The World Heritage city of Bruges is an old Hanseatic League town. It got rich trading wool and cloth. When its connection to the North Sea silted up, business shifted to Antwerp and the city died. Because it thrived on shipping, Bruges is laced with canals. So it is appropriate we start our tour of this Venice of the North in a boat. A canal tour is a nice way to see a lot of the city without wearing out our shoes. I am a little surprised how large it is. Old Medieval cities as a rule weren’t very big, but at its peak, Bruges was as populous as London. Fortunately it escaped damage from both World Wars.
After the canal ride, we finished our walking tour we started yesterday. One notable stop was Burg Square, a plaza surrounded by richly decorated buildings. The Basilica of Holy Blood is supposed to have a vial of Jesus’ blood as a relic. City Hall is next door; Aimee was delighted to watch a newlywed couple leaving. After a tasty Thai lunch, we took a long walk to the east side where several old wooden windmills are preserved. We kept dodging raindrops so we went back to the hotel early to watch a little of the Tour de France.
Bruges is a World Heritage three-fer. Besides being a site itself, it also is part of two others. The Market Square has a bell tower that is one of the Belfries of Belgium. These towers symbolize the rise of civic independence in Flanders. The Begijnhof is one of the Flemish Beguinages. Apparently this is some type of communal convent for widows and spinsters. When we walked through the empty courtyard of the beguinage with its multitude of “Silence” signs, Aimee got spooked out. I am thinking she thought I might leave her here.
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