Bruges Part 2 : Beer!

And we are back to Bruges!!  And just in time for day 4 and to join us at breakfast!  Once fed and watered, it was off to the local market in T'zand Square.  One of the largest in Europe or so they say...though I reckon everyone says that about their own local market.  I won't lie and say that it was the most outstanding market I've ever been to but I do enjoy a good market and this one generally delivered.  Lots of locals shopping around for clothes and deals and different types of food, ranging from dried sausages to ornate cakes.

Having finished at the market quicker than planned, we headed to the Benguine House which has been frozen in time since about the 18th century.  In short, the Benguine house was built by an old clergyman, with the aim of single women living together: to encourage religion and pious acts seemingly.  It's always enjoyable entering a place that has been preserved in time, even if it's for tourism, as it lets you see how everything has changed since: both physically, socially and mentally.  Sadly, the place was fairly packed (cursed Saturdays!!) but it eventually quieted down and we got to wander through the historic house in some peace, enjoying the abundant lace.

Before anyone says anything...I realise there is no lace in any of the pictures.  Finally, it was time for one of the things that I was most looking forward to: de Halvemaan Brewery tour (and a tasting of their signature beer, Bruges Zot).  Having booked ahead, we turned up and became part of a massive group that was thankfully split into two.  If you drink beer, and haven't already, I would really recommend that you take a tour wherever you can, as it really opens your eyes about beer.  For example, did you realise that hops are from the same family as Cannabis and that's part of the reason for 'good beer feelings'? Me neither! 

After seeing the modern brewery, we then got to see the old brewery where everything in sight seemingly had to have somebody crawl inside and clean them.  Surely not the toile...nah, that would be silly!  Joking aside, we got a great tour guide who knew what she was talking about and wasn't afraid to talk about other beers as well, to help give you a really good picture of the beer process.

 

After we drank a well-earned Blonde Bruges Zot, we headed off to 'de Buhne', a well-received (and rare) vegetarian restaurant in Bruges.  Being promptly turned away as they were shutting early, it was then off to the Duvelrium for a less exciting lunch plan, which involved a beer taster plate and a rather massive plate of cheese cubes and breadsticks...not quite what I expected when we ordered a cheese plate but oh well.

With a spring in our step despite the poor cheese plate (thank you, good beer feelings), we headed off to the folklore museum for a whimsical museum detailing myths and legends.  Whoops.  Turns out something was lost in translation and it turned out to be a museum detailing the lives of different careers from historic Bruges.  Not our best day.  Still, it was interesting enough to see the different lives with the various models, though perhaps the best bit was being rather surprised by the cat model actually being alive.  It is a bit startling when a model turns and glares at you for waking it up.  The museum also had an interesting section on an old fencing club that had begun in around the 15th century that was still around today, but overall, a bit of a letdown.

Finish with the museum and with it being wet and cold, we did the only thing we could and went to the highest rated waffle shop in Bruges that was probably the most expensive as well.  Here we were treated to the biggest waffle we had ever seen: it was so large, we had to split one between two!  I fully regret not taking a picture of it, as it covered the entire plate.  To wash it down, we ordered two hot chocolates which were spectacular.  Basically, you were given a glass of steamed milk and an ornate chocolate flower filled with chocolate curls that you then drop into the milk and watch it melt.  It tasted pretty good as well, which is a bonus (or you know, the main reason for ordering hot chocolate - Ed).

The rest of the rain filled afternoon involved some present buying and then some packing as we left the next day.  The night ended with the two of us romantically (or so I think) sharing some Frittes under the Belfry arch that we bought from a stall (which is the traditional place to get them).  As we arrived into day 5, I made a secret vow not to eat any frittes/chips again for a very, very long time.

Day 5 sees us checking out from the hotel with heavy hearts, although our day was far from over, as our flight was late at night.  Leaving our bags at the hotel, we headed for a rather interesting start to the day: a newly opened Historic torture museum.  This was a rather graphic start to the day but it did have perhaps the most involved museum curator I've seen.  Here he was, wandering up and down the exhibits talking people through various items and paintings, with a smile on his face.  One of the most interesting aspect of the museum was the section detailing the gradual abolishment of torture for various countries, and highlighting how evolving morality affected this

Having had our fill of medieval torture, possibly for a lifetime, we went to the beer museum (yes, I know) that was, for me anyway, the biggest surprise of the trip, by how good it really was.  It was also a good example of how technology can be used effectively in a museum as well.  From the start, you're given a tablet and headphones that you use to scan the exhibits.  Once scanned, you are given a variety of options e.g. listen to a narrator; read the text; or view various picture.  It really allowed for a lot of information (based on the history of beer) to be held within a small building.  Then on the second floor, you get to wander around some old beer vats that gave you the option to handle different ingredients for beer, and smell and touch them (I refrained from tasting).  Altogether, this was a really great museum experience.  Whilst I admit that it would have been nice to have more physical exhibits, rather than just the technology, the museum combated this with the upstairs section. 

Plus at the end, you're given 3 different tastings unlike the one from the brewery. In addition, the bar had over ten different drafts (including one which has only had 1000L brewed and was delicious) that you could try.  And my favourite thing? Rather than having the tasting at the same time, you're actually given three beer tokens so you could come and go as you please.

With a couple of beer tokens in our pockets, we headed off to De Buhne for round two but had to leave as they don't serve the vegetarian menu on a Sunday!  Gah!  Oh well, it's a good excuse to go back.  Our remaining time in Bruges was spent mixed between getting presents for people, wandering around the square for one last time and spending our beer tokens.  This flurry of last minute activity resulted in trying a rather unique beer that had been aged for two years in a wine barrel and in buying one of the best Easter eggs I've seen, stuffed with mini egg truffles.

All too soon (pretty sure I say that every time...maybe I should rename my blog that), it was time to get the bus to the airport and say goodbye to Belgium.  And I have to say, it was one of the most beautiful European cities that I've been in.  Whilst you can say that it's touristy, I really think that it handles it well and with the exception of the restaurants, it certainly isn't in your face.  Well worth a trip but be warned, it's hard to leave the chocolate and beer behind!!

Bruges Part 1 - Waffles and walking

Alison and I's first holiday together!! Well, first one on our own as she insistently pointed out.  After a lazy morning at her house, then having been dropped off at the airport, we grabbed some lunch and were soon on our way to Bruges!  Thankfully, the flight rushed past (with the help of a book and some anime), and it was time to get on our transfer to Bruges (after an hour wait and some frittes, of course).  Then, after a two hour bus ride with much napping, we fiiinaaalllyyy arrived in the beautiful city of Bruges.  Jumping into a taxi, we arrived at Hotel Boterhuis and checked in (pictures below), then headed off into the night to see the city a little bit.

 To say we were well situated is an understatement but being anything other than situated might be difficult in such a small city.  Whilst still being off the main road, we were a less than five minute walk from the Markt, which everything is based around. And what a square!  Dominated on one side by the Belfry, and another with a stunningly ornate building, it's hard not to be impressed.  It helps even more when your first view of it is at night and it's all lit up.  Having had an eyeful of the Markt, we eventually found a small bar called 'De Kuppe' which had over 100 beers in stock from Belgium, and I decided it would be rude not to go in and try a couple.  Whilst Alison decided to have a Malibu, I sampled a Leffe Bruhne and a Delirium Tremens (which comes with one of the more interesting bottles I've seen, as well as being adorned with pink elephants).  Finally, it was time for bed so we headed off and fell asleep quickly.

Our first full day in Bruges arrived quickly and it was off for our continental breakfast which was held in a rather quaint two floor room: the first, a smallish old sitting room and the second, a larger basement which certainly was an interesting setting for breakfast. 

Having fuelled up, we headed off to the Historium (more on this later) to pick up our three day Bruges card which would give us access to various sites and save us money (we did the math - Ed).  And, in true One-way Ticket style, it was closed for another hour.  Whoops.  Thankfully, Bruges is a nice place to kill time in, so we just had a wander around until it opened.  With tickets finally in hand, we headed off to take a short boat-tour around the canals which I would really recommend.  Not only does it give you some information about the city (though our guide was rather unenthusiastic), it lets you see it from a different angle.  In particular, look out for the little men in windows and the old gates where people would access their old boats.

We then head backed to the Historium which offered a pseudo-portal back into medieval Bruges, via 'Jacob', 'Anna' and a green parrot called 'Frederico' (I think - Fact Ed) and several motion videos.  Whilst it was interesting, and certainly had lots of sights, smells and sounds, it was perhaps a bit over-done and maybe aimed more at families.  That said, it did have its own share of nudity...So I'm not too sure who it was aimed at... After the film, we gained access to a small museum and a rather good view of the square (below).  In addition to the Historium, there is also the Duvelrium which is the only dedicated Duvel bar in the world and had a rather interesting beer fridge that doubles as a chandelier (and works as both as well).

Heading outside and vowing to return, we had some time to kill before lunch and decided to check out the multitude of chocolate shops in the area.  Now, say what you want about them: they're overpriced; they're touristy etc. but I'll be damned if they don't smell delicious.  Getting hungry, we headed off in search of somewhere to eat and discovered that Bruges is not the most vegetarian friendly city in the world. Eventually deciding on 'The Venice', we refuelled with a three-course lunch menu including some Flemish Beef Stew (for me, of course) and a rather elegant looking veggie burger.  There may have been a sneaky duvel somewhere as well, but I can't be quite sure...

Wandering along one of the canals, we headed towards to the Picasso Expo which both Alison and I agreed was a little disappointing.  Situated in a beautiful old building, and with interesting artwork from a variety of artists (including Matisse which had some of my favourite items), it seemed that Picasso's selection was put together very quickly with a lot of pieces that were just quick sketches or unfinished.  This, coupled with random facts that didn't mesh together, made it a little disappointing.  I might be being a little harsh, as there were some nice items but I don't think it was anywhere as good as the Dali Expo we visited the next day.

We ended the sightseeing with a trip to the Basilica of the Holy Blood, a small church that seemingly holds some of Christ's blood (we did not see any blood) and appears to be the centre of a fairly large religious ceremony in Bruges (involving the aforementioned blood).  Regardless, the church itself is certainly beautiful to see and is worth the 2 euro (though also included on the card).

Finally, the day ended too quickly with a couple more chocolate shops, a small dinner at a nearby bar (as we had filled up at lunch) and some more beer at De Kuppe.  Then bed and suddenly, our second day was upon us!

Day 2 began with our usual basement breakfast, before we headed straight to the Belfry of Bruges, made famous partly because of the film 'In Bruges' but mostly because of the stunning panorama it gives (and probably a little due to the melody and chimes it rings out every 15 minutes - tourism ed).  With a queue already forming, we waited (im) patiently for our turn to travel up the 300 plus steps of the tower, with the occasional break in a small museum room.  Going up the increasingly winding stairs really took you back in time though, as it felt exactly how it would have three hundred years ago...though I could have done without the two-way traffic on them.  Arriving eventually at the top, we could see why the tower was used as a viewpoint for any enemies approaching the city: you can see over everything for miles.  We also heard why the tower bells were also used to convey messages across the town, as we then heard them chime whilst right underneath them.  Perfect timing, though my ears didn't think so.  After enjoying the view, it was time for the descent which was just as harrowing as going up.

Feet firmly back on the ground, we didn't have to travel far to get to the Salvador Dali Expo, as it was installed at the base of the Belfry.  As mentioned earlier in the blog, I found the Dali exhibit to be much better than the Picasso exhibit and both Alison and I really enjoyed wandering around, looking at his somewhat mental (but highly skilled) artworks.  What we also really appreciated was that his artwork was split into sections, with descriptions discussing his style at the time and what influenced it.  It really added depth to the gallery as a whole.

Navigating the winding streets, we then arrived at our next stop: the Frittes Museum.  Frittes (or chips as you may have guessed) are something of a national dish in Bruges and something they take very seriously.  They even have a fairly serious and highly educational museum dedicated to the history of the potato and the chip. 

And you know what? 

I genuinely loved it. 

Honestly, I was a little surprised by how serious the museum took itself but how well this worked.  I learned a lot about both the potato and the chip, and got to see how they evolved over time.  A highlight was being able to play around in a life-size historical model of an old frittes van, right next to the short-lived frittes vending machine, whilst listening to frittes inspired music (true story).  An added bonus was a temporary exhibit dedicated to World War 1 and how food played a part on the frontlines.  I can honestly and genuinely advise you that this is worth a look...it's actually really interesting to see the story behind a national dish.  Hell, there are even medals for services to Frittes.  We then couldn't pass up on what has been described as the best frittes in Belgium, which were handily enough within the basement of the museum.

Walking around as we worked off the frittes, we ended up in a pretty square with multiple medieval buildings next to the canal, before getting promptly lost in the maze of streets, whilst searching for the next food-based activity: Choco-story - the history of chocolate. 

Oh yes, one of the reasons for people going to Bruges, has its own museum!  Of course it does!  And what a delicious museum it was.  With the history of the sweet treat, as well as multiple displays of its legacy in Belgium, the museum is a good way to pass the afternoon.  The particular highlights were the numerous statues made of chocolate (some spectacular items here including a family eating themselves...) and the chocolate making demonstration that was included in the ticket.  Perhaps the chocolate tasting as well...so a lot going for it then.  The only let-down (other than a large group of schoolchildren) was the museum shop itself.  Whilst museum shops are not often high standard, I had hoped that with an actual chocolate making kitchen, it would have a better selection.  It was here though that I learned that you should look for a sheen and an audible snap when buying chocolate.

Tastings done, it was time to actually burn off some of the chocolate and frittes, and we walked to the mills at the edge of town.  Thankfully it was a nice day, which made the mills beside the canals even more beautiful.   It's always refreshing to see such well-preserved history, though sadly the place was actually closed so we couldn't see the inside of it.  A coffee and orange juice/lemonade in a rather quaint coffee shop in the sun nearby made up for it though.  Although it's on the edge of town, it's still not that far from the centre and it's certainly a beautiful area to sit and relax.  It was also nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of the touristy centre.

Then, and perhaps undoing our healthy walking, we decided to try the final Belgium delicacy: waffles!  As much as I do enjoy waffles, they were made much nicer when eating them in the shadow of the belfry.  To counteract the unhealthy waffles, we took a rather long walk to an old city gate on another edge of town and then back through a nearby park as well (which was more of a lucky and scenic route back).

Day three was coming to a quick end, but there was just enough time for some dinner and a few more Belgian beers before bed.  And that's it for this week.  To hear about my last two days, you'll have to tune in next week!!


Pick of the Week

Distant Worlds - If you're a Final Fantasy fan, you're in for a treat!  As you will know, the series' tends to have some fairly epic orchestral pieces, that lend itself well to say...the London Philharmonic Orchestra...and it does, if Distant Worlds is anything to go by.  Indeed, the Distant Worlds series takes Final Fantasy music and has it played by the orchestra: both live and in the studio.  Check it out, if you're a fan of the games or if you're a fan of amazing music!


Music of the Week

And how can I not put it a Distant Worlds song into the blog!  Here it is: To Zanarkland.  Enjoy

See you all next week!