Adventures Afield

We had a very early start today -- Phil was up before 6, and we were out the door shortly after 7, seeing Brugge/Bruges as its residents do, and enjoying our early morning walk. We were the first customers in the door at Le Pain Quotidien, where we had excellent soft-boiled eggs and fresh bread for breakfast, and also shared an almond croissant. Our next stop was the Wednesday market that meets in Brugge's Markt square, offering fresh flowers and bedding plants, meats, cheeses, sweet treats, and a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, as well as ready to eat items, including the ubiquitous Belgian waffles.

Loading our Bellingham Farmers Market bags with cherries, strawberries, cheeses, and charcuterie, and carrying our Le Pain Quotidien bag with its repeat of the previous day's purchases, we then went to a nearby grocery store for milk, yogurt, a few more beers, and some Belgian chocolate. We were back in our flat by 9, far earlier than we do anything at home, much less three things!

Once our purchases were put away, we were on the go again, this time to the area south of us, with numerous stops along the way to take photos, admire views, dodge tour groups on parade, and just in case we got peckish, nipping into one of the many candy stores here to buy some nougat (honey and almond) and marzipan.

Our destination was the Brugge beguinage, one of many established by Flemish widows and spinsters in 13th century who wanted to live in community, outside the regular orders that nuns committed themselves to, but with similar vows of fidelity and poverty. The bridge in the background of today's blip leads to the beguinage's entrance, and we enjoyed the peace and quiet of the enclosed grounds.

A late lunch at Books and Brunch, one of the eateries I most wanted to experience, was a welcome respite from all our walking and snapping (photos), and I loved my smoked Norwegian salmon salad and homemade lemonade. No beer at lunch meant a stop on the way home, of course!

Now we are settling in for a quiet evening of beer, fresh rolls, cheeses, yogurts, and probably a little chocolate, as well. There are lots more places to go in the next few days!