Bruge, Belgium is a former medieval metropolis that was frozen in time when the waterway that connected it to the Flanders seaside silted up in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth century - this caused an exodus of the population that at the time had exceeded London. It was nice walking around the city in the early morning when the streets were empty and the canals were calm enough to reflect the buildings. You can see two swans making their way down the canal. The city is exceptionally well preserved, and unlike other medieval towns filled with crumblies, Bruge is full of intact buildings that appear freshly built. I bought a museum pass, and feeling the need to maximize the value of the ticket, made the mistake of running through four musuems in one day. My favorite was a wealthy merchant's house adjoining an enormous cathedral. One of the mansion's higher level rooms had a window that actually connected to the interior of the cathedral and looked down from a height into the cavernous cathedral - the family could attend church services in the privacy of their home while the kids played or what have you. The museum collections and exhibits were generally rather small, but still I think I am burnt on museums for the time being. (9/07/04)
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Bruge, Belgium |
