a day dream

Where to start with this part of the trip... Bruges was a simple romantic city. Caught between it's canals and retained medieval architecture, it was a lovely city to spend the day wandering.

Our trip began leaving London and took the train into Brussels. We had a week that we planned to spend exploring a new country, Belgium! This castle was a stop just outside Brussels on our way out. Unfortunately it was closed for a holiday when we arrived, but we could walk around outside and marvel as it's quaint beauty.

We stayed outside the charming town, in Blankenberge along the coast, and drove a quick 25 minutes to Bruges. Once there, we simply wandered around. No planning, no reservations, just enjoying the cool spring weather and each other.

This was the first day of adventures in Belgium. If you've heard anything about Bruges, it's probably how romantic it is. We had to go see for ourselves. There was a charming coffee shop that I had to visit to get my afternoon caffeine kick, The Gulliver Tree. It was so welcoming! Set inside what looked like a living room, the barista sisters who also owned the shop welcomed us in like family. We only had about 10 minutes before they closed and they still provided us a warm atmosphere and gave advice on which of their unique tea blends that Chris should try.

Around the corner were bars with pups enjoying the atmosphere. There were also lots of antique shops that we enjoyed perusing and pretending that we would own all this fancy stuff... one day when we're grown up, right?

The streets were lined with handmade lace shops and chocolate shops too, of course! It was actually quite chilly when we went so I preferred something with a bit more heat... fresh fried frites! With mayo! The traditional Belgian way!

After warming up a bit, we wandered through town and found ourselves in an open park filled with a mixture of medieval pillars and modern sculptures. If we looked to our right, there stood a magnificent view of the Catholic Church. The beauty of the dated brick on the buildings along with the mixed allure of the wild ivy was so peaceful. If there is a small path that leads to the unknown, you better bet I'm taking it. Most of the time that's how I find the best spots. The road less traveled, my friends! The beauty just awaits. 

We took that narrow path and found ourselves walking through an amazing little house that backed to the canal. The exterior was worn from hundreds of years of life. The inside had skinny doors, short overhead, and beautiful handpainted art throughout. It was being used as a gallery! The artist and his cat were just sitting in what would be a living room, by the fireplace, greeting guests as they walked through. It's so beautiful to me when buildings with so much history are revitalized. 

That's how we also stumbled upon a petite stone walking bridge. Bonifacius Bridge was so picturesque, and luckily for us we were somewhat off season so there weren't many others around. I've heard it's a main attraction to get beautiful canal views. There were many couples taking a moment to kiss as they were crossing the bridge. I guess they could just feel the romance!

We next stumbled upon this cute colorful row of restaurants, called the Markt. This was the central square area of the town. Marked by the Provincial Court and the Belfry belltower, you can't miss it. We stopped to take some photos and had a very detailed discussion about whether or not the belltower was leaning before we moved on. Looking at the photos again I swear it's crooked!

At this point we were once again tempted by some warm fresh frites, but instead found refuge from the spring chill inside a tea shop. Het Brugs Theehuis was the place to be! Many people were inside buying loose leaf teas along with colorful kettles in fun shapes. We hadn't yet purchased a souvenir and frankly weren't interested in the chocolate, so Chris picked up some tea blends and we were on our wandering way.

We meandered through some streets and mainly followed the canal to see where it would take us. We found a few breweries, one of which was recommended to us and we hadn't even planned to go there. De Halve Maan was on a smaller square that looked like it hosted lively conversations over friendly dinners in the warmer months. I couldn't get over the buildings and the facades, especially in this square. Why were the facades built with excess bricks simulating a stairway? My only guess was that it made the building look more regal than actuality, but that is just my wild guess.

We continued to roam and came across a larger canal filled with swans resting alongside. When you see a canal with swans, the picture seems surreal, straight out of a storybook am I right? Everything was so peaceful. Except our tummies, which started to notify us that it was dinnertime. We continued our walk along Minnewater, crossing at the Powder Tower into Minnewater Park. If the weather was warmer, the Park would be a lovely place to find a secluded spot for a picnic with your partner.

Our day in Bruges was completed at a whimsical restaurant, ONE. Set inside what looked like an antique home, it was the perfect end to our romantic city tour. Luckily it was off season so we could squeeze in without a reservation. We sat next to the fireplace and warmed our hands while eating delicious Vlaamse ovenschotel and of course, more frites with mayo.

Bruges was simple, small, and lovely. Definitely worth a day trip. We didn't arrive until well in the afternoon, maybe 2pm, and felt accomplished checking the city off our "been" app a few hours later, after dinner. We also went in a low season and did not do a beer or chocolate tour, we prefer to drink beer at leisure and eat chocolate whenever the craving strikes! No tour could cultivate our appreciation for those indulgences!

Thanks for reading, friends! Enjoy life's adventures.