I didn't even realise Bruges was in Belgium! And while I had heard of it, I didn't know anything at all about it or what it was famous for (if anything).
Well I went with me english erasmus friend Becky, it's about an hour away on the train, having looked it up in my "Rough Guide to Brussels" where it's listed under "day trips from the city" and was really excited actually to find that it's "the best preserved medieval town in northern europe" or something like that... it managed to avoid getting bombed during the war anyway! It's also known as "the venice of the north" because it's got lots of canals and such like going round it!
So yes, we got there...wandered around... found one of it's many churches that houses a statue of Mary and Jesus by Michaelangelo, apparently "the only Michaelangelo to have left Italy, during his lifetime, and still one of very few that still remain outside Italy to this day".
We spent quite a while going round shops (we are girls...not to stereotype... but I doon't ghave loads of time for that sort of thing these days!) and we found an even bigger version of my FAVOURITE shop in Belgium... Hema. Did I write about this shop at all before... it's like an amazing version of Wilkos...with clothes too... and a bit more style. I just love it. I bought some bunting there with which to decorate my room, froa mere 2€ I believe!
We also ate.. sapghetti carbonara which was delicious, and crepes and hot chocolate later on too! And in the mean time, we found the "Basilica of the Holy Blood" where there's a 'vial' of what's meant to be Jesus' blood. Just to clarify.. I do not think it is really Jesus' blood, and I do think it silly that people go and kiss this little bottle and parade it round the town once per year etc etc. Buut it was interesting! Sadly though, since coming back I've watched a film called "In Bruges"... it's quite funny but still wouldn't recommend it like.. :S um but yes.. and they go to see this holy blood too but on the film, it's not the same room and what not as we were in sooo... yea. Not sure we really did see it or not... but still!
All in all it was a nice day anyway... it was the first time I'd left Brussels since arriving so it was nice to feel like I was actually in 'Belgium' not just... Europe somewhere... and as Bruges is in Flanders... the Flemissh speaking part of Belgium, it was quite itneresting to experience really not understanding a THING on signposts and info boards and what not. Although most places offered some english version (if not french).
I'm wholeheartedly looking forward to more day trips to exciting towns in Belgium... Ghent, Leuven, Mechelen, Antwerp....here I come! :)
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