Belgian Beer & British theatre in Bruges

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After a 4 hour coach and local bus trip we walked with our luggage to the Bauhaus hostel, where after we had booked in, had the chance to use the local laundrette located next door and the internet café. We then all agreed to meet up in the hostel’s pub to sample some of the local beers (and there’s plenty to choose from) and our first Belgian meal. This for me consisted of a chicken casserole type meal along with their famous French fries. I then proceeded to explore the extensive range of STONG beers!!! Which led to a great night helped along by good music and an impromptu dance with Roxy, finally hitting the sack around 2ish.

The following morning after breakfast our Hungarian leader Eniko took us to the market square to meet up with Mieke for the Bruges and Damme bike tour. After we selected our Simpson’s named bikes, we took the canal path out of Bruges toward Damme. On the way we were given an insight into the history of the two towns, windmills, black dogs, plus a ‘degree’ level coarse on the different types of cows we saw on the way?! The tour was great fun and our experience was enhanced by Mieke’s perchance to get into arguments with many of the locals including the café waitress and local car driver. At the café we all enjoyed Belgian Waffles with chocolate sauce, French fries and a hot chocolate drink whilst sheltering from a light shower.

The afternoon I had to myself where I took in some of the sights, sounds and flavours of Bruges, to include the original chocolate shop where I sampled a taste of the local delicacy. We all agreed to meet up mat the market square clock tower at 6.30pm to find somewhere to eat together. After rejecting a number to more expensive restaurants we found a place over looking a pretty market square (which was being set up for an outside performance of the Magic Flute in a few days time) which sold mussels another Bruges delicacy. I choose the pickled herring as a starter and rabbit stew in a dark beer gravy with apple sauce for main which was delicious.

During the evening Eniko and I agreed to meet up to go along to the local English speaking Theatre, a production company set up in Bruges a few years ago by a young English actress inside a former town centre cinema. They put on a different production every ten days and this particular night was their first night of a new show called Women of the World, which was consisted of a number of monologues performed by three actresses depicting the lives of famous men’s wife’s, ranging from Mrs Darwin to Queen Kong. Although some of the ideas were a bit silly it was still quite good fun and it was nice to spend some time with Eniko.

We bumped into the rest of the gang on the way back and after a quick drink at the hostel we all had an earlier night. Bruges was done.

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Photos

Michaelangelo's madona in the church of our lady
One of the few Michaelangelo statues to be exported out of Italy during his life time.