Hey there everybody! How are you all keeping? I’ve been knitting and sewing like a fiend these past few days, so it’s kinda nice to take a break and have a chat with you all. Aaaand it wasn’t so bad to scroll through a few more holiday pics in preparation for this post, either! Let’s join Explorer Beastie en route to our next destination… Bruges!
I had visited Bruges before, many years ago… But I’d forgotten how impossibly pretty it is. Here, take a look!
So, where are we off to first?
How about getting a bird’s eye view of the city?
“Are we really climbing THAT?”
Why yes, Explorer Beastie! Yes we are. This is the Belfort (Belfry) of Bruges, and for a small fee, humans can climb the 366 steps to the top of that 83m (272 ft) tower and look out over the beautifully-preserved mediaeval town. Beasties can usually sneak in for free, if they stay hidden in a convenient handbag.
“I’m in! Let’s do this!”
Explorer Beastie was supposed to stay tucked away until we got to the top, but he couldn’t resist popping out for photo ops in the Treasury…
… And the bell tower itself.
On the left is the Triumph Bell, which is the biggest of the 47 bells (47!) housed in the tower. It’s a shrimpy little thing, weighing a mere 6,000kg! On the right, Explorer Beastie is taking a closer look at the playing drum, which allows some of the lesser bells to play recognisable tunes every quarter hour. Each of those pins is actually a nut and bolt, so their positions could be changed….
“Do you reckon I could get it to play ‘Dancing Queen’?”
Um… Maybe. But we’re still a way from the top… Back into my bag, or you’re tackling the really steep, narrow final steps on your own!
Seriously, it does get to be a very tight squeeze for the last stages of the climb. But that view?
Totally worth it!
Better yet, I managed to get down those stairs again without tripping up once.
Back at ground level, it was time for Explorer Beastie to make the acquaintance of one of the locals. This did not go as well as on previous occasions.
“Gaaaah! Help!”
Fortunately, I was able to snatch him from the jaws of doom juuuust in time. And then we spotted this, which seemed like a good way to distract him from what had just happened.
Chocolate Museum? Yes please!
And while there was a good healthy dose of curiosities for us to enjoy from the outset…
There was one very obvious reason why we were here.
“All you can eat”? Really? Is that wise?
Of course, Explorer Beastie accepted the challenge, and set about trying to bankrupt the place. His appetite never ceases to amaze me.
He also took a quick spin in a conquistador’s ship. If I’d eaten that much chocolate, I probably wouldn’t have risked it… This little monster must have some serious sea legs.
In fact, he was still feeling chipper enough at the end to pose with these guys – does anyone else recognise the Barbapapas, rendered in delicious Belgian chocolate?
And after all that chocolate, there was just time for a quick beer in this amazing cellar bar. It’s called Le Trappiste, for any of you who might be planning a post-quarantine visit.
Then it was time to hop on the train home!
Cheers for travelling with us!
Have any of you been to Bruges? What did you make of it? Be sure to tell us in the comments! And we’ll see you again next week… Until then, look after yourselves and keep washing those paws!
What a whirl! Maybe your Beasties are secretly relieved about lockdown — time to rest and recover from all those adventures. Please tell them that they are much more handsome that Barbapapas
Hahaha! If I do that, I’ll never be able to get space at my own mirror ever again. I’m planning some closer-to-home adventures soon though, just to make sure they don’t lose their touch… And also to prise myself off my crafting couch for some exercise!
Hope you’re doing well, Mariss, and cheers for joining us in Bruges!
I cannot wait to return someday! Loved this post and seeing the sights from a Beastie’s perspective! I want to take tierneycreates Beastie and Mikelet on a train ride (and perhaps someday the future secret Beastie will be coming along too!).
I agree with Mariss – your Beasties might be exhausted from that extensive travel – ha!
Oooh, a train ride to where? Train travel seems to suit the Beasties – there’s usually somewhere handy for them to perch and look out at the world going by. Let’s hope you can take that trip sometime soon! Cheers for popping in, Tierney!
I just want to get on a train and ride it anywhere right now 🙂
Hopefully that’s not too far off 🙂
I do love Bruges! This brought back a lot of great memories, and it looks like you all enjoyed your trip immensely!
Thanks Catherine, we really did! I could happily have stayed longer… Hopefully a return visit will be in the pipeline when the world gets back to normal. Glad you enjoyed the wander down memory lane too 😊
What a place, it’s good to see the beasties behaving themselves 🙂
Hahaha! Only while the camera was on them… That wasn’t the only all-you-can-eat chocolate sample station in the museum, and Explorer Beastie raided them all! Cheers for joining us, Simon 😊
Oh really? Explorer beastie does like his chocolate. But you’re sure it wasn’t you? Right? 🙄
Now I never said I didn’t test a few of those samples myself… You know, for science 😂
Well of course, strictly for science 😂
Right? It’s so important to have as much verified data as possible 😁
I couldn’t agree more 😀
I can’t read anything about Bruges without thinking of the Colin Ferrell movie In Bruges, and his comments on the city. Anywayyyyy, Bruges is a terrific place to visit. We did the Halve Maan Brewery tour and it was great. Unfortunately, David wanted to fit in so he ended up drinking the “free” pint of beer at the end of the tour…the beer I had been hoping to add to my “free” pint.
How very dare he?! I suggest you make him order in some cans or bottles of delicious brew to make up for this transgression immediately. And I don’t get what Colin Farrell’s beef with Bruges was, but maybe it’s different if you’re there for work… 🤔
Cheers for popping in, Tammie!
I was there with the Drone many years ago and did a city tour by bicycle…not for those of a nervous disposition! The chocolate museum must be a new attraction. We had trouble finding anywhere to eat, chocolate themed or otherwise, but I do remember it being a really lovely city. Great to see a Beastie enjoying it too.
Why thank you, Queen Bee! It seems Bruges is a popular destination with BeastieBlog readers! Right enough, the chocolate museum did feel like a relatively recent addition… It probably wasn’t there for your trip. But now you mention it, the first restaurant we tried for dinner was inexplicably closed, so maybe not much else has changed! Thanks for dropping in 😊