Who knew a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site could guarantee such a fairy-tale experience!
I’ve always been a sucker for medieval towns (I adored Germany's Regensburg and fell in love with Austria's Salzburg); give me narrow cobblestone streets, stone footbridges, ancient city gates, an historic church gracing a charming town square and it’s a sure thing I’ll get lost in the magic; which is pretty much what Jimmy and I did several weeks ago, with good friends Joan and Jerry, during a day trip to Bruges, the capital of West Flanders in northwest Belgium. Who knew a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site could guarantee such a fairy-tale experience! Tell me these don’t look like yummy gingerbread houses lining the cobblestone “Markt” of Bruges. Eat your heart out Hansel and Gretel. Had our visit included an overnight stay, I feel certain I’d have been a shoe-in for the role of Cinderella despite a lack of ugly stepsisters. There were majestic castles and cathedrals . . . . . . and quaint cottages and shops to lend authenticity to the timelessness of this fairy-tale setting. And of course every fairy tale requires an abundance of beautiful flowers, in this case a field of daffodils to grace the Begijhof, a religious institution for women founded in 1245. A healthy dose of pristine cobblestone streets and romantic meandering canals Every quarter hour, a magnificent 47-bell carillon pealed a gentle reminder of the passage of time in a place where time had ironically stood still for at least six or seven centuries. I’d hoped the Emperor would step out of Bruges’ Provincial Court Building to show off his new clothes while we were there. Alas, the Emperor never showed, but a handful of ugly ducklings turned swans showed up in their birthday suits. Classic stone footbridges and one enchanting scene after another made our visit picture-perfect, although all the walking on cobblestones didn’t help Joan’s bum knee and my less-than-happy hip, but hey, even fairy tales have their share of malevolence. Besides, every damsel in distress must have her Prince Charming. We shared a toast to our new fairy-tale lives, reveling in the fleeting moment. And true to form, as we exited the old city gates of Bruges and closed the book on this enchanting fairy tale, a dreamy castle sealed the deal.
Joan
4/23/2015 12:36:21 pm
I was going through these same photos today. Ah, great memories. My knee is miraculously better with the rock tape my doctor applied for the tendonitis. Wish I'd known how to do that 2 weeks ago.
Sherry
4/23/2015 02:02:26 pm
You'll be much better prepared for the next trip, Joan. Be sure to bring enough tape for both of us!!
Sherry
4/25/2015 05:45:49 am
It's the latest fashion statement, having your hair in your face. It's amazing what we do for vanity. I say, no more horsing around!!! Comments are closed.
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