Blogs from Saint-Raphael, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France, Europe - page 19

After leaving Southampton on Saturday evening, we sailed north into the North Sea bound for the port of Zeebrugge, Belgium. Our land tour for Sunday was a trip to Brugge. Brugge is a village a few miles inland from the coast and is one of Europe's best preserved medieval cities. The city received very minor damage during the war and as a result contains many very old buildings. Brugge is probably best known for it canals that ring the city. Originally dug as a city defense line they were expanded over the years. We did a walking tour and then had a boat ride along the canals. The city cobblestone streets are narrow and autos must park in a central underground garage. Bicycles are a major means of transportation within the old city and as a ... read more

Hey friends, I didn’t get lost, just been busy and with little internet connection. Where to start, where to start. Well, we had no problems with flights or luggage, so that was a relief. Annette picked us up at the airport and then the next day we (AO and I, with chauffer Pascal and friend Zahree) left for Brugge Belgium. We had lots-o-fun there, including going up a belfry tower, visiting a brewery (with free beer at the end of course), playing Frisbee in a park while the boys played sticks, eating kebabs- our new favorite Turkish food, and exploring our hostel, Charlie Rockets. We went to the coast one day and had fun looking at the water and all the weird Belsh public art. Driving back to lux was an experience because Pascal got lost ... read more

Sorry guys for the long delay of updates, and no we are not home yet :P We were in a few small cities and remote places as we got behind. But, here you go, more stories for your entertainment :D There was a beautiful part of Brugge by the Minnewater River. Lots of swans and horse and carriages trotting up and down the streets. We went to the Beguine, which is a small enclosed area where nuns live. Their houses face a small garden/lawn and it was very peaceful. It was so strange how quiet it was being in the middle of a city. We wandered the cute streets of shops before hitting the Beer Museum, De Halve Maan. We had a guided tour through the brewery and learned some interesting facts such as hops (used ... read more

Hello there. We have got to Bruges in Belgium after a mostly successful ride. We left Cardiff on Simon's birthday, 1st August and made our way to Dover in six days. This involved me getting fit fast but are now both developing good cycling muscles! Mostly things have been good. We have camped in a variety of places, including farmers fields, ministry of defence fields, beaches, sand dunes and a friend's floor. There was a major setback in Folkestone when we were staying in a very un-dodgy capsite (flowers, lots of families and caravans). In the night there was strange rustling by our tent which we put down to an over-friendly badger. However, in the morning we realised that one of Simon's panniers had been nicked, someone had actually reached into the tent and fumbled around, ... read more

David, can you smell the chocolate in the air? It's everywhere here. If you've been good to my Sarah I might bring you back some. Went out to eat after we got here for my anniversary dinner...14 years and now we're going to stuff ourselves with chocolate for the next two days. Brugge is very touristy but still maintains a medieval air. We'll hit the churches and climb the clock tower tomorrow. There'a Michelqngelo statue here too, one of the few outside Italy. Update tomorrow; GARY: Was that package in a yellow box? No big envelope yet?... read more