2017 (9) Part 2, Brugge.

too many photos…to put on one blog, and max loved these old cars..

Sunday procession of old cars goes by….

2017 (9) Brugge, Belgium.

And the weather is still awful,, and Max is getting disillusioned with Belgium,, bloody North Sea, as he says !!!         We arrive in Brugge, to another great Captainarie who is the brother of the one from Ghent.(small world).     Brugge is an interesting city, where literally everyone is a tourist..its a bit like being in Disney Land, not many bikes to be run over by but plenty of groups following the umbrella or flag, with numbers stuck on their chests and horse & traps... But apart from that we spent 6 great days here. 

Walked our socks off, and with a visit for 2 nights with friends from Brussels, Bart and Lia, and a day with their/our friend Marc we saw a lot of Brugge through Flemish eyes.   And Barts cooking with his home grown veg, yum yum.                

Couldn’t miss a tourist boat trip around the many tiny waterways in the city centre.

This lovely onclave of tiny houses, Almshouses, from the 14C onwards were built by charity for the care of the impoverished elderly or retired craftsmen. And later, widows ands single ladies.

Out on the town, the bands getting the stage set up for the night.

Again, saved by The Monuments Men,

The Statue of

  Madonna and Child   

by Michelangelo Buonarotti (1504-5).

Carved in Carrara marble.

It now resides in The Church of Our Lady in Brugge and is one of the few works of his outside Italy.

Below, The Church of Our Lady with the tombs of 2 important historical figures from Belgium History.     Charles the Bold,(or Charles the Rash)9!433-77,  last Valois Duke of Burgundy, and his daughter, the duchess Mary.

More incredible sculptures and statues.

Bill and Min arrive to stay for a couple of nights to celebrate the birthday!!!!,

They bypassed their boat in Nuiewpoort to visit us and then we had a lovely day trip to see Nuiewpoort, with its huge sea and fresh water marinas.

Main Market Square, Brugge, with The  Belfry, (83m high) and The Provincial Court, and various Museums.

This is surprise birthday present from Bart & Lia.

Its meant to be one of the best beers made by Trappist monks, and considered by some to be the best beer in the world…..its not that easy to find in the shops… and only 10.2%.

And for all our friends out there…

                   

,

2017 (8) Ghent, Belgium

Arrived in the outskirts of Ghent for 2 nights to recover and saw some interesting boats, the umbrella man, galleon cruise, sinking and a boat made totally from recycled plastic picked up in the Amsterdam canals….

then into the Lindenlei Marina where we had reserved a spot.    Luckily for us the 10 day Ghent Festival had finished on the Sunday so we were not surrounded by huge music stages, pop up cafes and  persons under the influence. They had huge lighting arcades, floating stages on the river and after 4 days, with huge crews they had dismantled most of it and carted it away on juggernauts.

Lovely city, easily walkable with many sights to see,, churches, little canals, beautiful old gothic style houses, lovely little cobbled streets, mainly for pedestrians…(that’s not saying its safe for people as bikes have right-of-way)                                                      The Castle of the Counts in the centre of the town houses a horrific torture display used in the Middle ages. Glad we didn’t live then… !!

Every picture tells a story !!!!!  The blunt ended swords are used for be-heading.

Yes, that is a fire under that poor persons bottom…

Armour, amazing double edged swords, daggers, knives, old guns, lances,,,all too much to photograph.

The old Fish Market below.

and Max found a beer Shop…..

Ghent missed being bombed in WW2 so the City is full of original gothic style houses, and old buildings and churches, still all intact.

The original Mason’ Guild House with the Moriscos dancers on the gable.

The Heart of Ghent..                       The Graslei & Korenlei, with all the cafes along the central canal. from 11c the trading activities increased and the area became the port for the trading of grain. All grain imported into Flanders had to come through this port, and had to leave 1/4 of their shipment in payment.

Along Limburgstraat, St Nicholas’ Church, The Belfry & St Bavo’s Cathedral at sunset.

Of all the beautiful churches, that are mostly in tact, The most famous is St Bravos’ Church that houses the alter piece,  The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb’ . This collection of 20 oak panels was commissioned in 1432  and painted by the Van Eyck brothers.   In its life it has been cut up, stolen numerous times, saved, re-stolen and now is back in the Cathedral.     Anybody who has watched ‘’The Monuments Men’ , will remember this painting and the Statue of The Madonna and Child  (Brugge)  that these brave men saved from being lost forever.   In 1934  two of the alter piece panels were stolen, known as ‘The Bold Theft’ from  the Cathedral and to this day they have never been recovered.

Of course statues gallore,  but these 3 we like the best…The girl with the head phones on a bridge at Portus Ganda, and watching over the confluence of the River Leie and Shelde, a male and female statue, ready to dive into the water from buildings each side.

and everywhere,     just beautiful……..

We didn’t realise why we felt so relaxed walking around the city, and that’s because its illegal in Belgium to hawk, busk, or have ice-cream vans etc ringing bells…..