Bruges - Undiscovered beauty
After travelling for most of the day, walking half way across Bruges was the last thing I wanted to do. Unfortunately though, travelling with my eager mother I didn’t really have much choice. But then stepping into the quite, serene streets of this medieval city, I realized that maybe a walk would be more soothing than sitting in the hostel.
Walking along the streets, attempting to dodge the speeding bicycles, I couldn’t help but admire the quaint little buildings. Normally I’m not one to care about architecture – to be honest I couldn’t tell one period from another – but the houses were incredible. It seemed as though we had stepped back in time, we were so adrift from the rest of the world.
The churches were beautiful, so carefully designed and many restored to full splendour. With Michelangelo’s Madonna in Our Lady’s Church in the heart of Bruges, there is definitely one great reason to visit. It is the only piece of Michelangelo’s art which is permanently away from Italy and I can assure you it brought in the visitors. Stereotypes of hordes of tourists clamouring for their perfect picture came true as you wait for a small gap to appear in the door of the church so you can squeeze your way in. Chinese tourists seemed to appear in their hundreds as they crammed behind their tour guide holding up an umbrella or fake sunflower. As a tourism student I could hardly believe my eyes as my lecturer has spent the term saying how this doesn’t happen any more!
Strolling down the main shopping street seemed so different from the outskirts which were just a few minutes away. It still wasn’t particularly busy but there was definitely a tourist influence. There were some lovely clothes shops, a little too pricy for me, being the skint student I am, but never-the-less I spent hours looking, dreaming and wishing!
Then there was the food! Belgium chocolate, amazing waffles, enough for a girl to go up at least two dress sizes! One word of advice though, watch out for those sneaky waiters. You think that the €16 meal is a bargain, that was until they con you into adding the extras to your meal. If you ask for garlic bread you will get 4 slices each, but the mayonnaise was extra and well I’m sure our waiter managed to get more on top of that onto our bill.
Bruges is a gorgeous little city, but it is just that – little. You only need a couple of days to see it all. But it is definitely worth the time; I have never seen anywhere like it and I don’t think I ever will again. It is perfectly positioned stop for when you travel somewhere bigger and livelier, but need the rest. I found it a great distance to travel into France and then move onto Amsterdam once this medieval town had cast its spell.
