BRUGGE AND AREA

Before going to Normandy, Dennis and I decided to visit Brugge in north-west Belgium. We landed in Brussels, hired a car and drove to Brugge. The town was not damaged during World War II so all the old buildings still exist. The market square and several of the buildings are very beautiful with baroque detail and golden statues. We took a bus tour around the city and enjoyed the rows of old buildings, the cathedrals and several windmills. We then took a boat trip along the many canals to see the city from a different perspective. We could picture the scenes from the movie 'In Brugge'. One can also take an old fashioned horse and carriage around the town which is very romantic. The shops are wonderful specialising in beautiful lace and chocolates to die for! The fashions are outstanding and plenty of different styles and shoes. The food here is excellent, especially the fish. I had a sole today that rivals anything you can get in South Africa and Dennis had a huge bucket of mussels. Everything comes with lovely chips. Today we drove across the border [which doesn't exist!] to Holland. We saw a supermarket with only fish of all kinds to buy, even some we had never even heard of and all fresh from the North Sea -mussels, prawns, sole, kabeljou, eels, scallops, crabs, live crayfish and of course lots of herring being cleaned to be eaten fresh on the spot! We drove to the Noth Sea to Zeebrugge where the ferry leaves for England. The wind was blowing a gale and the rows of electricity-generating windmills were working overtime. We stopped for coffee and one of the items on the menu was an upside down Russian coffee. Was this supposed to be Kafe Hafuch!

We are staying in a fairy-tale castle complete with a moat. It is full of genuine family portraits, old furniture, turrets and probably a resident ghost! The bathrooms have been modernised but otherwise it must be the same as when it was owned centuries ago. Outside our window ducks swim in the moat and further off cows graze quietly amongst the spring flowers. Really an idyllic place.

Tomorrow we are off to Bayeaux via Dunkirk and Dennis will update you as to our travels.