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A trip to Belgium would be incomplete without a stop in beautiful Brugge, or Bruges, as it is sometimes called. After spending the morning in Ghent, Karen and I boarded the train for the quick trip to Brugge.

Although I had visited Brugge on occasion when I lived in Belgium, I didn't know the city very well. I still don't. What I did remember is that it was simply beautiful and rich in history.

The Other Venice Of The North

	Much like Amsterdam, Brugge too is surrounded by canals. The Belgians refer to Brugge as the Venice of the North, just as the Dutch refer to Amsterdam as the Venice of the North. So who is right?
	Quite honestly, this is one argument that I am not about to mediate. They are both beautiful cities, but each has its own distinctive charm and ambiance. A direct comparison is too difficult to make in my opinion. Did I weasel out of that one or what?
	In my opinion there are two things that make make Brugge the picturesque city that it is, one being its beautiful canals. The other is the distinctive Flemish-style architecture.

Architecture

One of the more well-known facets of Flemish architecture is the gabled roof. In Brugge many of the old gabled buildings are still standing today. The are well-preserved structures. They are found throughout the city. Many are now utilized as restaurants, souvenir shops, and boutiques. Another commonly spotted structure from long ago is the single story house. Always painted white, with a dark-green foundation, these houses have thick masonry walls, sometimes up to two feet thick. In days gone by they were home to the working classes. It is still common to see them out in the countryside inhabited by simple farmers.

The Main Square

We paid a visit to the main square in the center of town. The square is framed by the Halletoren, the Provincial Hall of West Flanders, and the typical Brugge-esque medieval buildings.
The Provincial flag of West Flanders is seen displayed at the center of the Provincial Government Headquarters (above).
		The Halletoren (above), Brugge's best known landmark sits high above the Cloth Hall, the former weavers' guild house.
		More of the typical Flemish architecture may be seen in the Brugge's main square. It was from this square that Karen and I boarded a horse-drawn carriage for a guided tour of the city.

Exploring

	While on the tour, the coachman pointed out the narrowest street in Brugge. It wasn't too far from the main square where he let us off, so we decided to pop over and check it out. From the larger, intersecting street it looked like little more than a doorway. Had we not known about it, we probably would have walked right past it.
Good thing that I hadn't eaten too many frites that day, I wouldn't have made it otherwise.		The street went back about 30 m or so. There were a few little restaurants and shops back there. It was narrow!

Yet Another OLV and Our Departure

As in many other Belgian towns, Brugge too has a Church or Our Beloved Lady. In Dutch, Onze Lieve Vrouw, which is commonly abbreviated OLV. Like most churches of its kind OLV in Brugge is an impressive edifice, which can be seen from all over. We arrived in Brugge sometime around midday, spent most of the afternoon, and departed in the evening. As we headed to the station, to board the train back to Ghent, we caught a beautiful silhouette view of OLV, set against the sunset, its reflection mirrored in the canal. A beautiful ending to a day in a beautiful city.

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