1982 Bruges, Belgium (7/24/1982)

Saturday, July 24, 1982

The train continued through Germany, then at 10:20 we passed through customs into Belgium, arriving in Liège soon afterward. We hurried to track 13, thinking we missed the 10:19 train, but it didn’t come until 10:30. We arrived 15 minutes late in Brugge/ Bruges at 13:00. We checked the map of the town at the station, and headed towards tourist information. We realized that roads and footpaths were marked similarly on the map, and we were following roads when perhaps we should have followed the paths. Crossed two canals, followed a road, and crossed another canal hoping to find a green square. We did find another map with a big red ”you are here” dot. We crossed another canal and saw the park was to the right, although on the map it looked like it was to the left. Sue wanted to be safe and follow the map, and we went left, walking around a block to end up back at the map! Now that we had picked up some street names, we realized the red dot was mis-placed.

In the park was a small building with a room empty except for a rack of brochures and a telephone. It was ”closed” until 14:00. There was a brochure with hotels, and we went to look at the closest one, the kind where you inquire at the bar about a room. The bar was empty, because the proprietor was showing the last of his rooms. The couple weren’t sure and would call at 15:00 to confirm if they were taking the room. In drizzling rain we went to check our bags at the train station, and go to find the Studentum Centrum at #23. We found it at #27, but no one was at reception at 14:15, even though they were to open at 14:00. At 14:30 a man hobbled in on crutches to tell us there were no more rooms, but he gave us a couple recommendations. We passed one of several almshouses, small brick buildings that looked like chapels, which were open houses for the poor (but not anymore!). The first recommendation was an old building among beautiful suburban homes across from the psychiatric clinic grounds. It was completely shut down for summer vacation. We decided to go back to the information booth in the park to call, stopping at the first hotel on the way to learn that the couple had taken the room. In the info room, we called on the telephone to find out there are no more rooms in Bruges. We decided to tour and go to Brussels for the night.

We followed a walking tour found in a brochure, starting in Minnewaterpark/Lake of Love Park with many sculptures and a white pressboard maze. We walked past the Begijnhof/Béguinage/lay sisterhood community to a lane of lace shops. We stopped in several, getting lace butterfly pins and Sue got a lace collar she may incorporate into a blouse. The whole town was made up of medieval brick buildings and narrow cobblestoned streets. There were horse-drawn carriages for tourists and all the horses had cloth bags under their tails to catch the droppings.

We hoped to see lacemakers in Walplein, but either they don’t work on weekends, or the drizzle earlier chased them away. Followed a slightly more modern street with more lace shops. We crossed a canal where below were small motorboats filled with tourists being given explanations over loudspeakers, which seemed unnecessary when you have no more than a dozen passengers.

Across the canal was Oud Sint-Janshospitaal/Sint-Jan de Bruges/Old St John’s Hospital (11C) to one side and Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk/Église Notre-Dame/Church of Our Lady (13C, 14C, 15C) on the other.

Oud Sint-Janshospitaal/Sint-Jan de Bruges/Old St John’s Hospital

We entered the church that was full of paintings and carvings. Some paintings were hung on columns that were narrower than the painting was wide. The highlight was a sculpture of Madonna and Child (1504) done by Michelangelo. We turned right along a canal to the rear courtyard of Gruuthus (1465) which was completely covered with ivy, including the windows.

Ivy-covered Gruuthus

We stopped for some lemon and chocolate ice cream for 30 BEF/65 cents. Wandered in a flea market along the Dijver canal. On the other side of the street was the Europacollege/Collège d'Europe/College of Europe, an independent university founded in 1949 which is studying the aspects of unification of Europe. Farther past more lace shops was the Vismarkt/fish market that was not in business, but the covered market had nice stone tables around the perimeter for vendors. Crossed the canal and went up a narrow street that had official looking notices posted along one wall (marriage or divorce notices?).

Narrow street to Burg Square

Went under an arch to enter the Burg Square where on the right is the Oude Civiele Griffie/Old Civil Registry and next to that is the Brugsche Vrije/Palace of Liberty (1722-27). We paid 5 BEF/10 cents to go in the museum of Brugsche Vrije.

Brugsche Vrije/Palace of Liberty ticket

It was one large room with carved wood beam ceilings and coats-of-arms everywhere. There was a beautiful Renaissance chimney piece/fireplace (1531) where the mantel and above was carved oak depicting nobility and coats-of-arms. The mantel also had an alabaster relief with the biblical story of Susanna and the fireplace was black marble. There were fine tapestries and on two sides were several large paintings. There was a fancy bell pull, and a pair of giant inkstands on the judges’ table.

Back out in Burg Square to the left was the Stadhuis/City Hall (1376) and we did not pay the 20 BEF/45 cents to see the Gothic Hall because we got a good look through the huge open doorway at the richly decorated hall and the Gothic ceiling where the arch ribs come down and hang free rather than sit on columns.

Next door was the Heilig Bloed Basiliek/Basilique du Saint-Sang/Basilica of the Holy Blood (1134-1157) with upper and lower chapels. The upper chapel of the Holy Blood looked like two churches side by side, and on the right side behind the altar is where the phial of the Holy Blood is kept, a relic said to be a piece of cloth with the blood of Christ.

We left the square to walk along a lace shop-filled block to the Grote Markt/market square, now being used as a parking lot.

Grote Markt/Market Square

Across the square was a row of guildhouses with stepped roofs, but the dominant structure was the Hallen/Halles/market building with a fat bell tower, the Belfort/Beffroi/Belfry (1240).

Belfry ticket

We paid 20 BEF/45 cents to climb the 366 steps (they had counted and kept you posted as to how many you had climbed). Before we reached the top, the carillon bells began ringing and we stepped into a room to see the clock mechanism and the carillon mechanism (like a giant Swiss music box). At the top we stood under the bells and looked down on the red tile rooftops of Bruges.

View from the Belfry

Belfry bells

On our way down we passed a triumphal bell and a treasury vault (empty) with iron-grillework doors.

We rewarded ourselves with French fries with mayonnaise for 55 BEF/$1.20. Belgium is known for having the best French fries in the world. We noticed we were outside an official tourist bureau where signs stated that rooms were fully booked and they were making reservations for 30 km/18 miles from Bruges. But they could not make reservations in Brussels.

General view

We made our way back to the train station and retrieved our bags to catch the 18:35 train to Brussels, arriving at 19:45. We got off at the first Zuid-Midi/South Central Station, and saw an ”information booth for the youth.” We went there anyway and were booked a room at the Hotel Jamar for 850 BEF/$19, only a couple blocks from the station. We took a tiny elevator up to reception; the elevator door for reception was on one side, and the door to the room floors was on an adjacent side. Our room #56 was a large two-bed room with its own bathroom with a shower, and breakfast was included. We were impressed, and the fee was only 50 BEF/$1. We settled in, packed all the valuables in one backpack, and went back out to the train station to ask if we needed reservations for the train to Paris. Non!
We took the 20:40 train to the Central Station and walked out through the Galerie/shopping arcade to Rue des Bouchers, a lively street of little restaurants. Turned down Petit Rue des Bouchers with more of the same, including mussel bars, and chose a less crowded restaurant, Le Borgneau, sitting at a wooden table with paper placemats. The decor was maritime, with the characteristic fireplace in the center of the room. The fire burned evenly and bluely without consuming any wood!
We ordered soups (tomato for Sue and onion for me; almost a meal in itself) and one order of mussels and fries. We noticed an older couple with a grandma each order their own mussels and fries. You get a big pot of mussels (we counted at least 60!). We saw a guy using an empty half-shell to pry out the rest of his mussels, so I did the same, since Sue got our one set of silverware. The waitress then came over to give me a set of silverware and my own plate of fries (no charge!). Even though we were sharing a bowl of mussels, we barely made it through, dipping the mussels in the buttery broth. Very good for 650 BEF/$14. We strolled among the crowds in the lighted Grand Place. The perimeter cafés were all busy.
We returned to the train station to get the 22:20 train to the Midi Station. There we decided to walk along the carnival that was set up along the Boulevard du Midi, busy with rides, games, and food vendors. Back at the hotel we washed some clothes before getting to bed by midnight.