Back from Bruges

I finally I did something I've always wanted to do: spontaneously hop on the next bus out of town and go away for the weekend! I was just sitting in the common room before lunch on Friday and I was chatting with my friends Christian and Ania. The three of us had traveled to Paris in December and couldn't make it back to London on time because of the Eurostar closure of the Channel Tunnel. In addition to refunding our original tickets, Eurostar gave the three of us free return tickets as a gift. So last Friday we were thinking that we should probably use our tickets before we go home at the end of the month. Christian jokingly said that we should hop on a train that afternoon, so I whipped out my laptop to look up places to stay in Bruges in Belgium while Christian looked up departing trains. As it turned out, there was a train leaving London at 6:30pm and we could be in Bruges that evening. Suddenly, we realized that the whole trip was actually possible. We called Eurostar and got the tickets we wanted, while booking a place to stay. Unfortunately Ania couldn't make it, but Christian and I were in Bruges by midnight.

Where to stay

We checked into The Swan Guesthouse, run by this wonderful woman named Veronique. It was the most beautiful place I have ever stayed in. The place was not only ideally located  (only ten minutes walk from the train station), but it was also beautifully decorated. The immaculately white country-style furniture contrasted magnificently with the cool slate-gray walls. The beds were so comfortable that they practically cradled you to sleep. Veronique herself was a very cool lady. She let us keep our bags in the hallway even after we checked out so that we wouldn't have to walk around the city with them. Plus, she is very knowledgeable about the city. She took the time to point out all the best local eateries and the must-see attractions. If you ever get a chance to go to Bruges, you must stay at the Swan Guesthouse.

Unfortunately, because it was a last-minute booking, Veronique only had vacancies for us on Friday and Sunday nights. On Saturday night we stayed at a brand-new budget hotel adjoining the train station, called the Etap Hotel. This very cool and very affordable hotel (only € 50 a night) just opened last month, so everything is clean and new. The double rooms come with one full bed and a loft bed, a flat screen tv, and an ensuite bath. The whole room is very modernly decorated. I kind of felt like I was on a trendy space ship. The shower head even lights up and changes color.

What to do

Climb to the top of the Belfry, and see a view of the city.

Browse through the antiques at the market, while being watched by Marilyn Monroe.

Look at the window displays.Bruges is full of chocolate window displays, such as this one from Alice and Wonderland.  Visit the Church of Our Lady, built in the 13th century. Its tower is the second tallest brickwork structure in the world.

Hang out at the Markt (or Market Square)

Take a carriage ride. We didn't get to do this, but it's very popular here.

Take a walk along the canals and see the swans.

Where to eat

As an amateur foodie, for me, one of the highlights of traveling are the yummy eats. Three of the gastronomical delights that Belgium is famous for are fries, waffles, and chocolate. When in Bruges, you must try:

FRIES- According to the locals, fries originated from Belgium, not France. Regardless of where you want to believe they originated, it's hard to ignore the fact that the folks in Bruges sure know how to make them right.

Try some fresh fries at Casa Patata. I'm told it's the only place in Bruges that uses fresh potatoes instead of freeze dried ones. I got an order of small fries with yellow curry for €1.80. It's quite delicious and very affordable. The fries were only about €1.20 and it is €0.60 for every additional sauce or topping. The extra €0.60 is well worth it.

WAFFLES- You can't leave Bruges without having Belgian waffles with vanilla ice cream, and warm cherries for €6.50 at Table Folle. The warm waffles are perfectly toasted on the outside and soft on the inside. The vanilla ice cream and the hot cherries give the nicely contrasting effects of cold and hot, sweet and tart.


The cute little cafe is situated on a hidden little street, but it's well worth the effort to find it. They have a tea room special where you can get a waffle with butter and sugar, plus a tea or coffee for only €5.00.

CHOCOLATE- Belgium is world-famous for its chocolate. Bruges alone has about 52 chocolate shops! Be sure to try chocolate delights at Depla Chocolatier.

We got four pieces of chocolate for €2.80. I got the praline crunch, which was delicious, and the champagne chocolate, which was to die for! It was heavenly to let the creamy milk chocolate melt on your tongue, and then have a sudden explosion of champagne in your mouth. If I only had a little more money, I would take box-loads home with me!