Sunday, October 8, 2023
Since we had an early tour, we requested a room service breakfast. Typically, the order is perfect. Today, they brought two plates of bacon and eggs when I only ordered one plate. Glad we were hungry.
We had a HAL walking tour and a canal ride of Bruges scheduled for 8:30 this morning. The title of the tour: ROMANTIC BRUGES.
The tour description: It’s a half-hour motor coach drive from the port of Zeebrugge to the romantic city of Bruges.
Set out on a guided walking tour through the heart of the city. Once you enter the Old Town of Bruges, you can feel the historic atmosphere. Strolling through the cobblestone streets, you’ll pass by the Dijver, then through this picturesque city to view the Burg, complete with the Town Hall, the Chapel of the Holy Blood, the market place with its guild houses, and the Belfry Tower.
Board a boat for a pleasant 30-minute canal cruise. Take full advantage of this chance to relax and simply soak in all the beauty of medieval Bruges.
Some free time is allowed for shopping or browsing before you return to the coach and drive back to Zeebrugge.
Notes: Tour does not operate on holidays. Use of an audio headset (included) will enhance your tour experience.
We really liked the cute town. We were lucky to get there early before the crowds arrived. It was an easy walk even though much of the walk was on cobblestones again. We could hear our guide well with the audio headset. But you had to watch that you didn’t trip off the curb or get in the way of the bicyclists and the horse-drawn carriages (or the poop that might fall into the street).
After the walk, we took a canal ride that gave us a different perspective on the town. The boat was a little crowded, but the ride was pleasant.
Once the canal ride was over, we had free time to wander around. We bought some Belgium chocolates, a Christmas ornament, and then we went to a café to eat a Belgium waffle and drink espresso.
As we were sitting there eating our waffle, we witnessed a woman turn her ankle when she went off the sidewalk onto the cobblestones, and then we heard that a member of our group fell hard and had to go back to the ship in a taxi to see the ship doctor.
As we left, the crowds in the streets were much larger, and it got harder to move around, so I was glad that we were leaving.
I did enjoy the tour but, again, I’m glad we were on the first tour of the day. I knew there were several of the same tours throughout the day and I wonder if they were as much fun as ours because the town got so crowded.
Once we got back, we had another pleasant afternoon on the balcony. Before we knew it, it was time to get ready for another Pinnacle Grill dinner.
I had planned just to get the lobster bisque as my appetizer and then have the crab cake appetizers as my main course since my last Pinnacle meal, I felt so bloated. However, the waiter convinced me that the lamb chops were small, and I should really have them as my main. I did and they weren’t small. I barely finished them and had to skip dessert. Chuck had the 15 oz ribeye, cooked perfectly he said, and he had the key lime pie.
Harry the Piano was doing another show tonight, but we skipped it. Chuck was ready to go play cards. I shuffled off to the room.
Travel Trivia
Belgium
In traditional Belgian culture, it was acceptable for everyone, including children, to drink a kind of light, ‘table beer’ as they drank their water and coffee. In fact, it was the norm until the 1970s, but it was eventually replaced by water and soft drinks.
The town of Spa in Belgium is from where we get the word ‘spa.’Europe’s first modern health resort and casino ‘la Redoute’ opened in Spa in the 18th century, although the famed springs have been reportedly used for health and healing purposes as far back as Roman times.
It was a Belgian who designed the common sides of euro coins. Belgian Luc Luycx’s design was the chosen winner of a European Union design competition. See if you can spot his connected initials ‘LL’ on all numerical sides of euro coins.
Belgium has the most cycling Tour de France victories of any country except France. Famous Belgian tour winners include Eddy Merckx and Philippe Thys. Merckx is the only cyclist to have won the general, points and king of the mountains classifications in the same tour, and is among a small group of cyclists who won a tour on their first attempt.
Belgium is the world’s leading exporter of billiard balls. Nearly 80 percent of the world’s billiard balls are made in Belgium. Saluc AC, established in 1923, has its own chemical plant to make the phenolic resin, which give Aramith balls their characteristic high-gloss, rock-hard finish.
In 1846, Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax invented the saxophone.
Belgium is roughly the same size as the state of Maryland.
Belgium is the world’s biggest importer of rough diamonds. About 84% of the world’s most precious gems are cut and polished in Antwerp diamond factories.
Belgium is famous for its chocolate:
- The chocolate is made from 100% cocoa butter, with a typically higher than average cocoa content and uses high quality cocoa beans.
- The raw materials used in chocolate production do not originate in Belgium; most cocoa is produced in Africa, Central America, and South America.
- Belgium can produce up to 600,000 tons of chocolate a year.
- Belgium has over 2,000 chocolate shops throughout the country, and the reputation of Belgian chocolate remains as high as ever.
- Brussels Airport is said to retail the most chocolate of any airport in the world.
Bruges, Belgium
In the Bruges area, the first fortifications were built after Julius Caesar’s conquest of the Menapii in the first century BC, to protect the coastal area against pirates.
In World War I German forces occupied Bruges, but the city suffered virtually no damage and was liberated on 19 October 1918 by the allies.
From 1940 in World War II the city again was occupied by the Germans and again spared destruction. On 12 September 1944 it was liberated by Canadian troops.
The medieval architecture in Bruges is mostly intact, making it one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Europe.
The “Historic Centre of Bruges” has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.
Bruges’ best-known landmark is the Belfry of Bruges, a 13th-century belfry housing a municipal carillon comprising 47 bells.
Bruges is known for its lace.
Tony Parker, NBA Basketball Player, is from Bruges.
Fred Zinneman’s The Nun’s Story is a 1959 dramatic film starring Audrey Hepburn that is primarily set in Bruges.
The movie In Bruges with Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson and Ralph Fiennes was made there in 2008.
The main antagonist of the Austin Powers film series, Dr. Evil, was raised in Bruges.
The 2019 Hallmark movie, Love, Romance & Chocolate, starring Lacey Chabert, takes place in Bruges.
