Bruges: A Dialog Across Time

I had a friend tell me to be sure to travel like the Dutch do. On our visit to Bruges, we did just that. The Dutch way is to view a few sites, then take a break and have a coffee. Then visit more sites and take a break to have a beer.

It was very good advice and we relished our visit to this medieval city filled with canals and cobblestone streets. There is something very poignant about being in an ancient European city filled with so many young people. The contrast makes you realize the permanence of a given place and the dialog across time. This permanence is not to be taken for granted in Europe where Hitler destroyed so much.


We enjoyed the Half Moon brewery (Brouwerij de Halve Maan) tour  and beers and also the many Belgian chocolate shops. The cafes along the canals were relaxing and made the day even more enjoyable. The town closes at 6pm and that is when we got most of our photos with the best lighting without the crowding of people to disrupt us. We spent the night at a Bed and Breakfast out in the country side and it was very nice. I highly recommend Hotel Stokerij in Oudenburg. Their breakfasts were entirely home-made, even the butter, the cheeses, the pates, and the breads.


We visited the Church of our Lady to see the Madonna and Child, the only Michelangelo sculptures that has left Italy. It was the art piece that was part of the ending scene in the movie The Monument Men. I love the depiction of little Jesus stepping off his mother's lap as she smiles at him. It is carved out of Carrera marble and is very white against the black altar.

To end the day we took our last photo of the four of us as we left the city. With Bruges behind us,  we returned home to savor our photos, our memories,  and our stash of Belgian chocolates.