My guest today is Prasanna Kini who blogs with Mocktail Mommies and has written about her trip to Brugge in Belgium. Please welcome her on my blog and show some love to her writing.
I am a nomad at heart and I would give anything, absolutely anything to live life out of a suitcase. But alas, we have to earn our bread. So, travel is limited to small weekend trips or school vacations.
On my last vacation, which was in August, I got the golden chance to visit this spectacular country named Belgium. Although our trip lasted only for a mere ten days, I was so awestruck by its beauty and so thoroughly impressed by the people, that I will be describing only one city in one post. That way I will not be laden with guilt for not doing justice to the unique and breathtaking beauty of every city.
We landed in Brussels first and then had to take a taxi to Brugge, as it is not connected directly by Air. One can also opt to take the train which is pretty convenient, as the airport has a station. The two cities are also connected by bus services, leaving at regular intervals.
We stayed at Brugge for 3 days. We had rented an apartment through the very easy-to-book and convenient AIRBNB. Our host, Mr Nicolas, was a very gracious, warm person. He made our stay in Brugge most comfortable. The apartment was well furnished & had a fully functional kitchenette.
DAY 1: BRUGGE CENTRUM
After resting for a while, we decided to make the most of our time & visited the city centre, also called Brugge Centrum. This is the central square of the city and lies in the heart of Brugge. It has the Belfry Tower at one end and a huge marketplace full of chocolatiers shops, waffle stores, souvenir shops, cafes & bars.
This place was so full of life and colour, that we could not resist blending in. We spent the evening in leisure, dining & drinking to our hearts’ content. One of the main highlights was a visit to a 500-year-old tavern, Cafe Vlissinghe, to taste their signature beer.
DAY 2: BOUDEWIJN SEAPARK & BRUGGE BY NIGHT
We did not want the kids to get bored. The next morning was dedicated to them. We visited the Boudewijn Seapark. This amusement park had a host of shows ranging from Seals, otters to the star attraction…..yes, The Dolphin Show. It also had roller coaster rides and water slides. The kiddo really had a ball and was satisfied with all the fries and ice cream she was treated to.
In the evening, hubby and me treated ourselves to some interesting historical facts about Brugge. We took up a free walking tour around some of the places of historical interest around the old city. They also have a Day tour, but we preferred the one at night. For more details about this tour, please visit http://legendsofbruges.be/bruges-by-night/
DAY 3 : BELFRY, DE HALVE MAAN BREWERY & SHOPPING
Our last day in Brugge was a hectic one, but we were amply rewarded with the large variety of beers that we got to drink that day. It started off with a visit to the Belfry Tower. We climbed around 350 odd steps at a steep incline to make it to the top, but the view from up there was simply breathtaking. Our throats being parched in the summer heat, we thought it only right to head to a brewery next.
The De Halve Maan Brewery
This is one of the most popular family breweries of Brugge. It is also famous for the very first Beer Pipeline in the world. The pipeline is used for the sole purpose of transporting unfiltered brew to the filtration plants situated outside the city…..So dont u get any ideas!!! It was great to gain some knowledge of the process that goes into the making of one of the most popular alcoholic beverages of our times.And yeah, you do get free beer at the end of the tour!! for details, please visit https://www.halvemaan.be/
What better end to a tour than shopping at the local market?? We spent the evening shopping for chocolates at some of the local chocolatiers outlets. We did not forget to stuff ourselves with the very popular Fries and Waffles too. The 3 days were so mesmerizing and magical that we were almost in tears when it was time to bid goodbye to this beautiful city. We left with a heavy heart but our minds full of sweet memories. I silently promised myself to be back here….sometime in the future….to the city that captured my heart.
FUN FACTS : Belgium alone has around 1600 varieties of beer, most of them brewed in family breweries. Also it is considered disrespectful if you don’t match the beer with its own glass/mug.
This guest post is part of the month-long festivities on my blog as it turns one as a self hosted blog.
Woe such an amazing place to visit. So rich and history, art and beautiful. Lovely pictures thanks for sharing with us.
Superb feature Shalz.. everyday something unique to read from you. I am loving it.. ❤
Thank you Dipika. Brugge really takes you back to the medieval years as everything is maintained in that very fashion. It’s simply breathtaking. Do visit this city!!
I truly wish to, thank you 🙂
Thank you for such lavish praise Dipika- Its been wonderful collaborating with you and I hope to see you more often on my blog too!!
Absolutely loved being on your Blog Shalini, I will be a regular now 😉
BELGIUM SEEMS Like powerhouse of beer 1600 varieties is not a small number. Love the clicks giving high travel Goals to me
Oh yes, it is!!! Beer tasting is a must in Belgium. You can guess the importance when you know that every brand has a specific glass made for it.
Wow! What an exciting post! I so love such travel posts – help me travel to all the beautiful places vicariously!
Thank you Shilpa!! Just loving all the attention…all thanks to Shalini!!
Must walk down the cobbled streets of Brugge after reading your post, Prasanna! Engaging travelogue!
Congratulations Shalini as the #Blogversary celebration nears the end with a great style! The month long extravaganza of delectable reads was a great treat to us, the readers!!! May you have many more to come!
-Anagha from Team MocktailMommies
Oh thank you so much Anagha!! I am planning one to finish the year off in style. If your gang would like to join in , please let me know – It will be a spinoff on a blog challenge but will be terribly exciting!! Still finalising some details in my head but I would love to have you guys over again!!! We will plan it in the next 6 weeks and launch it in December. I would love to have you all over with me on this one too!!!
Wow Shalini…sounds interesting. Already excited!!
Thank you so much Anagha!! I hope it pushes you to book those tickets and plan that trip!! Cheers!!
Good to read. My husband had visited Brugge a few years back and this post brought back those memories.
I am glad I could rekindle some pleasant memories Rachna!! Thank you!!
Oh I wish I could visit this place… Looks like an awesome place 1600 varieties of beer! Wow that’s a lot.
You must visit Bruges atleast once…do plan a trip, Rajlakshmi. The beer is totally rewarding!!
Wonderful captures. very different from the movie In Bruges. Is it the same place?
Thank you Damayanti!! It is very much the city where In Bruges was shot. The Belfry is the Tower.