The View From My Beer
There are many places claiming to be ‘The Beer Capital of the World’, and Bruges is one of them. What matters most is not if they are the capitol of beer, but rather do they have some good beer. And Bruges definitely had that.
Bruges
I had to attend a conference for work in Brussels and decided to bring my family with me to enjoy a weekend in Bruges prior to the conference starting. I am so glad I did, as Bruges has become my favorite spot to visit in Europe.
Bruges is the capital of West Flanders. Being one of the few American cities not to be bombed during WWII, Bruges’ medieval architecture is remarkably well-preserved, showcasing its history as a wealthy trading hub from the 12th to 15th centuries.
Our Walk
Our hotel was in the the heart of the ‘Old Town’, making it very convenient to get out and walk around the city.
Market Square
Bruges was just gorgeous wherever you went, but my favorite place was Market Square. It was surrounded by the quintessnal Belgian buildings with the triangular tops. Around the edges were a wide range of restaurants and outdoor cafes. Michelle loved the oysters, I loved the beer. There were also a good range of food carts. Ashley loved the french fries, I loved the beer!
Beer
I use beer as a metaphor for life and my travel. So I was very excited to discover Bruges not only had a beer museum, but it also had a beer pipeline. 3-kilometer pipeline runs beneath the city, transporting beer from the De Halve Maan Brewery to its bottling plant. Now I’d like to tap into that pipe! Bruges also was home to Café Vlissinghe, the oldest continuously running café/pub in Belgium, dating back to 1515.
French Fries
Despite their name, ‘French Fries’ were believed to have been invented in Belgium. As the story goes… French Fries had been cooked by locals in Belgian since the 17th century as an alternative to fish during a fish shortage. Later during WWI, American soldiers encountered a group of Belgian soldiers cooking french fries. Because the soldiers were speaking in French, it they were assumed to have been French. Today, Bruges has the world’s only French Fries museum, one of Ashley’s favorite places during our stay.
We ate French Fries several times during our visited. I especially liked the way they were often served in cones. nd while i didn’t like to add anything but salt, I was enchanted by the wide range of toppings that were offered as part of the french fry experience.
Bridges
The name Bruges is an old Dutch word for ‘bridge’, so it is perhaps not surprising to find that Bruges has over 80 bridges.
Chocolate
Not only were there 80+ bridges in Bruges, but there was also 70 chocolate shops. Enjoyable as chocolate is to eat, it can sometimes be more fun just walking around a chocolate. They look great, and smell even better. There is often so much thought that goes into the design of a humble chocolate.
Windmills
Bruges has four windmills located on the city’s ramparts. Of these, Sint-Janshuismill (Middle) is the oldest, having been built in 1770 – the same year James Cook visited the East coat of Australia. It is also the only one still in its original position.
Thoughts
What made Bruges such an amazing place?
Food: I am not one to travel for food (except Australia). But it was nice because there was something for all our family. My tastes are very simple, so I enjoyed the French Fries. Ashley loved the chocolate and Belgian Waffles. And Michelle enjoyed some of the local seafood dishes such as Mussels.
Ambience: Bruges was nowhere near as criowded as many other places, making it possible to sit and relax whenever we wanted. There were lots of quaint shops for shopping, beautiful pathways, bridges, and some really old buildings. And then there was that unique architecture of the buildings with the triangular rooftops. Ashley even started to collect miniatures of the buildings.
Culture: Many years ago one one of my first trips to Europe I remember being told the rudest Europeans were Belgians. I have not found that to be the case, not even close. I have traveled to Belgium quite a few times now and found the people to be very warm and friendly. It is a very diverse country with parts that speak French, German, and Dutch. And yet, English is widely spoken by many.
