Brugge

It started out a little rocky but we made it to Brugge a favorite it seems in the expat community. On the way there the major highway was closed which left as weaving and winding an extra hour and half down Belgium back roads. (at least they were beautiful) When we got to the Brugge main station to park we had planned on taking a bus from there to our hotel but the woman at the information desk said "oh it's just a 20 min walk".... it was not a bad walk but wheeling our suitcases and bags on cobblestone streets was not the most fun!
 Our hotel apartment was right down town next to the market center, a great location. We still had daylight left so we started our chocolate, beer, waffle tour with the last remaining brewery in Brugge. The half moon, it was more of a museum than a brewery but the kids got to climb into a holding tank, so they were happy. After that it was endless chocolate shops and museums and of course your standard canal tour.... here is a photo tour

View from the top of the Brewery

I took this picture not of the horse but of my boys harassing yet another swan. They like to get them to the hissing point right before they try to bite their fingers off.

We went to see a Salvador Dali exhibit and I have to say we left a little unimpressed and creped out.

 



My artist is unimpressed

 

 

 

We took a tour of a hospital museum and the following is Michaels favorite picture, probably because of his love of children. The next one is the architecture of our future house.... see me there learning...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      The first day we came into town we saw the scariest looking street performer ever! and the kids talked about him continuously for the rest of the trip They did not want to do anything else but see who could conquer their fears and drop money in his pot. SO before we left we found him ..... Elijah boldly walked up, dropped money in his pot and began mocking him (shocking) I wish I had videoed it because he even drew a crowd mocking the demon. The bronze man jumped to scare him and he stood his ground. All while Stella and Oliver watched from a distance holding their coins. When it was Olivers turn he couldn't do it...... so we started walking away.  We didn't get more than 10 feet before the peer pressure was put on him by his loving siblings, before we made it half way down the block he wanted to turn around go back and face his fears..... The following is the picture of him and Stella running away right after the coin was dropped...but Elijah can never say they didn't go and that's all that matters!!

 

 

 

We walked up all 366 steps of the city clock tower.

 

 

 

Oh did I mention we saw Jesus blood in a golden vial!... the church would not let you take pictures of the actual vial but here is a poster of the priest walking it around the town the day we were there. The kids had lots of questions about the authenticity.............

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then there was the food ......... Cheese Croquets, chocolate, Mussels, and waffles 

 

 Elijah wanted to try mussels .... he said they were great and Michael said they tasted like they came straight out of Lake Claiborne