A Bruges Fairytale

Upon waking up in Brussels, we found that the train strike was very real and there were no trains going into or out of the city. We then attempted to rent a rental car but every single company didn't have a single car left thanks to the sudden influx of customers. We searched for bus routes, but there were none to be found. So, we ended up having to take a taxi for the 1 hour car ride to Bruges (& I may or may not have pulled out a white lie sob story about how it was our honeymoon in order to wheel and deal for a taxi).



As soon as we drove into the old town Bruges area, it literally felt as if a knight and princess could have appropriately come out of any alleyway. The city is a rare preserved medieval gem in northern Belgium and filled with more history than you can shake a stick at. After checking in at our dreamy AirBnB, which sat atop a historical row house, we had soup at Soup (fitting name) before climbing the 185 spiraling and steep stairs of the Belfry. The Belfy tower dates back to 1240 and offers breathtaking views (quite literally after all of the stair climbing) of the city square.

We then wandered around the nearby Burq square where we oohed and ahhed at the elaborate autumn themed displays in the many gourmet chocolatier windows.One of our favorite chocolate stops was the Chocolate Line where we indulged in exquisite chocolates including ones filled with Cuban tobacco and others with hazelnut praline and raspberry jam.

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It was then onward to the Basillica of the Holy Blood, a church who claims to have a vial containing a cloth with the blood of Jesus on it. While we didn't actually pay to get an up close to look at the vial, we did see if from a close distance and got to see the elaborately ornate church.

Next on the list was a walk to the Minnewater, which translates to "Lovers Lake". Aside the lake lies the Begijnhof, an area much like the one in Amsterdam intended for pious women. After some hot chocolate, we strolled through Astrid Park before going home to rest for a short while before dinner.

For dinner we went to the Bistro Dan Huzaar where we had a decadent meal filled with Belgian specialities such as Flemish rabbit stew and pork cheek with Belgian beer and cherries. We topped it off with a Bruges Swan-but don't worry it wasn't an actual swan, but one made of pastry and swimming in a lake of chocolate.

Even though our day started out in a little bit of a frenzy, Bruges made all of that stress seem like a very distant memory. If you have the chance, don't think- just go, because it is absolutely stunning.