Bundled Up in Brugge...

Brugge, Belgium

December 18, 2007
N51°12.520
E003°13.486

Today it felt a little warmer outside, we weren’t sure if it was really warmer, or (heaven forbid) we are actually acclimating. As we were walking along the canals, we noticed they were frozen. I tried throwing a few rocks to see if they would go through the ice —they bounced off and skidded across the surface… well, so much for our theory of it being a little warmer.

We weaved our way through the streets, braved the cold and did our best to explore Brugge, yet another UNESCO heritage site. Marc snapped picture after picture of the brick buildings, brick bridges covered with moss and brick churches. The reflection of the bridges off the dark ice covered canals was a site I’ll never forget.

When lunchtime came around we headed to the market square to taste one of the local specialties. A kettle about three feet in diameter was steaming with a cooked product. Right next to it on another burner was another kettle, the same size, with all the same uncooked ingredients and was on stand-by. The mixture included chopped potatoes, large chucks of soft cheese, rosemary, oregano, small chunks of bacon, salt and pepper. When cooked, the cheese melts, covering the potatoes, and the bacon grease saturates the entire molten, gooey, tasty treat. Marc and I decided to share a serving since it looked so rich; however, the potatoes were very mild with the perfect amount of spice and cheese.

While we were in the market, we scoped out our meals for the next few days. There are plenty of options such as lumpia, falafel pita, bratwursts, hamburgers and, of course, French fries. The fries come with your choice of sauce—mayonnaise, ketchup or a spicy tomato/mayonnaise blend. Mayonnaise is the sauce of choice with the locals and in the words of Vincent Vega, “I’ve seen ‘em do it, man. They f’n drown ‘em in that shit.”

After lunch we tried to catch the afternoon brewery tour; unfortunately, it was completely booked. So instead we had a few beers in the brewery tavern, warmed-up, and decided we’ll try to make the tour tomorrow.

So far, Brugge is living up to expectations, it’s a beautiful town with plenty of sites to explore and best of all… the beer is really, really good! After all, it is Belgium.