Mai Tai Tom Stays On Track Through Belgium, Paris and Strasbourg

Chapter Three: In Bruges

Day Three – Wandering Aimlessly, Canal Zone, Dodging Bicycles, Old Relics (Not Us), Skipping The Palace, Eyes On The Fries, Tracy The Terminator, Beer Break, Please Don’t Stand On The Cow, Marry The First Person You See, Captivating Kerk, From Italy To Bruges, Monuments Men (Part One), Due Diligence To Do Diligence and Blue Markt

Taking an early morning train, we arrived in Bruges after a 50-minute ride. Our hotel for the next three nights would be a pleasant stay at Boutique Hotel Sablon (Kopstraat 10). The hotel has a charming patio area, which sadly we didn’t take advantage of due to some rainy weather and chilly temperatures (wimpy Southern Californians). This statute in the courtyard is of a magician, which the artist claims, “Magicians are the ambassadors of happiness.” We quickly disappeared.

                               

By late morning we were strolling through beguiling Bruges. Being a Thursday, there weren’t the massive crowds we had feared. However, there was some good looking food.

                                 

Throughout our trip, Tracy took photos of bicycles (the stationary ones), and as were to find out, Bruges (and everywhere else we traveled) has a ton of bicycles.

It was a short walk to The Markt, an area that has been used as a marketplace since the mid 1900s. It has numerous, brightly colored buildings, including many guild houses. Unlike in Brussels, Bruges uses real horses to transport people around town.

               

This statue in the square is from the 1880s and is of 14th-century revolutionaries Jean Breydel and Pieter de Coninck.

I tried to feign climbing inside the car, but instead I look like I’m … let’s just move on.

We wandered around town for a spell and realized we had basically just walked in a circle, which we seem to do in many cities. Although we were virtually next to the Rozenhoedkaai (Rosary Quai) that we wanted to see, the brain trust walked in the opposite direction.

Obviously we needed some caffeine, so Kim and Mary went to grab some, while Tracy and I ducked in to Sint-Salvatorskathedraal (Saint Saviour’s Cathedral). It’s the oldest church in Bruges, with construction begun more than 1,000 years ago.

                                                    

By now hunger had beaten out history, so we skedaddled pretty quickly.

After hearing rave reviews of how lovely Bruges was, we were happy the city lived up to expectations. It was really peaceful walking through different parts of town (for the most part).

         

However, one has to be alert as they walk. Bicyclists (mostly on their way to work, I assume) and pedestrians co-exist here on an up-close level. While many of those on two wheels are polite and even ring their bell when coming up from behind, there are a good number who think they’re Lance Armstrong (although perhaps not on steroids), and zip through town very fast, often narrowly missing their pedestrian counterparts. To be honest, it was a bit disconcerting at times. However, Bruges was not nearly as dangerous for pedestrians as a city we visited later on this trip (stay tuned).

The directionally challenged duo finally made it to the Rosary Quay at the junction of the Dijver and Groenerei canals.

                                       

This area is one of the, if not the, most photographed places in Bruges. Not surprisingly, it was named this since rosaries used to be sold here.

                 

After admiring the canals, we stopped to take a look at the exterior of Bruges Stadhuis (City Hall). It is one of the oldest city halls in the low country, begun in the late 1300s. One of our many mistakes on this trip was not buying a ticket to see the Stadhuis, which includes the adjacent Brugse Vrije (Palace of the Liberty of Bruges).

A nondescript entrance in the corner of The Burg on the other side led to the Basiliek van het Heilig-Bloed (Basilica of the Holy Blood), built in the 12th century as a chapel for the Count of Flanders. In 1150, the King of Jerusalem (Baldwin III) gave the Count of Flanders “a cloth allegedly soaked with the blood of Christ.” He brought it here. The vial of blood is located at this basilica (there are more than a couple of stories how it came to be here).

   

The lower chapel is dedicated to St. Basil.

                                

We entered the Chapel of St. Ives. Built in 1504, it holds the relics of St. Basil and Charles The Good.

The chapel was very small, and we wondered how did this become a basilica (that’s Basil the Great in the center)?

                

On the way out, we almost missed the upper chapel until Tracy noticed people going up the stairs and wanted to see what they were looking at.

Wow! Now we know why, in 1923, it was declared a minor basilica. Vibrant colors have had some observe that it looks like a “Venetian-like palace-of-a-church.” It’s quite stunning.

The painting behind the altar is The Mystery of the Cross painted in 1905. The lower part depicts the vial coming to Bruges.

it’s one of the prettiest chapels we have visited in recent memory.

             

And the actual vial? It’s located in below opulent tabernacle. At certain hours the vial is brought out so visitors can see and touch it (for the price of a donation).

The basilica museum contains the Reliquary of Albert and Isabella …

… Maria of Burgundy’s 15th century crown …

… the Great Reliquary of the Holy Blood …

… along with a 16th-century candle holder.

Ever since the infamous Portugal incident, Tracy takes photos of me walking down stairs in case there’s some unexpected tumbling.It was a spectacular day for walking Bruges …

… and I had my eye on a potato museum, although some might see it as a half-baked idea.

                                                                  

It was time to get our frites on at the Frietmuseum, which bills itself as “the world’s only museum dedicated to pommes frites.” Here we learned about the roots of the potatoes (in more ways than one) and cultivating potatoes, while also learning that the first potato arrived in Belgium in November 1567 with a shipment from the Canary Islands.

The museum was only mildly interesting with some colorful displays and cartoons, until …

                                                           

… we reached a room that Rambo would have loved. There we encountered the evil Potato Bug.

But not to worry, we became honorary Potato Troopers, and, in an arcade-style game, we gunned down as many of the little buggers as we could. Sadly, Tracy’s score blew me away, which is why I have banned all weapons in our house.

My favorite part of the museum was the Fritt’ Kaberet, where they had dancing and singing frites. Can there be anything better than being on Dancing With The Frites?

         

We ended up with a few goofy photos. It’s a place if short of time you could certainly pass on, but all in all, thanks to killing bugs and dancing with frites, it turned out to be kinda fun at the end.

          

Back on the street, we passed by a statue of a man who I called, The Birdman of Bruges. In reality, it’s Papageno, a character in Mozart’s opera The Magic Flute. Instead of a bird in the hand, it was a bird on the head.

Also on our walk through town was a store whose sweet motto resonated with me.

Earlier in the day we had strolled by a cow, albeit not a real one. It stood at the entrance of Brouweru Bourgnone des Flandres (Kartuizerinnenstraat 6).

We stopped in to the brewery to sample a cold one or two. We called Kim and Mary to join us, but warned them not to “stand on the cow.” That piqued their interest enough to come by.

We had tapped into a refreshing spot.

   

Although we did not take part, they offer tours and flights of beer. We drank inside …

     

… but as we walked toward our next stop, we saw they had a charming terrace overlooking the canal. Next time.

Speaking of that next stop, I had read about a famous little bridge in town located near Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk (Church of Our Lady).

Built in 1910, the stone Bonifaciusbrug looks ancient and is also known as “The Bridge of Love at First Sight.” Legend goes that you will marry the first person that you see after crossing the bridge. At first glance, I would have been charged with bigamy if the legend had come true (not to mention Tracy gunning me down like a potato bug).

I (carefully) crossed.

When the crowds disappear from the bridge it a serene place in Bruges.

                                                    

Ever since I was a kid, I have been obsessed with who is on various statues. Among other things, Juan Luis Vives was “a Spanish humanist, eminent in education, philosophy, and psychology.” Many call him the “father of modern psychology.” Maybe he could have helped me with my statue identification obsession.

Next, we stepped inside Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk, built between the 14h and 16th centuries.

                         

Seen here behind the Gruuthusemuseum (which we’d visit tomorrow), it is “the third tallest brickwork tower in the world.”

I guess the others can’t hold a candle to it.

Although the church is free to visit, there is a charge to see the artifacts of the church O.L.V.-Kerk Museum, which contains Michelangelo’s only piece of artwork that left Italy during his lifetime. A reliquary containing part of the arm of St. Anthony the Abbot. In 1531, the people of Bruges picked him as Patron against the Plague. He gave an arm and a …well, just an arm.

These late 17th century confessionals were situated so you could talk to the priest from either the left or the right. Maybe they should send them to the U.S. right now.

    

We passed by the Da Baenst Chapel and a 16th century Pieter Pourbus masterpiece, The Adoration of the Shepherds.

   

The most stunning chapel, in my opinion, was the Blessed Sacrament Chapel.

     

Gerard David’s early 16th century The Transformation of Jesus on Mount Tabor is a prized piece.

               

We happened upon a room containing tombs from 1501 of Mary of Burgundy and her father Charles the Bold. Mary was the daughter of Charles The Bold, the last duke of Burgundy. She was only 20 when her father was killed in the Battle of Nancy.

Sadly, only five years later, Mary was killed while on a falcon hunt when her horse tripped, throwing her into a ditch and then landing on top of her. She died a few weeks later, and in 1482 was buried at Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk.

She was married to Maximilian of Austria, who was devastated and commissioned her tomb. At the foot of her tomb is a dog.

The choir here is impressive with 30 Coats of Arms of the Knights of the Golden Fleece.

   

The pièce de résistance of the museum is the Madonna of Bruges, Michaelangelo’s early 16th-century sculpture, and the only sculpture by Michelangelo to be sold outside Italy during his lifetime. It has had quite a history. It was confiscated by French revolutionaries in 1794, but then returned in 1816.

The sculpture was once again stolen, this time by Nazis fleeing Bruges in 1945. Hidden in a salt mine in Austria, it was recovered in 1946 by the group known as The Monuments Men, and returned to Bruges. It’s an integral part of George Clooney’s 2014 movie The Monuments Men. The statue was actually smaller than I thought it would be from the movie. (BTW … Tracy said the book was better.)

Before exiting we took at look at the 17th century painting The Adoration of the Magi.

Finally, we gazed at this 18th century pulpit.

Shortly thereafter, we received an alert, that a 5.0 earthquake had hit near our house. Of course, the over-concerned pet parents called our petsitter who said, “What earthquake?” I guess it wasn’t that bad. Tracy found another bicycle to calm her nerves.

On the way to dinner that evening we glanced at the King Charles II Memorial on the side of the Grand Hotel Casselbergh. Charles, when he was a prince, sought exile in Bruges during the English Civil War. 

Doing my due diligence, I had made 7 p.m. dinner reservation at Diligence (Hoogstraat 5). It was the first of three great dinners we enjoyed in Bruges.

                                   

It was a cozy little bistro featuring Belgian/French cuisine, and as Tracy noted, “Our server was a hoot!” As he explained the beer special (buy four beers and get one bottle to go), Kim asked wistfully, “Where were you in my 20s?”

Without missing a beat, our server replied, “Not alive yet.” Ouch!

Then Mary, forgetting she was talking with someone whose first language was not English, asked, “Does Bruges get ‘nutso’ on weekends?” I wish I had taken a picture of his perplexed face. The beer of the night was Kim’s Grimbergen Dark.

Kim, Tracy and I all ordered the Flemish Stew, which our server assured us was “the best in all of Bruges.” It was excellent, and Tracy was happy I ate some vegetables on the trip. I told her pommes frites were vegetables, but she just shook her head in dismay.

Mary enjoyed her sea bass.

Diligence was one of the places where the movie In Bruges was filmed.The bar scene featuring actor Jordan Pentrice, a self described “person of short stature,” met up with a prostitute was shot here. I guess I should watch it.

     

I had made early reservations for dinner on many evenings in order to get a chance at blue hour photos. On this night, the weather cooperated. We had finished just in time.

It was was very chilly …

… and the wind was whipping.

We took one last look at the Belfry …

… and slowly made our way back to the hotel.

The following day in Bruges would be another busy one.

In the morning we’d visit two museums, check out a Middle Ages charitable hospital, use our noodles to find a delicious lunch, stroll through town over to a former beguinage and serene lake, relax on the patio of a hotel with a grand view, have dinner at an ultra-charming restaurant, and then risk a coronary event to take blue hour photos back at the Rozenhoedkaai.

Next – Chapter Four: Bruges Is More Than A Day Trip

Day Four: Get a Room!, The Flemish Primitives, A Home Attached To The Church, Don’t Dust The Unicorn, Not Your Average Hospital, Using Our Noodles, Begin The Beguines, Lake Of Love (And Death), Beer At A “Shabby Chic” Hotel, Hot Chocolate & Wine, One Restaurant I Wanted To Try & Turning Blue Looking For Blue