Bruges, Belgium, Country 22, Stop 53

Dec. 9

We have a long day of travel ahead of us, but it's on the train so it's actually quite bearable. We all decide that we prefer train to plane travel.

One of my favorite things about family travel--transit snuggles

We leave first thing in the morning to catch the 8:30 train from Edinburgh to King's Cross, London. Since our covid test kits never arrived to our hotel, we couldn't get them done ahead of time. Once we arrive in London, we walk to St. Pancras, get tested, get food, and board the Eurostar. We are a bit frazzled while all that is going down, but it turned out fine. We are headed to Belgium! I have wanted to do the Chunnel for quite some time so I'm pretty geeked out. It costs more than flying, but we don't have to go to an airport and do all the hassle involved with that.

A feat of engineering

Whaaaaaat?????

We arrive in Brussels and change trains and head to Bruges. We arrive and begin our stay at the very charming Martin's Relais on a canal. I mean, wow. Let's just say the cab ride from the train station to our hotel was festive and merry. I think we are all going to love Bruges.

Dec. 10

It's a rainy day but we walk around anyway and are happy to be out and about. There is a giant globe in a central square with an enormous Christmas tree in it. There are Christmas markets around every corner. It is impossible Christmas cuteness. Belgium has a safe app, where everyone shows a QR code to gain entry to the Christmas markets or shops or restaurants. And it's actually quite comforting because you know that everyone in those places has received their vaccinations and/or been tested recently. I know some Americans are all up in arms about QR codes as a requirement for entering places, but to me it just makes a lot of sense.

Dec. 11

I am GIDDY with excitement. Bruges is ridiculously cute. It's very festive and the rain has stopped. There's even a bit of sun the first part of the day. And it's a weekend so people are out and about.

It's SPECTACULAR and I am in love with the whole vibe of Bruges. We walk ALL over and see the holiday lights and browse the Christmas markets and cute shops and have lunch at an unbearably cute restaurant. We visit the most ah-maz-ing chocolate shop and have truly decadent mugs of hot chocolate.

We even catch part of a harp concert. There are horses clip-clopping on the cobblestones around the squares. It is MAGICAL. Then at night, it becomes even MORE like a fairy tale. Every winter there are light installations all over the town and everyone goes out and walks from one to another along a marked path. It is happy and communal and I am Here. For. It. I may be the happiest I have ever been on this trip. Truly. When people ask what my favorite places are or the best things that happened on this trip, I will talk about the wonder that is Wintergloed.

Mouth mask required.

Most happiest ever. It's like being in a snow globe.

Dec. 12

Today we work on some travel planning, get some hot chocolate, and revisit the amazing Wintergloed park from just above. Since it's a Sunday, church bells add to the atmosphere. Bruges was one of the places that we had not intended to visit this year and certainly not at this time of year. But it's one time when the disruptions of covid meant for a happy bonus experience.

Dec. 13

We are very very very sad to be leaving Bruges. It is utterly charming and we are so in love with our new favorite city. Nevertheless, on to the next.

We head to the train station and I try to pay the Belgian cab driver with a Thai baht! Sigh. In my defense the Thai coin is the same size and looks EXACTLY like the 2 Euro coin. Ok, maybe not exactly. But they are very very very similar. Ah well. I suppose this was bound to happen.

We take a train from Bruges to Kortrijk to Lille to Paris. We snack on the train and once again marvel at how easy train travel is!

If you haven't already seen it, check out Mia's blog.