Friday, July 1, 2016

Beautiful Bruges, Belgium

Tom did a fantastic job of driving out of Paris, and it was morning rush hour.  Our four hour trip to Bruges was pleasant and uneventful.  The GPS got us right to the front door of our apartment.  This GPS we call Ed or Eddie because ED are the first two letters on the license plate.
We were greeted by our charming landlady, Louise, who gave us a tour, instructions and several suggestions.  Her husband is a landscape architect, check out the gardens.





This place is amazing.  They have taken an 18th century tower house and turned it into a modern apartment without losing it's 18th century charm.




It is a protected monument of the city of Bruges.  It's like a castle and museum in one.
The kitchen, in a cupboard, the living room and small dining alcove are on the first floor.







The bedroom and bath are on the second floor





and the third floor, the top of the tower, is a small reading, viewing or just sitting room.





You must be careful on the stairway up and down as it is very steep and narrow, after all it was built in the 18th century.



It's been remodeled several times, but the old charm is still intact.




After unpacking, it's off to find something to eat and explore the city.  Bruges is a canal based city and is sometimes referred to as the Venice of the North, even though Tom and I think it looks more like Amsterdam.





The population of 117,073 speak both French and Flemish.  The historical city center is a prominent World  Heritage Site of UNESCO.
The Market Square is overflowing with people, for good reason, it is awesome!






Bruges is known for its beer and chocolate, hence the many shops for both.






The architecture is amazing.

 



The horse and buggies are calling to us,



but maybe for another day.


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