A day trip to...Brugge

So, most everyone who knows me from the US knows that I don't like to drive. Which is why when I say that I drove from Amsterdam to Brugge a few eyebrows will probably raise. And when I explain that it was my first time driving in the Netherlands and that there were 4 other people in my Honda Civic, the remaining eyebrows will probably shoot up.

I'd heard lovely things about Brugge from almost everyone who has been there, so when Elizabeth suggested the trip I volunteered my car so long as she would tell me exactly where to go...I would like to point out that Tom-Tom has voices that you can download for your GPS. Yoda directed us on the way to Brugge and Cartman on the way back. Yoda was great, Cartman made me nervous - he was not so polite in giving directions as Yoda.


The first thing we did (after Alex and Roy helped me park the car) was eat lunch. The drive is about 2.5 hours so we were pretty hungry.  We wandered towards the main square where there are lots of restaurants. It was pretty busy, likely because it's Saturday afternoon and European holiday time.

The restaurant was right off the main square (if you've got the belltower at your back, it's to the left if you're looking for a good place to go). Elizabeth was insistent because of the steak and the bearnaise. I didn't try the steak but the bearnaise was excellent! The view from the restaurant into the square was also great. 

Elizabeth was keen on ordering steak with bearnaise sauce...she and Adrienne shared and they still had a giant plate of steak....The restaurant was a 2007 Michelin pick, so obviously it was going to be good.

After lunch Roy, Alex and I climbed the Bell Tower.

All around the edge of the tower, there were cities listed. I tried to find Amsterdam but I couldn't. =(

The bells were really interesting. There was this giant player piano type drum that all of the bells were attached too, you can see the strings here. And when the drum turned the bells rang in the prescribed order. Genius!

 

After the bell tower, we visited one of the churches, which had a Michaelangelo statue of the Madonna. Photographs weren't allowed unfortunately, but I wholeheartedly agree with the preservation of a piece of art that amazing.  It was beyond beautiful, truly a masterpiece. 

There were a few other museums that we visited as well, again where photography was not allowed. 

In general Brugge was really pretty! (I found that Roy was trustworthy enough to handle my camera).

Finally before we left, I demanded waffles. However, I was too hungry when the waffle came to take my camera out!! That's my goal next time in Belgium to get a few good waffle pictures! 

We also visited a truffle shop, which was tasty!

 

I had to limit myself to just buying two, otherwise that could have been really bad!