Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Quick report on trip in progress

I have some wacky jet lag, so I am goint to post a quick report and hope it makes me sleepy!

Flights from LAX-JFK-Brussels very easy. LAX-NYC I had an exit row plus an empty seat next to me! JFK-BRU I totally konked out due to the miracle of Ambien. Last thing I remembered was seeing the sun set over the Empire State Bldg from the runway and then all of a sudden we were flying over England !!

I managed to navigate the train to Brussels Central when I stored my luggage for a few hours and visited the Grand Place and the Mannikin Pis, of course! He was naked yesterday and, alas, the museum housing his 600 piece wardrobe was closed. So I did the next best thing--bought a deck of his playing cards! I had a wonderful Greek lunch and bought a soft wool scarf as it was chilly and rainy.

I got myself on the train which I thought was headed straight to Bruge; I was misinformed or most likely I misunderstood as this train did not stop in Bruge! In Ghent I hopped off and managed to jump right on an express to Bruge where at the station I violated my own personal no-taxi rule as I was staggering about with jet lag after traveling for almost 24 hours. The Hotel Prinsenhof is down a tiny alley, the cabbie knew exactly where to go.

The Prisenhof is an oasis for a weary traveler. The rooms was charming, well appointed, the bathroom was luxurious and had a skylight wih light streaming in all day. Black out curtains allowed me to sleep til 11AM the first day ! The staff is extremely helpful and pleasant. The turn down services is decadent: chocolates, soft music, clean towels will greet you have a day of pounding the cobblestones.

Which is what I did, I walked for miles without using a map. There are so many crooked alleys and mysterious passageways. The canal ride was fun, so many lovely scenes. The horse carriages and bicyclists add to the charm. I loved the cafes in the Markt Square, very cozy at night. During the day the town is abuzz with visitors (not too many Amerians it seems) but at nght Bruges is nearly deserted.

I loved the chocolate shops, had to take fotos of the massive chocolate bosoms. ALso the pommes frites are to die for here.

The summer solstice is due soon. It is light until about 10:15 PM this week! And dawn arrives early. Makes it hard to get enough sleep, I suppose I can catch up when I get home!

I am sooo grateful several Fodorites suggested Bruge when I asked for somewhere near Brussels to visit solo for several days. It is truly one fo the most delightful places I have ever been!

No onto the sex shops, red lights, and coffeehouses of Amsterdam where I am to meet my college daughter for a few days of debauchery!

the Mobal phone: Augh! I tried to use it once and of course got the wrong number, but I had a lovely conversation with a charming lady in France using my fractured French, LOL.