Blog ≫ 2024 ≫ AC/DC weekender part four: Bruges
Well I thought I just dictated a load of content while on my little walk to Sandgate, and it's all gone. Did I accidentally delete it all again.
We had all planned to get up early to go to Bruges in the morning, even though we'd not go back to the hotel in Turnhout after the gig until about half two. I went straight off to sleep I think, I didn't even make a sleepy tea (from the teabags I'd brought with me) like I did the night before.
The plan was to drive to some services about half way to Bruges and get breakfast there. We did ask about breakfast at the hotel when we'd arrived actually, hoping that it was included, but no it wasn't and it was going to be another twenty-five euros. This is why we went to Breek the day before, and this is why we were heading off with no breakfast today. Our run was very smooth though so we carried on straight in to Bruges without stopping.
We parked in a big old underground car park in Bruges, much like we did in Turnhout, possibly under a shopping centre again. Reminded me of Gunwharf Quays, though I said at the time "this reminds me of The Cascades" for some reason. I don't remember if the Cascades even had a carpark.
We're in Bruges early, too early to check in to the hotel, so to breakfast. I didn't love the breakfast spot, though it was good for the others. An art gallery themed cafe, and it had the bacon and eggs the others were looking for, but I wasn't hungry enough to move on anywhere else, so just coffee and juice for me. And it was nice coffee and juice. The cafe was opposite a place called "Potato Bar" and another place called "Chicken Spit". Most of Bruges is nicer sounding than this though.
Next we went to a church, yes really. It was a special church, it was in the film In Bruges 1, but probably everything in Bruges is in In Bruges. They have a thing with the actual genuine blood of actual jesus, which is definitely true. But it's only there, or only activated, after midday, and as I say we were there early. It's a nice building and it had stained glass windows.
Then we did a boat trip, just two of us as the other was sick last time he went on this boat. It's not the choppiness of it, it's a quiet flat canal like river, but something to do with the boat fumes. We enjoyed it though, I love a boat trip, and it's a great way to see the city from another angle.
We saw a couple of breweries while on the boat, where you could go and drink the beer they made, so this seemed a great place to start. This was a drinking day again after the abstinence of gig day. We went in Borgogne de Flandres and got a flight of beers to share, so as to try more of the beers, and I got some vegan tapas in this place too; olives, hummus, tapenade, and bread.
Next to De Garre, a little bar over three storeys where I'd been recommended to just order the house beer. So we did, and it's good, but it turns out to be 11%. You're only allowed to order three of these apparently, even though it only comes in smaller Euro-measures. We had two of these, then a coffee, and then off to find out hotel.
We were staying at the Hotel Karel de Stoute, and though it wasn't as swanky as the hotel in Turnhout it was very nice. It looks to be a recent conversion of a lovely old building, a bit like a hostel, a bit like a bed and breakfast. The hostelishness was reflected in us being issued numbers for the combination locks for the rooms, and for the key safe for the front door. I drew the long straw again, the other two shared a room and I got one to myself. We just dropped our bags off and headed out again. Well I did and I had a twenty minute stroll around the area while the other two had a wash and change or something.
We were heading for a booked dinner at Cambrinus but had time to stop along the way. We went in a cellar bar called La Trappiste and sat at the bar. Like all the bars in the area it had a huge range of unusual beers, but they're all bottled. It's nice, but different. This bar had music too, someone playing vinyl. We said we'd come back, but what always happens when I say I'm going to come back somewhere?
Cambrinus was like a pub, looks like a pub, layout like a pub, but was a restaurant. I thought this was going to be a bit of a compromise, I'd seen the menu and there was nothing for me, but good for the others, and the beer was going to be good. Two of us ordered flights of beer again, or do they call them paddles here? Anyway four beers, slightly bigger measures than in the brewery. One blond, one brown, one wheat, and one kriek cherry beer.
My food though was great! It was just "salad and chips" like I might always have had to order in a holiday type place, but this was a great salad. It had beans and cauliflower and pine nuts and all sorts in it. I ordered fries too, and was very pleased with the mountain of chips that came, but slightly disappointed it turned out I had to share them. Still, a great meal.
We went to the central square again where there was lots of activity, a DJ playing disco music, part of a city-wide dancing event. Entertaining for a while anyway.
We walked back via the cellar bar again, and nearly went in, but instead headed back to the hotel.
It felt like a big day, I'm sure we fitted more in than I've been able to mention here. Maybe looking at the pictures will remind me.
Next morning we had a continental breakfast, and then back via a big old French supermarket. I didn't plan to buy anything at all but couldn't resist some mustard, some baguettes, and some wine. For Clare.
We got on an earlier Eurotunnel, and were home with plenty of the day left.
Estimated 1930 cups of coffee from my espresso machine 1 probably comes to £1.01 a cup (including the coffee and servicing 1 but not the electricity).
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⬅️ Busy day at work :: Exercise stats 13/8/24 ➡️