrill. This place is one that should not be missed. We left on a high that would last for days.
On Sunday after a delightful morning at the Musee d'Orsey we visited Rue Cler to see what the fuss is all about and compare it to Rue Montorgueil. I was surprised to find it pretty much a dead zone - nothing much was open other than restaurants. Rue Montorgueil on the other had was quite lively with a number of places open. We had our last dinner in Paris at the Cafe Montorgueil and it was a fitting end to this part of our trip. I had a terrific duck dish and Mi Chica had the restaurants special salad that was a mix of salad greens, roasted veggies and a type of sliced meat that was similar to prosciutto that she passed onto my plate. I highly recommend this cafe. Total cost about 30 Euro. Monday, off to Brugge.
Question: What takes longer - JFK to CDG or Paris to Brugge?
May 18th, 2008, 04:43 PM
#8
Original Poster
No, it is "Cozy Right Bank." The apartment is on the top floor and catches the morning sun. It is quite bright. I wonder if it may be too hot in the summer though. With the windows closed it is quiet, but if they are open, well, Blvd Sebastopol is pretty busy. Still, at the price it is a great deal and we were comfortable there. The building is a nice one and convenient.
May 19th, 2008, 09:30 AM
#11
Original Poster
So, what takes longer, JFK to CDG or Paris to Brugge? Going by our experience, it was Paris to Brugge.
We bought our tickets over the internet through the Thaly site although it was a SNCF train, specifying a change in Lille. The price was right and the time was to be about 21/2 hours. The catch was a six minute window to change trains in Lille. I questioned that short time to change trains when we picked up our tickets at the station in Paris on the Friday before our Monday departure. I was assured that 6 minutes was more than enough time to make the change at Lille. I did not really believe that, but hey, those are the people who are supposed to know these things. I should not have listened.
We were in plenty of time for our 7:58 departure and the train left on time. BTW, it was a very comfortable train as many trains in France are. We were speeding along just fine when the train slowed down not far from Lille, creeping into the station nearly 15 minutes late. Needless to say, our connection had left. The kind young lady at the ticket window explained that since it was Monday, the fast train that would have been at 10 AM did not run, but there was a another train about a 1/2 hour after that and we were re-routed. The train we were now to take required another change. We walked around, saw some of Lille that was near the station, returned and awaited our track number to be posted. About 20 minutes before the train was to depart it was posted as track 11 so there we went. The train was already there and we boarded. I do not know what track our original connection was to be, but if was anywhere near track 11, six minutes would not have been enough even if our train from Paris had been on time. The train left at about its appointed time, actually a couple of minutes late according to my watch. Our car was mostly empty. My first indication that something was amiss was when we arrived at our first station and it wasn't the station that I expected. I found the conductor and he confirmed that we (and as it turned out some others) were on the wrong train. Not to worry, just get off the train at the next station and wait for one back to Lille. He wrote a nice note on our ticket to explain the situation to our next conductor. We hung around the next station for quite awhile, took the next train to Lille and hours after leaving Lille were back. We had plenty of time for lunch in Lille before our direct train to Brugge arriving after 3PM.
The good part of this? We saw a bit of Lille and met a very nice couple from Canada on the Lille - Brugge leg of the journey that we obviously would not have met otherwise. Other couple if you are fodorites and out there - we enjoyed your company on the train and when we ran into you again in Brugge.
Lesson learned - trust your gut when it comes to connection times.
We bought our tickets over the internet through the Thaly site although it was a SNCF train, specifying a change in Lille. The price was right and the time was to be about 21/2 hours. The catch was a six minute window to change trains in Lille. I questioned that short time to change trains when we picked up our tickets at the station in Paris on the Friday before our Monday departure. I was assured that 6 minutes was more than enough time to make the change at Lille. I did not really believe that, but hey, those are the people who are supposed to know these things. I should not have listened.
We were in plenty of time for our 7:58 departure and the train left on time. BTW, it was a very comfortable train as many trains in France are. We were speeding along just fine when the train slowed down not far from Lille, creeping into the station nearly 15 minutes late. Needless to say, our connection had left. The kind young lady at the ticket window explained that since it was Monday, the fast train that would have been at 10 AM did not run, but there was a another train about a 1/2 hour after that and we were re-routed. The train we were now to take required another change. We walked around, saw some of Lille that was near the station, returned and awaited our track number to be posted. About 20 minutes before the train was to depart it was posted as track 11 so there we went. The train was already there and we boarded. I do not know what track our original connection was to be, but if was anywhere near track 11, six minutes would not have been enough even if our train from Paris had been on time. The train left at about its appointed time, actually a couple of minutes late according to my watch. Our car was mostly empty. My first indication that something was amiss was when we arrived at our first station and it wasn't the station that I expected. I found the conductor and he confirmed that we (and as it turned out some others) were on the wrong train. Not to worry, just get off the train at the next station and wait for one back to Lille. He wrote a nice note on our ticket to explain the situation to our next conductor. We hung around the next station for quite awhile, took the next train to Lille and hours after leaving Lille were back. We had plenty of time for lunch in Lille before our direct train to Brugge arriving after 3PM.
The good part of this? We saw a bit of Lille and met a very nice couple from Canada on the Lille - Brugge leg of the journey that we obviously would not have met otherwise. Other couple if you are fodorites and out there - we enjoyed your company on the train and when we ran into you again in Brugge.
Lesson learned - trust your gut when it comes to connection times.
May 19th, 2008, 12:08 PM
#14
Original Poster
Brugge, Bruges, depends who you talk to. I will use Brugge out of respect for fodorite jeepeegee. More about that later when we get to Antwerp.
We arrive in Brugge and after Mi Chica consulting her Garmin Nuvi for the best route to our B&B, I lose patience and make the executive decision to split a taxi with our new Canadian friends. We are delivered to the Burg and find our way to our respective residences using the Garmin for directions. More about the Garmin in another post but it took about 20 minutes and a lap of the neighborhood to get to Lut and Bruno Setola's B&B. We found later that it would be less than a five minute walk from that point.
I had some trepidation about this choice of B&Bs. See the Trip Advisor reviews and you will understand. No place can be that good. But, it was!! A beautiful home on a quiet street with some lovely stained glass, large, spotless and comfortable room with beamed ceiling, ensuite bath and vivacious, gracious hostess, all for 65 Euro including what turned out to be a varied and fine breakfast.
Lut Setola runs a great 3 bedroom B&B and I can't think of anything negative about it. Well, maybe two things. The rooms are all on the top floor so that means 3 flights of stairs, but that was no problem for our senior bones conditioned by hours of daily walking in Paris. Also, breakfast is served directly outside the rooms, so if you are the type that sleeps in and some quiet conversation outside your door disturbs you, you may be annoyed. Again, that was no problem for us. There were two friendly young couples from Australia in the other rooms.
The B&B's rooms are the Red Room, Lilac Room and Orange Room. All are of good size and the Orange Room has a loft that is perfect for two kids. We were in the Red Room and it was bright and cheery. Men beware! The Red Room's bath has a beam that is placed in a way that shall we say requires a postural change when using the necessary in a standing position.
We took an exploratory walk around the environs, stopped at a cafe near the fish market for a dinner that other than its price was less than memorable and continued on my picture taking spree. I was amazed that my new for the trip Panasonic FZ18 was still working since I had dropped it to the pavement with lens extended on the way to Montmarte in Paris, slightly denting the lens housing. Other than now not being able to screw in filters and such, all still functioned as new. Returning to the Grote Markt we took in the night scene and headed back to the Red Room to recover.
Next: THE place to eat in Brugge and a homemaking find.
We arrive in Brugge and after Mi Chica consulting her Garmin Nuvi for the best route to our B&B, I lose patience and make the executive decision to split a taxi with our new Canadian friends. We are delivered to the Burg and find our way to our respective residences using the Garmin for directions. More about the Garmin in another post but it took about 20 minutes and a lap of the neighborhood to get to Lut and Bruno Setola's B&B. We found later that it would be less than a five minute walk from that point.
I had some trepidation about this choice of B&Bs. See the Trip Advisor reviews and you will understand. No place can be that good. But, it was!! A beautiful home on a quiet street with some lovely stained glass, large, spotless and comfortable room with beamed ceiling, ensuite bath and vivacious, gracious hostess, all for 65 Euro including what turned out to be a varied and fine breakfast.
Lut Setola runs a great 3 bedroom B&B and I can't think of anything negative about it. Well, maybe two things. The rooms are all on the top floor so that means 3 flights of stairs, but that was no problem for our senior bones conditioned by hours of daily walking in Paris. Also, breakfast is served directly outside the rooms, so if you are the type that sleeps in and some quiet conversation outside your door disturbs you, you may be annoyed. Again, that was no problem for us. There were two friendly young couples from Australia in the other rooms.
The B&B's rooms are the Red Room, Lilac Room and Orange Room. All are of good size and the Orange Room has a loft that is perfect for two kids. We were in the Red Room and it was bright and cheery. Men beware! The Red Room's bath has a beam that is placed in a way that shall we say requires a postural change when using the necessary in a standing position.
We took an exploratory walk around the environs, stopped at a cafe near the fish market for a dinner that other than its price was less than memorable and continued on my picture taking spree. I was amazed that my new for the trip Panasonic FZ18 was still working since I had dropped it to the pavement with lens extended on the way to Montmarte in Paris, slightly denting the lens housing. Other than now not being able to screw in filters and such, all still functioned as new. Returning to the Grote Markt we took in the night scene and headed back to the Red Room to recover.
Next: THE place to eat in Brugge and a homemaking find.
May 20th, 2008, 09:46 AM
#17
Original Poster
First, I must say that Lut Setola sets a fine breakfast table at her B&B. Fresh squeezed orange juice, fruit, yogurts, breads, croissants, meat, cheese, jams - you get the picture. Unique also at this B&B is a self service refrigerator with bottles of water @ .60 euro and a variety of beers including cerise (yum) and dark (also yum) as well as sodas at 1 euro all on the honor system. There is also a basket of fruit for the guests - no charge as well as a jar of candy.
Drum roll please. Our best meal in Brugge was not in a restaurant but a picnic. Den Gouden Karpel (Golden Carp) is one of Brugge's finest restaurants with prices to match. It is located in the little square behind the Vismarkt(fishmarket). However, in the Vismarkt square itself is a small take out shop also called Den Gouden Karpel so I would think there is a connection with the restaurant. The take out had prepared picnic containers filled with a nice sized portion of baked salmon, herring, tiny shrimp, tiny potatoes and veggies with mayo on the side. The young lady in the shop directed us to a nearby park and on the way we picked up a couple of beers at a grocery. We found a bench in the park and had an absolutely delicious alfresco picnic (yes I know that is redundant) made even tastier by the only 5 euro price per meal.
Wandering a bit out of the tourist areas we came across a fabric shop and in the window was just the fabric we had been searching for for our living room window treatment. Our living room furniture is Victorian, inherited from my grandparents. It was old when they bought it about 1922. This was just the right fabric for this style. The price was good and calculating whether or not we could fit 6 meters of it in our suitcase we determined that it would be possible, so now we have the perfect valances. Aah, the serindipity of travel.
Later that evening, we walked out to the Windmills and ran into the couple from Canada that we met on the train to Brugge and had a pleasant round of beers at a nearby cafe. We had the cerise and the framboise beers. The waitress giggled and informed us that these are beers for ladies. Not being men whose masculinity is challenged by choice of beer, we ordered them anyway. Delicious.
Drum roll please. Our best meal in Brugge was not in a restaurant but a picnic. Den Gouden Karpel (Golden Carp) is one of Brugge's finest restaurants with prices to match. It is located in the little square behind the Vismarkt(fishmarket). However, in the Vismarkt square itself is a small take out shop also called Den Gouden Karpel so I would think there is a connection with the restaurant. The take out had prepared picnic containers filled with a nice sized portion of baked salmon, herring, tiny shrimp, tiny potatoes and veggies with mayo on the side. The young lady in the shop directed us to a nearby park and on the way we picked up a couple of beers at a grocery. We found a bench in the park and had an absolutely delicious alfresco picnic (yes I know that is redundant) made even tastier by the only 5 euro price per meal.
Wandering a bit out of the tourist areas we came across a fabric shop and in the window was just the fabric we had been searching for for our living room window treatment. Our living room furniture is Victorian, inherited from my grandparents. It was old when they bought it about 1922. This was just the right fabric for this style. The price was good and calculating whether or not we could fit 6 meters of it in our suitcase we determined that it would be possible, so now we have the perfect valances. Aah, the serindipity of travel.
Later that evening, we walked out to the Windmills and ran into the couple from Canada that we met on the train to Brugge and had a pleasant round of beers at a nearby cafe. We had the cerise and the framboise beers. The waitress giggled and informed us that these are beers for ladies. Not being men whose masculinity is challenged by choice of beer, we ordered them anyway. Delicious.
May 20th, 2008, 11:20 AM
#18
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Was the fabric shop on Smedenstraat by any chance? It's on the "other" side of t'Zand, where the number of tourists rapidly plummets and it has several home furnishings and cookware shops, charcuteries, etc.
Did the couple from Canada check out the "Canadian" bridge with the buffalo sculptures? FYI, once you cross over that bridge, there is more good non-touristy and well-priced shopping.
Did the couple from Canada check out the "Canadian" bridge with the buffalo sculptures? FYI, once you cross over that bridge, there is more good non-touristy and well-priced shopping.
May 20th, 2008, 03:19 PM
#20
Original Poster
BTilke, I believe the fabric shop was on Jozef Suveestraat. It had fabrics in front and a Velux showroom in back. If our Canadian aquaintences saw the bridge, they did not mention it. It doesn't sound like anything that we saw, but then we did not always know the names of many of the things we saw.
