(Map of Belgium)
WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 2011:
It was a 185 mile drive to Bruges from Paris.
All of the images below are thumbnails and can be clicked on for a larger image.
It took us about four hours to get to Bruges in the northwest part of Belgium.
Bruges' historic city centre is a prominent World Heritage Site of UNESCO.
Our guide gave us a brief orientation of the city and then we had the rest of the day to ourselves.
One of the symbols of Bruges is the swan. There are always plenty of them on the Minnewater.
The Church of Our Lady remains the tallest structure in the city and the second tallest brickwork tower in the world.
Market Square is at the heart of the city.
Some historical highlights around the square include the 12th-century belfry and the Provincial Court.
In the center of the market stands the statue of Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck.
Along with a few other canal-based cities, Bruges' is often referred to as "The Venice of the North".
From Rozenhoedkaai an exceptionally beautiful view is seen of the old houses bordering the canal.
I took an hour long boat cruise on the canals through the city.
It was a very enjoyable day in Bruges. A great way to spend my 52nd birthday.
The weather was pretty nice, a little very light rain as we were leaving.
|
Hello again folks, First of all, thanks to everyone that sent birthday greetings. I had a great birthday. Today I journeyed out of Paris again. This time about 180 miles north of the city. I was able to knock another country off my bucket list as I spent the afternoon in Bruges (Brugge in Dutch), Belgium. That's Market Square pictured above. Bruges is a beautiful city often referred to as the Venice of the North because of the canals that run through the city. The historic city center has been declared an UNESCO World Heritage Site. That's the bell tower of the Church of Our Lady above. One of the world's tallest brick towers. I enjoyed walking all around this city where horse-drawn carriages and bicycles out number the cars. Bruges' most famous landmark is its 13th-century belfry pictured above. Above is old St. John's hospital, now a museum. I didn't buy any famous Belgium chocolates from the many shops all around the city. I took a canal cruise around the city during my visit. It was a nice tour. The guide gave us a brief orientation walk to the center of town but from there we were able to explore on our own. It was an all day thing as we didn't get back to Paris until 9:00 this evening. Weather wasn't the sunny day the Internet said it was going to be. It rained off and on both coming and going. But luckily the weather was mostly nice while we were in Bruges. A few drops of rain just as we were leaving. This is my final night in Paris. I will be flying onward tomorrow afternoon. Tim |
Click on the arrow above to continue to the next adventure, Budapest, Hungary!
Custom Search
|
| TIM'S HOME PAGE SITE INDEX | ||
|---|---|---|
| Areas | Description | # of Pages |
| About Me | Current Picture of me and my home. Information about myself. | 2 |
| Biography | Pictorial biography of myself. Pictures range from birth to adulthood. | 4 |
| Family File | Pictures of my family and a little information about them. | 11 |
| Local Spotlight | Pictures, Links, and Information for Indianapolis, Richmond, Plainfield, and Mooresville, Indiana. | 5 |
| Tim's Travels | Pictures, videos and travelogs from my travels around the world. | 200+ |
| Vacation Videos | Over 1100 videos from my travels around the world. | 1 |
 |  |  |
 | ||