As the train pulls out Brussels we pass the green farmer’s fields and are relieved to see a blue sky and sun. Belgium’s weather can make or break your day, sunny weather can make it perfect while the worst rain can make any day outside seem like torture. Unfortunately as we approach Bruges it starts to get noticeably greyer. Bruges (or Brugge in native Flemish) used to be a port town and a commercial centre for the lowlands during medieval ages. However silting resulted in the town losing access to the sea. The city once received merchant fleets from Italy’s Genoa, but as it was cut off it was slowly abandoned. The atmosphere of the city led to it being called “Bruges-la-Morte” (Bruge the dead). Luckily however this resulted in a form of stunted development where the city retained a great deal of its medieval charm and has since been re-founded as a sort of tourist attraction. The popularity of the city has created an industry that maybe makes the city seem a tad fake (aka the abundance of horse carriages) but its still one of the prettiest cities I’ve seen. The title “Venice of the North” might be a bit much, but the canals and streets certainly make it much nicer than Amsterdam, which is actually a little rotted.
Its freezing, and my coat is at the dry cleaners so I’ve got a spring jacket one. It’s a typical Sunday in Belgium which means almost everything is closed. Lucky for us there are two shops open selling some clothes still under their post-holiday sales. We’re shopping in the stores when it starts to pour rain. I buy a scarfe and a jumper, Tatevik gets a jumper too. When we go outside the rain has stopped and there’s a blue sky overhead. But as we look around we notice the blue is actually a patch among dark black clouds. The weather decides to be schizophrenic, rain, sun, rain and sun, hail, wind, sun, etc etc.We’re headed to Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk (Church of Our Lady) to see the Madonna and Child by Michaelangelo, one of his few works to leave Italy in his own lifetime. I had seen the church in October with Ben before work at NATO started. It is placed at an altar and the barrier is so distant that you cannot really see the details of the work. Even so it doesn’t quite compare to my favourite piece by him, the Pietà, in St. Peter’s. Unfortunately about a block before we get there the icy rain starts again and we take refuge in a chocolate shop. I know this is a tourist den selling overpriced Belgian chocolate to all the tourists, but it smells so good Tatevik and I get a bar of coated Marzipan and head off.
Bruges is a wonderful wandering city, designed for pedestrians the entire town can be walked (but the train station is unfortunately about 2km from the centre). Rickard had recommended we go to a pub called De Garre, where they brew Belgium’s “2nd strongest beer”. The beer isn’t sold outside the pub, though they do bottle it for take-away. We follow Rickard’s map and the alley we have to walk down is miniscule, not even a full arms length. And the entrance to the bar is so understated we walk right by it, assuming it to be the exit of another building. Unfortunately their door is closed, with a sign saying something in Dutch, but with the date Feb 2 on it, which I assume means they
are closed until then. However just a bit further down there is another cosy bar where we take a seat and warm ourselves. I order a Kwak, which is a beer served in a very distinctive glass, a ball at the bottom with a narrow neck and a wide mouth. Because the glass cannot be rested on a table, it is served in a wooden cup holder. The shape of the glass means that as you drink the beer the vacuum created in the bottom ball sucks the head back, meaning you can drink the beer even with 2 inches of foam on top. On Wikipedia I read the theory that the glass was designed for horse carriage drivers…makes sense… On our way down the street I see an artist painting the Belfort and the canal. I ask him in French if I can take his photo, he looks at me confused so I ask in English. He says of course, but asks me if I can take a photo for him. Its dusk and the sunset is lighting up the Belfort with dark clouds behind it. He says he’s never seen it like that and asks if I can photo it for him and email it to him. Its raining while sunny, and I write down his email on a wet piece of paper. Later I email him but the email bounces back, so I google his name to get the correct email address. I find a picture of him from years and years ago, maybe 15, painting almost the same picture…..
Its getting dark so I call Rickard to recommend a restaurant. He recommends the Grand Alley Café and the Hobbit but the first is closed and we can’t find the second. Frigid we settle for pizza in the main square and hop the bus back to the station. Its dark and freezing, but so peaceful in what is 9 months of the year, a packed square.
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