Bruges

Back to Bruges again this morning on the 8am train, this time to spend the whole day there. The city was shrouded in heavy fog when we arrived so we couldn't see much as we walked from the station to the Basilica of the Holy Blood in Burg Square where we were to meet Andy McSweeney, our guide for a photo tour at 10am.

Bruges in the mist

Ian was booked on the tour and I went along as a 'non-camera' guest - and we were the only people on the tour! Andy gave Ian lots of tips on 'location' photography and also on various aspects of his new camera, as well as taking us to some very picturesque locations along the canals. Gradually the fog lifted during the morning but the light remained misty, lending atmosphere to the photos. Ian took sixty photos during the day (including the two hour tour) and felt that it was a really worthwhile experience.

Madonna and Child shrine high on a building

Decorated door handle

We had lunch at Cafe´ Vlissinghe, a cafe recommended by Andy, where we sat at a shared table and enjoyed onion soup and toasted cheese in the living room of a house which was built in 1515. From there, we went back to the Burg Square and bought some chocolates at De Burg Chocolaterie (also recommended by Andy) and had a coffee before visiting the Basilica.

The Basilica of the Holy Blood is famous for its relic of the blood of Christ which was brought to Bruge in 1150 after the Second Crusade. This afternoon the relic was being displayed by a priest and Catholics were venerating it as they passed in front of it. The Gothic chapel was splendidly decorated with murals, stained glass and gilt.

We spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the town, including to the old city gates where some windmills could be seen along the canal, before returning to Brussels on a crowded train at 5pm.

Window in a lace shop