IN BRUGES

Today we are in Bruges!  We are very excited to be here and after a short shuttle ride we are dropped a an entry gate to the port to await our pre-ordered taxi.  While waiting heard this annoyed couple asking when the shuttle to Bruges would be arriving.  They were surprised and angry that there is NO shuttle to Bruges.  You have to have arranged your own transportation and they didn't read or "listen up" when told this.   So when our taxi arrived I asked our driver if we could add two more and we took this crabby couple with us for the 10 mile, 50 pound ride into Bruges.  It was at least nice to split the cab fare!  Once we arrived we arranged to meet up later to ride back to the port and headed out into the square and our first mission....to climb the 366 steps up into the medieval bell tower, the Belfry of Bruges.

The square

Gordon and Jill at the entry to the Belfry

Here we go!

The first low window view of the main square in Bruges

A giant music box inside the Belfry

We made it!

In the far, far distance is the port of Bruges, 10 miles away.

Well that was fun.  Now to explore.  There are many horse drawn carriages throughout the city which you can pick up on the main square.

Lace and chocolate shops abound tempting us at every turn!

So of course we stop and buy some as gifts and some chocolates for nibbling while walking!

This lovely old building houses a museum and fronts another smaller square.  BTW, there's free Wifi in that square! 

Bruges is another city filled with beautiful canals.  Look at that blue sky!

Interesting restaurant with a thatched entry.

The square is filled with little restaurants of all ethnicity's.

While walking over bridges and around canals we happen upon a beautiful cathedral and popped in.

There were several cute year round Christmas shops poked in to and we bought and tasted a very popular lunch/snack in Bruges, the waffle!   They make them sweet and savory.

House of potatoes!  Belgium is where the "french fry" was born so of course our noon time meal included chips and mussels, oh, and Belgium beers!

Fall is on it's way.

We had a fantastic day meandering around lovely Bruges.  It didn't disappoint as a magical, romantic, beautiful city.  We met up with our cab-sharing friends at 3:00pm and went back to the ship.  The last shuttle through the port was at 4:00pm and we couldn't miss it.  Apparently and unlike any other port we've been in, you are not allowed to walk through the port to the ship.

It was our last night on the ship and when we arrived to our stateroom our suitcases were lying on our beds, a not so subtle reminder that we need to pack up and get out!  I packed most of my things while we took turns showering and preparing for our last meal on board.  We had reservations in the Italian restaurant, Toscano, a truly FANTASTIC meal.  We then strolled around the ship one last time and went back to our room to pack.  Our cases needed to be outside our stateroom by 10:30pm.  We said goodbye to our butler, Mervyn from India, and our housekeepers, Ruby and Andre.  They were all fabulous...the service is SUPREME on Oceania and we will miss being waited on! 

Our sail-away took us past many many windmills and back out into the North Sea for our crossing into Southhampton.