After another uneventful, UNO-filled voyage across what are essentially “cultural borders,” the 3-hour train ride from Cologne, Germany brought us to the capital of the neighboring (and slightly more personable) country of Belgium -- Brussels. Or, if you happen to be an avid fan of geopolitical conventions, the headquarters to them all:
Now, since our short “train layover” did not involve promoting peace, equality or consistent ocean currents, we instead opted to spend the few hours we had in Brussels on a quick “walking tour” of the main sights. From peeing statues to historical squares. Centuries-old churches to even older museum-based relics. And of course, on every single corner, of every single cobble-stone-paved road, a waffle shop. Taunting, tempting and toying with our children’s recently developed, crack-like addiction to sugar. So, all-in-all, a very solid introduction to the ensuing destination on our itinerary, 30 minutes to the north, in the city of Bruges. As the capital of West Flanders (i.e. which disappointedly lacks any Leftorium shops), Bruges is home to just over 100,000 people, spread throughout one of the few cities virtually untouched by the effects of warfare during the 1940s. But not, as we soon learned, untouched by tourism. With over 8 million visitors (plus the four of us) visiting each year, the quiet streets and narrow alleyways of this delightful city, essentially turn into a clusterf*ck of clusterf*ckness (trademark pending). Coffee shops without an open table in sight. Hotel vacancies occurring only in the dead of winter. Sidewalks officially re-designated as "selfie zones." But why, you may ask, is such a small town, such a prominent “pin” on the notorious travel map? Firstly, thank you for the helpful segue! Secondly, while Bruges has always had a place in the heart of Rick Steves and other I-actually-get-paid-to-write-about-travel authors (deep sigh), it didn’t gain notoriety until 2008, when the namesake film “In Bruges” was released to the delight of film goers worldwide, and the absolute horror of those who called Bruges their home. Depicting this centuries old city as essentially a “hellish delight of charm,” our personal experience could not have more accruately reflected this depiction. Flower-adorned canals, colorful architecture, luscious green parks. It’s as if Bob Ross hacked the Sim City code, and built a fairytale land made solely out of rainbows and sunshine. Or in other words, charming as hell. Onto the highlights:
Onto the pics: Next Stop: Paris
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