Tuesday 30 April 2019

Away from it all

We'd planned the perfect getaway. At least, that's what we thought! We'd booked a mid-week break at Het Soetewater, a B&B in the rural area around Bruges, leaving on the Tuesday after the Easter school holidays in Belgium. In addition to avoiding the worst of the crowds, this would give us a head start, using the long Easter weekend - my office closes on Good Friday as well as Easter Monday - to pack and generally get into holiday mood.

But, as is often the case with the best laid plans, it didn't turn out quite like we'd imagined.

Our new neighbour, who has bought the house next door which had been empty for years, chose the Easter break to completely renovate his roof down to the roof-beams. Being highly sensitive to noise at the best of times, this came on top of weeks of ongoing renovations at my office building.

It's a good thing the weather was gorgeous, so that we could make our escape for a couple of hours, but still my nerves were frayed by the end of each day, and blogging or reading required the aid of some white noise, found on YouTube, played through my headphones.


Needless to say, we couldn't get away fast enough on Tuesday, and after an hour's drive, by early afternoon we were happy to find ourselves in a completely different, and mercifully quiet, place!

It was our second stay at this delightful B&B, as we'd been staying there courtesy of Jos's children last year, and we were welcomed by our hostess, Veronique, with a cup of coffee and home-made cakes. Not to mention a choice of scrumptious mini chocolate Easter eggs, a huge glass bonbonnière of which was at our disposal in the cozy breakfast/sitting room, and which I confess was virtually empty by the time we left.


Housed in what used to be the barn belonging to Veronique's parents' farmhouse, our room was comfortable and spacious as well as tastefully decorated, with the equally spacious but cosy bathroom having the luxury of both a huge bath and a shower.



Having re-acquainted ourselves with our surroundings, it was time for a first outing to Bruges.

It was mid-afternoon by then so, rather than using the cheapest parking option at the station, which includes free public transport to the city centre, we made use of a huge, underground car park in a central location situated a mere stone's throw from all the main tourist traps attractions.



We had no itinerary but to wander around this magical, dreamlike city, which even after several visits didn't fail to captivate us. 

Wanting to avoid the crowds, we immediately veered off the main shopping street leading all the way to the Markt, the epicentre of all things touristy, opting for narrow, cobbled back streets off the beaten track, until we reached the busy Dijver canal.




Not quite ready to face the crowds just yet, we entered the picturesque courtyard garden belonging to the 18th century Arentshuis Museum. The garden contains an arrangement of bronze sculptures called The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the works of Belgian sculptor Rik Poot, and created between 1981-87.

One of Bruges' picturesque canals virtually runs underneath the building and through the garden, with a constant stream of canal boats taking tourists on 30-minute boat trips along the city canals. It's quite a feat to photograph this fairytale like stretch of canal without one of these boats marring the view! 



In the corner of the courtyard, there's an eternal bottleneck created by a tiny hump backed bridge, or rather, by the selfie-stick wielding masses intent on taking their picture on it.

The ancient looking Bonifacius bridge dates from early 20th century and is one of Bruges’ youngest bridges, a fact that most people seem to be blissfully unaware of.

By some stroke of luck, there suddenly was a gap in the crowds, so that I too could have my picture taken there. Snap! Jos had to be really quick, though.


A note about my outfit. It was a gorgeous, yet slightly windy day, so I wore my dark denim jacket with a yellow felt flower pinned to it, over a vintage, flower sprigged two piece, accessorized with a mid blue belt and beaded necklace. My emergency booties (see here) must be one of the most comfortable pairs I've ever worn. And enter my new zipped-top cross body bag, which turned out to be the perfect travelling companion.

We meandered through the garden of the Groeninge Museum, which offers a varied overview of the history of Belgian plastic arts, to re-surface once more onto the crowded Dijver canal.



A short walk brought us to one the most photographed spots in Bruges, the picture postcard perfect Rozenhoedkaai. 

I was able to snap around the many canal boats again, but note the mass of people queuing for boat trips on the left, just to the right of the weeping willow.

The tall tower just off centre belongs to Bruges' iconic belfry, a close-up of which you can see on the top right.


Here, the crowds are virtually unavoidable, so, taking a deep breath, we dived in and made our way past the boat tours' ticket office towards the Vismarkt (Fish Market) from where a narrow alley would take us under an archway to Bruges' most opulent square, the Burg.

Among the hustle and bustle there was a stall selling stunning fused glass jewellery, where I succumbed to these two rings.


The weather was in stark contrast to last year's, when we visited the Burg on a grey and rainy day.

Now, a blue sky with fluffy white clouds was the backdrop to the square's collection of stunning buildings vying for attention.

The gilded reliefs and statues adorning the Brugse Vrije (Liberty of Bruges) glinted in the sunlight, crowned by the blind-folded statue of Lady Justice balancing her scales. This was the place from which independent magistrates exercised jurisdiction over the region from the late Middle Ages until 1795.  It later served as the Court House and today it houses the city council administration.


Next door is the awe inspiring gothic City Hall, its facade clad with statues representing the Counts of Flanders and biblical figures. It was built in 1376, making it one of the oldest in the Low Countries.


The low, dark building tucked away in the corner is the Basilica of the Holy Blood, which is famous for a crystal vial reputed to contain a drop of Christ's blood brought back from the Holy Land in 1149. The facade of the basilica with its three arches and gilded statues was erected between 1529 and 1534.


Leaving the Burg, we finally made our way towards the Markt, lured by the siren call of the tall belfry tower, which is Bruges' most distinctive landmark. The 83-meter-high belfry is one of the finest bell towers in Belgium. Construction of the tower, which still contains a carillon of 47 bells, began in 1282, and the crowning octagonal upper section was finally completed in 1482.

At the Markt, those tourist who haven't succumbed to a boat trip, are persuaded to fork out for a ride through Bruges' historic winding streets by horse-drawn carriage.

Pangs of hunger dictated that we search out a place to eat. Our favourite among the many cafés lining the square turned out to have its closing day, so we reluctantly selected another, joining the throngs of tourists, while soaking up the historic splendour around us.



Then it was back to the peace and quiet of our B&B for some more peace and quiet, a blissful soak in the bath and a good night's sleep.


But not before showing you the two frocks I found at Think Twice, which we happened upon quite by chance. Yes, really! I'm sure you'll agree that, with prices down to € 2 that day, it would have been silly not to buy them.

I hope you'll join me for the continuation of our travel adventures in my next post!

Linking once more to Patti's Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style!


38 comments:

  1. What a difference to last year's photos - the weather looked perfect for exploring Bruges.
    You've done a wonderful job of capturing the attractions without hoards of tourists blocking your way - no mean feat!!
    Love your glass rings and your bargain dresses and I'm delighted that your emergency boots are comfy.
    How gorgeous your accommodation looks (and sounds with the sweet treats). Love the arty shot with Jos's straw trilby! xxx

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    1. Thank you Vix! I usually take my time taking these photographs, it's one of the only things I have the patience of a saint for! xxx

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  2. That sounds and looks like a perfect get away. It is so relaxing isn't it. Just a few days out. The buildings in Bruge are fantastic.

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    1. Oh, it is, Nancy! We're always telling ourselves we should get away more often, if only for a few days! xxx

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  3. Bruges looks amazing. The buildings are fascinating; I do love old buildings and Bruges seems to be chockablock with them! Your accommodation looked lovely and I admire that you were able to leave a few chocolates in the jar; I couldn't...

    How lucky you had planned your getaway as the neighbour started on his noisy renovations!

    Just a word of warning about glass rings - lovely as they are. I had one and it knocked against a hard surface; broke and cut me!

    Looking forward to the next instalment.
    xxxx

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    1. Thank you Vronni! You should really consider a visit to Bruges! We might even meet up if you do! Regarding those chocolates, we were showing restraint and left some for the other guests. But we ate all our favourites ;-) xxx

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  4. Ah, peace and quiet in the midst of touristy noise--what a treasure you have found in the B&B, not to mention the treasures you found venturing into the touristy noise. I have never been to Bruges, but seeing all your phots makes me want to go there. Maybe off-season? Is there an off-season in Bruges? Can't wait to continue the journey with you in your next post.

    Hugs,
    Sherry

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    1. Peace and quiet is what we needed, Sherry! I don't think Bruges really has an off-season, but I've heard that January and February are the quietest months. Probably also the coldest, though! xxx

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  5. See, this is what I crave when I travel, too - that peace and quiet. Throngs of people cause me to feel very anxious and I have to get away! I had a really hard time in Florence, Italy, when we were there, much preferring the side streets and little shops and cafes over the tourist areas. Thank you for the lovely trip through this beautiful city, Ann!

    Love all your dresses (only 2 Euros??) and those rings are divine. I would have eaten all the eggs too!

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    1. I am not at all good with crowds either. I start feeling claustrophobic when I'm in too much of a crowd. Weren't we good leaving some eggs for the other guests? xxx

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  6. Glad you were able to get some rest and quiet in a beautiful place. Those two dresses are wonderful, and who could resist such beautiful rings?

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    1. Thank you Goody! There were so many rings to choose from, but most of them were way to big for my tiny fingers. xxx

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  7. You've made a timely escape from the noise! Your trip looks utterly delightful. I would be fooled by the bridge as any tourist in Bruges! :) You have an amazing ability to photograph historical places when they look deserted, which adds so much charm to your posts.

    The newly found dresses are fabulous on you - you look like a model from earlier fashion mags!

    Lots of love!

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    1. Photographing crowded places with hardly anyone in sight is getting to be my speciality, Natalia! I love that last comment, thank you, darling! xxx

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  8. Your B&B looks lovely, just the kind of place I would choose. I am always in awe of how photogenic Bruges is, and you had decent weather too, what luck! Your photos are really wonderful xx

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    1. Thank you Sarah! We love that B&B, which is why we paid a return visit. Bruges is photogenic even when it rains, so having some sunshine was definitely a bonus! xxx

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  9. What a beautiful place. The architecture looks amazing.

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  10. Your B&B is so lovely ❤️ Thank you for this wonderful pictures from Brügge. I never been there. It 's stunning. Great you found amazing frocks, for this crazy price!
    A very huge hug Tina

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    1. I'm amazed you've never been to Brugge, Tina! It's truly stunning, even with the crowds and bad weather! xxx

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  11. with sunshine the city looks completely different!
    thank you for the gorgeous photos!
    your knew dresses are so you! esp. love the purple one with its wide sleeves and the border print...
    the glass rings are a beauty of theyr own <3
    wish you that your neighbor will finish his renovation project ASAP!!!!
    big hug! xxxxx

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    1. Thank you Beate! I was amazed these two dresses hadn't been snapped up yet, at these prices. Oh, and it's all quiet at our neighbour's now, but I'm sure more noise will follow when he's starting his next renovation project! xxx

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  12. What a beautiful city, Ann! I would love to explore it one day! Your B&B looks fabulous too! Love the 2 dresses you bought and those rings are gorgeous! I would've bought heaps! ;) Hope you have a wonderful weekend, Ann! XXX

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    1. If you ever decide to visit, I'll obviously join you and give you the guided tour! I would have bought more rings, but most of them were too big for my tiny fingers! xxx

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  13. Sorry to hear about the construction noise, but at least you managed to escape for a bit. Nature walks are the best to relax. Your trip seems a success too. Bruges looks like a perfect Easter getaway. Such a beautiful place!!! I really like the green dress you are wearing.

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    1. Thank you Ivana! I agree, nature walks are best for relaxing. As does getting away for a few days. I totally enjoyed being away from it all. xxx

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  14. Gorgeous pictures and I love the blue dress & white think twice dress!
    I hope the building work was done by the time you got home.

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    1. Thank you Gisela! That dress is my favourite too. And, thankfully, the noisy part of the building work had finished when we got back home! xxx

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  15. amazing post dear :)
    do you want do follow each other?

    xoxo Buba

    https://bubasworld.blogspot.com/

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    1. Thank you Buba, I am following you now too! xxx

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  16. what a beautiful city, despite touristic crows!
    You made me remember our visit back in 2015, even if my memories are not so good because I got sick when in Brugge and had to visit a doctor. But Flemish Primitives (I do love gothic painting) and those fab buildings totally stole my heart and enjoyed a lovely day (with some drugs support!)
    That B&B looks adorable, your pictures are actually delightful and you look Fabulous in your green dress and cute cross body bag (it looks comfy too!). Josh looks really elegant in his colorful ensemble too!
    And those two frocks in the last picture are really fab finds!
    besos

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    1. Aw, sorry to hear you were ill in Bruges! Hopefully you did manage to enjoy some of it. Oh, and Jos says thank you! xxx

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  17. Perfect timing for a break by the sounds of things. I hope things have quietened down for you now Ann. The place you stayed looks really pretty xx

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    1. Thankfully, the noisy part of the renovations seems to have finished, at least for the time being. As for the B&B, I think you'd really love it, Laurie! xxx

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  18. Aaah! Your trip to Bruges last year made me want to go there, and this year's trip is definitely renewing the urge. It all looks so beautiful.

    I hope the situation at home is quieter now.

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    1. Oh, you really should, Mim. It's absolutely beautiful, even with the crowds. And it's a bit quieter now at home, even though it will be long time until renovations are completely finished ... xxx

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  19. I hope the roof is now finished and peace is restored! Your B&B looks so lovely, you've photographed it beautifully.
    Bruges looks stunning, I have been before on a day trip a long time ago, and remember falling in love with it.
    xx

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    1. Thank you Hazel, the roof is not quite finished yet, but the worst of the noise is over! But one day simple isn't enough to sample all the delights Bruges has to offer! xxx

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