Ever since I started this ‘sort-of social experiment’ to see how much I could change my life, things have been getting better and better. This weekend’s trip to Bruges has been the cherry on the cake… or more accurately the cherry in the Belgian beer.
This is how it happened…
My fella is truly brilliant, he is extremely funny [there is not a day that I don’t cry with laughter], he is fantastically good to me AND [this was a shock] he even listens to me. He proved this in spectacular style at Christmas with a perfect selection of gifts for me, all without guidance or interference. These gifts included numerous bits like a jumper dress, the warmest slippers in the world, a Tatty Devine necklace [my most coveted costume jewellery designer independent to London and introduced to my by Victoria] and a very funky little suitcase…
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| The Christmas Suitcase |
Within this suitcase was a gigantic card containing a surprise trip on the Euro Tunnel and various locations which we could travel to for the weekend circled on a map. There are a few reasons that this is the perfect gift for me:
I love Christmas so much that when it’s over I get a little blue [on occasions there are even tears]. Dave specifically got me this gift as ‘something to look forward to’ after Christmas
I love new experiences, literally anything slightly out of the ordinary makes me extremely excited. For example if Dave suggests taking the dog on a slightly different walk, in my head this becomes a mini adventure. Given this little bit of background you can maybe start to imagine the joy at the following: First time on the Euro tunnel [and the opportunity to treat myself at the duty frees], first time driving to a foreign holiday destination, first time in Belgium and first time in Bruges, and this was just the journey there!
I got to choose! I constantly pester Dave to agree to city breaks because I love how much there is to see and do, so many new experiences, history and culture and beyond the tourist stuff you really get a sense of how people live. This is not Dave’s favourite type of place to visit, he favours the more relaxing scenarios but he suggested Bruges which makes this trip an entirely selfless gift.
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| Permission to spoil myself at the Duty Frees |
The weekend was perfect from start to finish and I was doubly spoilt as the Davey booked the weekend of our five year anniversary and a lovely hotel right in the heart of Bruges.
The entire weekend was a weekend of firsts, admittedly a lot to do with food and beer:
It was the first time I have ever had Belgian beer in Belgium. I love Belgian beer, especially the fruit beers, I would drink them all the time if it weren’t for the extortionate price tag in this country but the fruit beers in Belgium were all €3 or less.
Our first drink on the first day was in ‘The Beerwall’ which is now officially my favourite bar in the world.
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| Pull down menus at The Beerwall |
You order drinks from menus suspended on elastic above your head, which negates the frantic scrabbling around and trying to decipher and order from a menu in a foreign language as you reach the bar. When your got your drink, served in the delightful Belgian glasses [they make beer look so much more refined than the British pint]
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| Belgian beer at The Beerwall |
Then you can squeeze into the cosy bar or you can move out to the terrace overlooking for the canal. Needless to say we selected the latter option! While everywhere in Bruges is beautiful, the view from the sunny terrace of The Beerwall with a Kriek Boon is definitely top in my books.
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| The Beerwall from across the canal |
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| Me with my Kriek Boon at The Beerwall |
The terrace furniture is all simple but stylish with clean lines and durable materials. Seating is on high stools along an external bench style table which runs the length of the deck. The bench is supported on gabions [stainless steel cages filled with decorative rocks] and has a perforated brushed stainless steel top surrounded by a chunky hardwood frame which has silvered due to exposure to the elements. The high stools are the same silvered hardwood and brushed stainless steel. The bench has three umbrellas, in black and white, with raffia streamers about 6 inches long hanging from the underside. The overall effect is funky and functional and totally my sort of place; the simple colour palate compliments the beautiful backdrop of the typical Bruges architecture with its soft brick tones and natural stone. I really didn’t want to leave this bar but the sun went down and the temperature dropped so eventually we retreated back to the hotel.
The next day I had my first ever Belgian Waffle and in fact my first ever waffle for breakfast. It was delicious. Dave was quite ‘into’ his waffle as well.
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| Dave feeling the waffle love! |
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| Belgian Waffle Breakfast |
After breakfast we took my first ever horse drawn carriage and got a historical tour of Bruges. Dave and I thought we had walked most of the Centre of Bruges but the tour revealed an entire quarter of the city we had not yet seen. The tour also revealed to us that the ‘old buildings’ on the square outside our hotel date back to the 11th Century and that the oldest one was in fact the Chapel of the Holy Blood [said to contain a vial of Jesus Christ’s Blood].
Our horse had a break and a snack at Love Lake so Dave and I took an opportunity to buy ‘eternal love’ by throwing a couple of Euro’s into the lake.
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| Our horse drawn carriage |
Following the horse & carriage tour we retraced the tours steps to locate the ‘Best place to be to drink the best hot chocolate’ also known as ‘The Old Chocolate House’ and ‘De Halve Mann’ brewery.
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| Delicious Hot Chocolate |
Hot chocolate in Bruges is like pure melted chocolate. It is amazing and I will crave it for ever more!
De Halve Mann Brewery tour was brilliant, it started with the small room that they use to brew the ‘Bruges Zot’ today followed by a tour around the historical building and all the processes the Brewers used until modern processes became available. Midway through the tour we ended up on the roof of the Brewery which gave fantastic views over all of Bruges and the tour ended at the bar to sample the goods… we approved!
I loved everything about this trip, so in case I didn’t quite tell you enough Davey, THANK YOU!
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| Sampling the product following the brewery tour |
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| We Approve! |
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| Official beer of De Halve Mann Brewery |
Bruges is definitely in the top 5 places I have visited and with a door to door travel time of just over 4 hours a return trip is on the cards... Hopefully in the near future!
Next stop Athens...
All in all a brilliant good year full of celebrations and happy tidings for friends, family and myself, for which I am very gratful. Here's to more of the same in 2013 :)
