Blogs from Bruges, West Flanders, Belgium, Europe

BRUGES, BELGIUM AND BEER TASTING I landed at Zeebrugge, port for Bruges, Belgium, for a tour entitled “Bruges and a taste of Belgian beer”. Weather was overcast in the morning but cleared up to be a beautiful day. During the 30 minute drive the guide gave small samples of the dark chocolate and milk chocolate that Belgium is famous for. When I got to this medieval city, the guide led me on a walking tour through this fantastic place. The narrow, cobblestone streets and the ancient buildings were pointed out by the guide. Highlights included the Belfry Tower and the Chapel of the Holy Blood. But after the walk I started the real adventure, Belgian beer tasting. There were 26 people in my group and we had reserved tables in the local café. The place was ... read more

Sunday, October 21, 2012 – Day 15 Lisa was suffering from a head cold so we slept in just so she could get some rest. Even though she was not 100 percent nothing was going to keep her from visiting the Frites and Chocolate Museums. The weather was chilly, about 50 degrees and the forecast called for on and off rain all day. After breakfast at a café we visited the Frites Museum, dedicated to history of the potato and how to perfectly deep-fry it into crispy fries. Sounds kind of corny but the museum was anything but. Well worth a visit especially when the weather is cold. Potatoes originated in Peru and found their way to Belgium where it was discovered that deep-frying them was the best way to enjoy potatoes. The best thing is ... read more

We all woke up with great desires to indulge in Belgium delicacies - waffles, frites and chocolate!! hit me baby! So we started at the b&b with more beautifully fresh croissants, met up with the others and went on a search for good chocolate and the starting point of the river cruise! We found both right next to each other as naturally there is a chocolate shop literally every 10 steps sometimes less! This is my kind of place! So we stocked up on chocs and boarded the very crammed wee boat. It was another nice day so it was such a nice cruise. We had pretty much seen most stuff before but it was nice and relaxing and we learnt a few more things that Chris didnt include in our tour yesterday! :) We even ... read more

I don't typically like writing "beer diaries." the last thing people want to read about is how drunk you were in a foreign country. But, it is Belgium, and what is this country well-known for? Beer, indeed! So i'm going to talk at least a little about beer. But, don't worry, i'll keep it classy. I found myself in a Belgium bar the first evening here in Bruges, and i can't think of a better place to be drinking beer. Period. Melted wax and wood panels litter the bar. The giant clock ticking backwards makes you feel like there isn't a care in the world. People are speaking English, French, Flemish, German, Spanish. It's an eclectic melting pot of people with a good buzz. Pink elephants (Delirium Beer's mascot) taunt you all over the bar, they ... read more

Well, we finally made it to Brussels after a 8 1/2 hr coach ride - which included a ferry ride from Dover, England to Belgium. Now, I usually don't mind buses, but this bus...well, it stunk. And after several hours of restless "sleep" and stinky fumes, we were glad to be able to get out on the ferry (aka cruise ship) for about 2 hrs! We have ferries in Washington. In Europe, ferries are cruise ships. They have 6 or 7 levels for cars, buses, trucks, etc, a food court and lounge/sleep area, and a floor dedicated to a casino. Whattttt?! Why don't ferries back home have sleeping areas? Well, once we got into Brussels, we definitely had a bit of a shock trying to find where it was we needed to go. Also, at that ... read more