Bruges: a City of Many Spellings

Feb 17, 2005

We decided to head straight to Bruges. We weren’t sure if the timing would work out for us to check out the Rhine river cruise, and there were just a bunch of unknowns there. So, we decided to head straight up to Bruges. The train ride took approximately 5.5 hours and was generally really fun. We napped a bit and I listened to podcasts and an audiobook on the trusty iPod.

So then, now we are in Bruges. The first thing you might like to know about this crazy town is that there are about a baker’s dozen different ways to spell the name of this town. Bruges, Brugge, Brugges, etc. It seems everywhere I look I see a new spelling.

We are staying at a cute little hotel called Hotel Passage. One of my favorite things about this place is the super cool Bar/Cafe they have on the first level. Decent prices, super classy, quirky atmosphere and a lengthy beer list (Germany was surprisingly disappointing in this department). Also, as a guest, if you get dinner there you get a free beer (unfortunately it’s the same beer each night, so not much experimenting with the free beer).

The views in Bruges are awesome, and there is so much to see. I love the architecture and sense of aesthetic. It’s a very stylish city. The only thing I don’t like is that I’ve heard it’s just a zoo of tourism in the summer. That makes it feel a little fake to me. It’s not crowded at all right now, but it is February.

First picture is of a view out our window. Just yesterday we saw this cat prowling around the rooftop. The second one is from atop this enormous belfry that we climbed yesterday.