Day 11: Just wafflin' on

We had a big day 11 planned, and that required a big breakfast to match! We had enjoyed walking around Brugge but felt we had more of it to explore further out, and so that was our goal for the day. We set out and discovered it was a pristine morning. The town was already thick with bus tourists (the coaches have to park outside the city and then walk in via one of the main roads just around the corner from the hotel), and aside from the souvenir shops, not many food options were open yet. As with the French, seems they like a sleep in too.

After our last few days of pastrie laden breakfasts, Addy had a hankering for eggs. We wandered into to town following the main road, checking out a variety of places until we found an organic cafe which was quiet. I got scrambled eggs with a crossiant. Adelaide dipped into our home loan savings and ordered avo on toast. However, she was still peckish for eggs so asked for some on the side. When the mains did turn up, it seems like the waiter put it through as an extra dish! Oh well, feast we did!

After a suitably large breakfast, we started a suitably large walk, wandering through Brugge, letting the roads take us around, only correcting our course if it looked like were going up the garden path (Side note: Brugge is lovely but there are very few green spaces. Two parks and a few trees, the rest is brick or cobble. I think it would drive me crazy).

We stopped off at a few shops when the window took Addys fancy, and I got another coffee. We crisscrossed over the bridges and would occasionally stop to admire the lanes or views you grab from certain angles. As soon as we were off the tourist strip it suddenly got quiet which was lovely.

Towards the end of our walk, we discovered another square we had completely missed (partly due to the Christmas markets I think). We returned to the hotel for a bit to rest our feet and blog.

It was early afternoon when we decided to head back out again, only a relatively short break. Once we had left the hotel, Addy realised we should get some chocolate to bring home, so yes, we will have some samples, provided we don't get too hungry (which I don't think will be a problem!)

After we had deposited our goods back at the hotel again we made a beeline for the smaller markets to have some mulled wine, a beer and some chips. When we were walking around the day before Adelaide spied a cellar pub called the Druids Cellar which she was very keen to checkout. From the sign outside, it was clear they had very flexible hours, and unfortunately it was closed.

We continued through to the main markets in the bigger square. When we arrived I saw that there were some people having drinks above the square, on the floor above the museum. We investigated and found that just before you enter the museum there was a sneaky staircase which took you up to the bar, and it had a great view. We were lucky as there were ample seats when we arrived. We settled in for a round (or two). I had some Belgium blonds while Adelaide tried a raspberry and a cherry beer. I was a big fan of the cherry beer, but Adelaide preferred the raspberry. The view gave us a great vista over the square, the markets, and at either ends, the clocktower and the restaurants decked in christmas lights.

When we were coming to the end of our drinks I could feel our backs burning with looks from other people; and when we got up to leave, we were instantly squished out of the way by the next occupants. I think there might have been words involved between waiting parties, oh well!

Adelaide wanted to have some Flemish stew before we left Brugge (tastes better than it sounds), and we found a restaurant just off the square which had just that. I was skeptical but eventually caved and got it as well. Turns out, its beef stew made with traditional beer. The beef just fell apart and the sauce was divine. It came with french fries which I don't think are as traditional - and to be honest I think mash would have been a better match anyway. Now inspired, Adelaide wants to try replacing red wine with beer next time she makes her stew at home... we'll see how that goes.

Addy finally got to pat one of the horses

We intended to walk off dinner around the Christmas markets once more but when we stopped to checkout the ice skating, we both decided why not, so we paid the 6 euro and bladed up! (luckily I only just fit into the shoes!) Perhaps not the best idea on full stomachs and after a few drinks but when in Brugge...

They had some chairs you could sit on and push which Adelaide found a great help to find her icy feet once more. I decided to dive right in and it seemed to come back to me, although I did get a cold butt once. I'll attribute that to the floor having some serious undulations (it was all built on scaffolding).

Like a spare guitar at a party, there were some 'professionals' (wankers) who couldn't help but tear up the 20m rink, doing pirouettes and jumping multiple of the chairs, with someone taking pictures of them. Somewhere on a Brugge social media page there are some great shots of us in the background.

We skated for about an hour and it was great fun. Once our feet started to hurt we called it quits. To tie off our time in Belgium we wanted to have a dessert waffle, but all of a sudden we couldn't find anywhere that had them. We kept our eyes peeled on the way back to the hotel with no luck. We even went into a few restaurants and got the shake of the head from the waiter. We struck gold just down from the hotel where we found a baskin-robbins looking place that did them. It almost looked closed but the young guy behind the display happily threw together some killer waffles with chocolate sauce and cream. They were the best we'd had.

We finished with a night cap at a bar across the road from our hotel which we had mistakenly walked in on the search for waffles and I had 'promised' we'd be back - as a vice to get out, but Adelaide said she lives up to her word! The bar was also an antiques store which had an eclectic mix of stock. You could even buy the table and chair you sat at.

We finished up and started the long walk back to the hotel. A whole 5 paces.

Tomorrow, we are off to Germany!

Cheers,
D+A