image via DDubPhotog
I’m sure you already know where this post is going, after Munich and Amsterdam… The Mister and I are heading to Ghent and Brugge on the next little leg of our trip, and I need all your awesome touristy advice! Can I please just say that if I end up anywhere nearly so beautiful as this photo by David Waldo, I’ll probably just stop right there and stare at the swans for the duration…
I’m actually super tempted to grab that picture up for myself to put in my studio (I use the term ‘studio’ very lightly here…) because I think the colors are some of the prettiest ever, except that would thwart my travel snobbery. See, if I frame one of my own travel photos instead, then people (the hoards who regularly stampede through my “studio”) would be all like, “Oh em gee – where did you get that picture?!” And then I can say, “Oh, that old thing? I just snapped that whilst wandering through the most charming little hamlet just outside of [insert big city that will make everybody jealous here].” Then everybody would be in awe of all the action my passport has seen. But then I would start laughing and ruin the joke, probably, since I don’t do “snob” too well. We won’t talk about the fact that my travel prowess is far higher than my photography prowess… ;D
So, back to my Belgium question:
Be sure to rent a bike and see all parts of the city. We did that in Brugge and it was one of the best times we had.
I won’t tell you what to do in Brugge, because just walking around, enjoying a beer or waffle or taking a little canal tour are all wonderful! But, I will tell you to avoid the restaurants in the main square. Too expensive and too rude. We ended up in one our first night there because we were too tired to go looking for anything else…bad, bad, bad. It was the only negative experience of a twelve day trip in France/Benelux.
I’m sure you will love Munich. It’s one of my favorite places. Ever. Bon Voyage!
in brussels, i ate waffles all day long! 🙂
in brugge, climb the cathedral and read all the funny lines people wrote from the movie “in brugge”
have a fun and safe trip!
Love your blog, I’m following now 🙂 Feel free to check out mine!
Laura x
Petit Chatons
Ghent, Bruges and Antwerp are definitely the belgian hotspots. Ghent for the historic centre, Bruges for its romantic and idyllic ambiance (the water, the trees,…)and Antwerp because of its musea (art, fashion, boats, diamonds,…). I lived in the three cities, but they’re all absolutely amazing.
Brugge is such an amazing place! You must find the little bar that serves the best beer, in my opinion, De Garre at Staminee De Garre! Degarre.be, find it, I promise you won’t be dissapointed! It’s the only place in the world that serves this beer!
taoowl.blogspot.com
I have no advice for Brugge or Ghent, but I would say that if you get a chance to hit Brussels and you’re an alcohol connoisseur, you should check out the Cantillon brewery. I LOVE their beer (super depressed that it’s almost never here on the west coast of the US). It’s a lambic beer, so it’s spontaneously fermented and has a sour taste. My friend who had some of the bottle that I brought back with me this summer said it tasted like beer and wine had a baby. Enjoy your European adventure!
PS, I totally have a bunch of those “oh, those old things” pictures and I love them! When I got back from living in Paris, my dad had a metro map framed for me. It’s VERY cool.
I Live in Brussels and I don’t go to Ghent enough wich a really cute little town. It’s a great place to thrift and to eat waffles but I would still take 10 minutes to see the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb wich is Ghent althar piece done by va Eyck. It’s pretty special and it daesn’t take long ^^
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghent_Altarpiece
Have Fun!
Ah! So jealous! Ghent is my favorite city in Belgium! We went to an epic Chilean restaurant when I was there (can’t remember the name of it, but I doubt there are many…). I would also recommend going thrift shopping, Ghent had an amazing selection of thrift shops all over the city with some of the most fun stuff and clothes. I think Brugge had an epic outdoor sort of flea market too. Happy travels!
I have no suggestions whatsoever for this leg of the trip but I am giggling at my desk, imagining us standing in your “studio” with a glass of wine (probably the wrong glass but that’s neither here nor there), and having the “That old thing?” conversation.