On some rare occasions, pure magic happens when you travel. When it does, you grab the day and live it hard. But when it is done, you wonder, was that amazing day a gift from the place (a city or setting that is a hub of magic) or is it simply divine coincidence? If someone else visited, would they have the same cherished moment?
There have been a few travel days in my life that can only be described as magical – a day where everything came together in a rare gift of a day that will never be forgotten. And the city of Bruges, Belgium is one such magical city for me.
We were staying in Antwerp, Belgium (more on that later) and had already enjoyed our way through Brussels. One morning we woke early and took the train to Bruges.
Bruges had been highly recommended to us by many people (including our now-beloved Maggie). So we had high expectations. When our train pulled in, Bruges was dark and dreary – not unlike the rest of Belgium had been during our January visit. Yet it immediately whisked us into the past, with rows of ancient bricks and old streets that gobbled our footsteps to silence.
We had wanted to acquaint ourselves with the town and looked for another free walking tour after our success with this in Brussels. Unfortunately, Sandemans didn’t offer a tour inside Bruges (they met in Brussels and traveled together to Bruges) so we opted for the Legends free walking tour.
While the guide was quite knowledgeable and we learned a lot, it was certainly not the same caliber as our experience in Brussels. Legends did not require reservations nor did they limit how many people joined. Thus, it was a huge group.
But Bruges is full of history and lore, which we would have missed without a tour, no matter how oversized it felt. The city center itself is a UNESCO World Heritage Site; the life that happened on these cobblestones and in those waters can hardly be imagined.
It was here the Duke of Burgundy took up residence in the 15th century, bringing more wealth and aristocrats to the city than ever before, running his court from Bruges. Huge cathedrals and aristocratic residences are still standing today.
Bruges’ water location marked it as a spot critical to trade, and the city reflects this as buildings abut the water while bridges over the water are low, forcing merchants to pay taxes to get through with their wares.
The people of Bruges, according to our tour guide, have always had a rebellious spirit as well, imprisoning dukes and royals and surviving through German invasions in both World Wars. You can sense the centuries that have passed. Also, you can stand in the spot where a royal courtier was beheaded, then go get an Asian-fusion meal of the highest caliber. Bruges has this uncanny way of honoring the history it has lived while still allowing modern life to happen and thrive.
After our tour was complete, we did not choose the Asian-fusion food but decided, instead, to experience true Belgian waffles. Ours came out of a truck – the place most highly recommended by many – and in between bites we looked at the buildings around us with new respect. A festival set up behind us while we stared at centuries of different architecture smashed together.
At this point, we were on our own. Honestly, this didn’t feel daunting as Bruges is not large and easily walkable.
We booked ourselves a tour at the Halve-Maan (“half moon”) brewery but decided to pay extra for the XL Tour, which meant a guided tasting session as well.
Again, this was a unique experience as we saw how Bruges expertly merges the old with the new. This brewery began in 1564 and has been operating in this particular building for 160 years. We saw not only how they have retrofitted the space to meet new technology and demands, but also how they used to brew massive amounts of beer in days of yore. (Additionally, the view from the roof was beautiful, too.)
The tour guide spoke both Dutch and English to accommodate our group and, at the end, our tables were divided into English-speaking and Dutch-speaking tasting groups. We sat by a couple from Australia and a couple from London.
As we got to know each other, as the beers came out and went down, the six of us fell into an easy, natural conversation. No topic was left unturned. We talked politics, the global world stage, and what shames us and amazes us about our country’s governments.
Friends, if every human had an experience like this one, the world would have more love and understanding. When we can reach across oceans and understand that there are real people, with bleeding hearts, on the other side, with their own opinions and questions, the world is better.
We were enjoying each other’s company so much that the London couple elected to join us for another beer at Le Trappiste. While the bar is relatively new for Bruges (2004) it is located in an 800-year-old cellar. Again, inside was the special Bruges blend of old and new. The old location, steeped with yesteryear, where new memories form and over 100 beers from today are available.
Eventually, our day had to end. We had to get back to Antwerp, scheduled to leave Belgium early the next morning. But leaving Bruges was not easy.
As we sprinted to the train station across the Grand Place, lit gloriously and sparkling with diamond-like points, we knew this was a day we would cherish. The combination of rich history paved by spirits before us with the gorgeous scenery, all buoyed by the golden thread of new, soul-quenching relationships we had formed, made Bruges special in our hearts. It is a magical city, where the old welcomes the new and together, hand in hand, they move forward.