In Bruges: Day 4

Sunday, September 6th

Today, we hopped on a train from Brussels to Bruges for a quick overnight stay. It's a pretty easy trip (judging from online guides), just over an hour. Bruges is one of those cities that should not be missed when visiting Belgium (although Colin Farrell was less than amused to be In Bruges during the winter). From the limited exposure that I've had to the city through guidebooks and dark comedies, it seems as though it's going to live up to its reputation as the most perfectly preserved medieval town in western Europe.

Bruges developed from a 9th-century (NINTH century!) fortress by the first count of Flanders to defend the coast from the Vikings. By the 14th century, it too was booming with the cloth trade, converting English wool into fine textiles for worldwide export (or the parts of the world were known anyway). Through years of fighting and its inheritance by the Habsburg Empire (that favored Antwerp over Flanders) the cloth trade declined. As a result, Bruges failed to dredge the silted-up Zwin River in the 1500s, effectively shuttering the town and preserving it from both World Wars -- perhaps a blessing in disguise, because we get to see it in all of its glory today. The certainly don't make buildings like they used to, with a half-life of 350+ years.

Another blessing in disguise was this blog. For some reason as I was writing this entry, I decided to go and check out our hotel room on one of the travel review sites. The first entry started with, "Have you ever heard of scabies?" Five other reviews backed up this finding along with an alarming sewer smell in the shower. Seriously, folks, I did some hardcore research on where to stay and, despite my budget goals, was very choosy when selecting our rooms. This was a shock, but easily remedied before having to experience a raging case of bed bugs the third day abroad. Don't worry, Mom(s), we're at a different hotel with excellent ratings and vetted by Rick Steves.

In addition to the beautiful streetscapes (tiny mites) and canals, Bruges' museums hold some of the finest collections of early Flemish art. At the time of this blog post, rain was predicted for most of the day, so perhaps I'm dragging Jesse through galleries of 15th-century paintings instead of that planned bike ride along the canal. Our day's potential agenda includes:

Halve Maan Brewery: After a long history of opening, closing, and re-opening again, the Halve Maan Brewery (founded in 1856) is still run by descendants of the original owner, Henri Maes. In 2005, the brewery was renovated and revived with a new brew called Brugse Zot "Bruges Fool" and remains to date the only beer that is brewed in Bruges' town center. The visit includes a tour of the brewery followed by a tasting, which may include Brugse Zot (blond and dubbel), Staffe Hendrick, and Brugse Bok. Attached to the brewery is also a cafe where the chef prepares a daily menu to complement the beers. According to Tim Webb, we have to try the beer cheese soup.

The Groeninge Musem: While I was excited to visit the Musée d'Art Ancien in Brussels, the Groeninge Museum is the real deal. With only eleven rooms arranged in chronological order, it packs a punch, displaying works from Jan van Eyck, Rogier van der Weyden, Hieronymous Bosch, and Jan Provoost. I seriously can hardly wait to see some of these artists' works in person. It might even be a highlight of my day.

Bicycling along the canal to Damme: If the weather permits, we'll rent bicycles and ride along the tree-lined Brugge-Sluis canal that leads from Bruges to Damme (about 4.5 miles northeast). Damme is also a quaint village and once a main seaport during medieval times. It too dried up with the River Zwin, preserving it for our enjoyment today. Interesting fact? The 16th-century town hall (Stadhuis) was funded by a special tax on barrels of herring.

Enjoying cafe life: I think the most important part of the trip to Bruges is partaking in the rich cafe life in Belgium. I fully intend on having a couple of local beers to wash down whatever regional fare sounds best to me at the time.