What can I add to what has already been said? Brugge, Belgium

This morning Emilee took me to the Kaiserslautern Hauptbahnhof so I could catch a train to Brugge, Belgium. Unfortunately, she has much homework and exams at the end of the week. So I am getting "out of her hair" so she can study and not worry about me. Emilee had already visited Brugge this spring, so it is where I chose to visit for a couple days. Emilee asked me if I was nervous about traveling alone and I told her honestly, no. I guess that's my age speaking. That, or experience in Europe.

The Markt in Brugge


The train trip was interesting, mainly from the standpoint of just experiencing a new type of train. The French equivalent to Germany's fastest train - ICE - is Thalys, pronounced Talis. I was impressed because on Thalys, First Class was served a snack and a drink. That never happened on my ICE trips. Thalys, like ICE, is FAST!!! So fast, in fact, that I wasn't able to take photos from the train. Things just went by like a blur! Trains have certainly changed since 30 years ago when I rode them daily in London. Both trains I took today had the Internet available on them. But it makes sense....People commute on trains daily and so they have to be able to do their work while traveling. I tried working on my photos/blog, but the rocking of the train and sitting backwards (half the seats face away from the direction you are traveling), I started feeling a bit green, so....I just enjoyed the blurs going by!

Looking down from the Bell Tower

Getting to my hotel from the train station was a breeze - take just about any bus and they all go to the "CENTRUM" - the Markt, or the big square. It wasn't far from the train station, so technically I could've walked. But my suitcase wheels would've been in tatters from the cobblestones. (My legs feel as though they are in tatters right now!) My hotel is five minutes from the Markt and in one of the very quaint old buildings. It's great! Found it on Booking.com and I believe it was in Rick Steve's book, as well. I am watching TV, as I type this update. It's the first TV I've seen since I left home. And the weird part is that most of the TV shows are in English! But one of my favorite shows, Criminal Minds, was in Flemish. It was just strange seeing those actors "speaking" Flemish!

Now, about Brugge...What more is there that I can say that hasn't already been said? This city is BEAUTIFUL! The buildings date back to the 15th and 16th centuries, and they are still in great shape! The old city is fully accessible by walking, although it seems the locals all have bikes, as do many of the tourists. I may rent a bike tomorrow, but not for IN the city, but rather, to go outside the city, down to the canals and the windmills. I'll just have to see how much sightseeing I finish tomorrow in the city before I decide. Interpretation: Will my legs still have anything left in them?! Today I started out at 3:00 and made it back to the hotel at 9:00. The only stop I made on my "walk" was to sit and have a famous Belgian beer at one of the outdoor cafes. I conversed with a very interesting couple from Utrecht, Nederlands whose son is working on his PhD at Cambridge in Boston. They leave for America next week to visit him.....After my beer, I headed out again. I just meandered down the streets, not checking a map until I came to a dead end and needed to head back towards the Centrum. I covered a lot of ground, cobblestones and 300+ steps up the Bell Tower! Tomorrow, the boat!