independent and unofficial
Prince fan community
Welcome! Sign up or enter username and password to remember me
Forum jump
Forums > General Discussion > Travel tips or local knowledge. Bruges and Brussels.
« Previous topic  Next topic »
  New topic   Printable     (Log in to 'subscribe' to this topic)
Author

Tweet     Share

Message
Thread started 07/20/13 7:00pm

lust

avatar

Travel tips or local knowledge. Bruges and Brussels.

I have 2 days in Bruges in August. Any tips? particular interest is places to eat and drink (beer). May also go to Brussels for a wander and or Ostend. Romance venues also required as my wife will be with me.
If the milk turns out to be sour, I aint the kinda pussy to drink it!
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #1 posted 07/21/13 5:41am

Tremolina



Tip: Don't go to Brussels but stay in Bruges and/or on the coast. Oostende or Knokke are nice this time of year.

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #2 posted 07/21/13 5:47am

DaveT

avatar

Have been to both and each were lovely, but preferred Bruges...just more laidback and picturesque. Its quite expensive eating or drinking on the main square in Bruges, so shop around. There are some wonderful beers to try so make the most of them!

www.filmsfilmsfilms.co.uk - The internet's best movie site!
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #3 posted 07/21/13 6:21am

TD3

avatar

lust said:

I have 2 days in Bruges in August. Any tips? particular interest is places to eat and drink (beer). May also go to Brussels for a wander and or Ostend. Romance venues also required as my wife will be with me.


Take the canal tour and land/bus tour of Burg, they don't take that long; you'll get two different looks at this gorgeous city.

Restaurants, I'd recommend...
Cambrinus
Curiosa
De Bocarme

Craenenburg, was my favorite place to dine. Good food and a great place to people watch because its located in Mareket Square. You can't miss it, they have green canopies covering there outdoor cafe.

Beer, I took along Michael Jackson's book (the late British beer critic folks not the singer ) http://www.amazon.com/Mic...0937381934 lol and started from there.

-----
[Edited 7/21/13 6:22am]
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #4 posted 07/21/13 8:40am

TD3

avatar

nod

Tremolina said:



Tip: Don't go to Brussels but stay in Bruges and/or on the coast. Oostende or Knokke are nice this time of year.

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #5 posted 07/21/13 8:42am

sexton

avatar

Tremolina said:


Tip: Don't go to Brussels but stay in Bruges and/or on the coast. Oostende or Knokke are nice this time of year.


I agree if you only have two days in Belgium, spend them both in Bruges. When I was there, I spent two days in Brussels and one in Bruges and liked Bruges a lot more and wished I could have spent more time there.

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #6 posted 07/21/13 11:40am

lust

avatar

Great tips everyone. Thank you. Can't wait to get me some frittes mit mayo and waffles. If I can still walk after all the triple.
If the milk turns out to be sour, I aint the kinda pussy to drink it!
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #7 posted 07/22/13 3:46pm

Red

Should check out the world's larest diamond showroom in Bruges...it's amazing and most of today's beauts are from here.

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #8 posted 07/22/13 4:39pm

XxAxX

avatar

quaint and very charming. i had fun just walking around, looking at architecture and shops. stopping in at cafes. recommend a foot tour. that's all i gots

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #9 posted 07/22/13 6:08pm

lust

avatar

XxAxX said:

quaint and very charming. i had fun just walking around, looking at architecture and shops. stopping in at cafes. recommend a foot tour. that's all i gots

Is thier anywhere you HAVEN'T been? lol

If the milk turns out to be sour, I aint the kinda pussy to drink it!
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #10 posted 07/22/13 6:29pm

XxAxX

avatar

i love traveling nod besides, what's your story? what takes you to belgium? biggrin

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #11 posted 07/22/13 6:40pm

lust

avatar

Brugges from Above - Brugge, West-Vlaanderen

If the milk turns out to be sour, I aint the kinda pussy to drink it!
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #12 posted 07/24/13 9:53am

Lammastide

avatar

This comes in handy. I'll be in Bruges on Friday. dancing jig

Ὅσον ζῇς φαίνου
μηδὲν ὅλως σὺ λυποῦ
πρὸς ὀλίγον ἐστὶ τὸ ζῆν
τὸ τέλος ὁ χρόνος ἀπαιτεῖ.”
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #13 posted 07/24/13 10:04am

RodeoSchro

Based on my knowledge of Bruges, I'd say to be aware of dwarves and hot chicks that appear to be interested in you for no apparent reason.

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #14 posted 07/24/13 4:23pm

lust

avatar

XxAxX said:

i love traveling nod besides, what's your story? what takes you to belgium? biggrin

I'm going to London for two weeks to see my Mum and thought I'd take my wife somewhere nice for a couple of days. It's so much easier just jumping on the Eurostar than meucking around with airports and I've been to Paris half a dozen times so Belgium won. Plus I love Belgian beer so the romance of the canals, choclate, beer and chips seems like a perfect combo for us.

If the milk turns out to be sour, I aint the kinda pussy to drink it!
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #15 posted 07/24/13 4:24pm

lust

avatar

RodeoSchro said:

Based on my knowledge of Bruges, I'd say to be aware of dwarves and hot chicks that appear to be interested in you for no apparent reason.

lol

Good advice but hot chicks are never interested in me for no reason. wink

If the milk turns out to be sour, I aint the kinda pussy to drink it!
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #16 posted 07/24/13 6:13pm

XxAxX

avatar

lust said:

XxAxX said:

i love traveling nod besides, what's your story? what takes you to belgium? biggrin

I'm going to London for two weeks to see my Mum and thought I'd take my wife somewhere nice for a couple of days. It's so much easier just jumping on the Eurostar than meucking around with airports and I've been to Paris half a dozen times so Belgium won. Plus I love Belgian beer so the romance of the canals, choclate, beer and chips seems like a perfect combo for us.

eek my god. you're the perfect man. that plan rocks.

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #17 posted 07/24/13 8:06pm

lust

avatar

XxAxX said:

lust said:

I'm going to London for two weeks to see my Mum and thought I'd take my wife somewhere nice for a couple of days. It's so much easier just jumping on the Eurostar than meucking around with airports and I've been to Paris half a dozen times so Belgium won. Plus I love Belgian beer so the romance of the canals, choclate, beer and chips seems like a perfect combo for us.

eek my god. you're the perfect man. that plan rocks.

nod shrug lol

If the milk turns out to be sour, I aint the kinda pussy to drink it!
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #18 posted 07/25/13 9:11pm

sexton

avatar

RodeoSchro said:

Based on my knowledge of Bruges, I'd say to be aware of dwarves and hot chicks that appear to be interested in you for no apparent reason.


That movie was a big reason why I traveled there. I even went at Christmastime too. lol

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #19 posted 07/26/13 3:13pm

Lammastide

avatar

In Bruges earlier today. Very charming little town, though I'd say two days there should suffice. Any more than that, and I suspect even the earnest medieval novelty of the place couldn't offset the ocean of tourists with whom you'll have to contend.

Beer

You can get a decent selection from just about any eatery in town. And unless you're going for some widly obscure craft brew, prices are pretty moderate all over, I'd say. Within the "egg" of the city centre, I'd suggest two places:

* The Beer Wall, 53 Wollestraat. This tourist attraction has a suprisingly limited selection of brews on tap (only about 10 earlier today), but you can choose bottles from a very impressively broad menu, copies of which are suspected from the ceiling. Enjoy your selection with cheese cubes out in the shop's garden or along the town's network of canals. Also be sure to check out the shop's namesake beer wall, which features, I've heard, over 700 global varieties that you can make note of for later research.

* Huisbrouwerij De Halve Maan, 26 Warplein.The only remaining operational brewery in Bruges, this 16th century brewer offers a tour of facilities (worth your time unless you're a diehard beer type who'd already know the processes), and a complementary Brugse Zot. Takes about 45 minutes to get through.

Eating

It's not cheap to eat in Bruges. Expect a decent three-course meal for two to set you back about 50€ to 60€. My daughter and I opted to pack our own lunch and picnic along the canals. For dinner, we did mussels and fries -- me with a Belgian blonde ale. (Cliché, but you won't regret it here.) If mussels aren't your thing, you'll have a great pick of standard Flemish, Belgian and French fare and also a slightly more limited selection of Mediterranean cuisines throughout the town. Don't forget the chocolate! Godiva, which has a flagship store near Market Square, is an obvious and safe choice, but you'll be able to find more novel creations -- and probably more interesting local conversation -- in one of the scores of other mom-and-pop chocolateries in town. Many will welcome you to sample before you buy. I'd recommend you don't pass up the pralines.

Romance

I'm convinced anyone could get laid in Bruges. That said, it strikes me that a moonlit picnic (pre-select a good wine) near Minnewater would go a long way toward the possibility. You'll be surrounded by swans, who, while they aren't exactly afraid of humans any longer, don't seem to be the type to full-on assault anyone either. There will also be the option of horse-drawn carriage rides, which will take you anywhere you want to go in town for 35 minutes at 35€. (If you're traveling with others, you can split this cost between up to five adults.) I decided to forgo the carriage ride, but I did take a canal tour (30 minutes at 7.60€/person), which was fantastically picturesque... and if the tour guides are all like mine, you're in for a very witty narration.

Misc.

* If the missus is into shopping or antiquing, she may get a kick out of the weekend summer flea market, held along Den Dijver. I bought a great handmade cotton and silk scarf for my wife, and I saw lots of other interesting stuff there that I simply wouldn't have been able to carry along with me. The vendors also seemed very open to negotiating prices.

* If you know Dutch or Flemish, go for it. If you know French, don't go for it -- even though about 40% of Belgians speak it. I personally didn't witness much antipathy toward things French in Bruges (aside from a definite hmm when I ordered a Perrier), but I was told more than once that locals in this Flemish region might altogether ignore comments and questions made in French -- or even in English with a French accent. confused Your Kiwi English will be perfectly fine -- and I was impressed, as I was in Germany, with the ability of the locals to take on a number of regional English accents perfectly.

[Edited 7/26/13 16:25pm]

Ὅσον ζῇς φαίνου
μηδὲν ὅλως σὺ λυποῦ
πρὸς ὀλίγον ἐστὶ τὸ ζῆν
τὸ τέλος ὁ χρόνος ἀπαιτεῖ.”
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #20 posted 07/26/13 4:17pm

lust

avatar

^

Fantatsic. Thanks for taking the time to relay your experience. Some great tips there which I will definately use, especially avoiding the temptation to use what little French I know, I'll save that for Brussels. For Bruges it'll all be "Waffle mit slagroom, Danke"

If the milk turns out to be sour, I aint the kinda pussy to drink it!
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #21 posted 07/26/13 4:19pm

Lammastide

avatar

I also found out today there's an order of Benedictine nuns who take boarders at their Beguinage de Wijngaard cloister just inside the town. Some of the houses in the cloister date back to the 15th century. Stays in monasteries are not everyone's cup of tea -- and they often call for adhrerence to certain visitor guidelines, like curfews -- but they can be quite restful, a very interesting new experience, and significantly cheaper than traditional lodging arrangements. If/when I'm back in the area, I may look into it.

And, no, they won't necessarily try to convert people. smile

[Edited 7/26/13 16:23pm]

Ὅσον ζῇς φαίνου
μηδὲν ὅλως σὺ λυποῦ
πρὸς ὀλίγον ἐστὶ τὸ ζῆν
τὸ τέλος ὁ χρόνος ἀπαιτεῖ.”
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #22 posted 07/26/13 4:55pm

lust

avatar

Lammastide said:

I also found out today there's an order of Benedictine nuns who take boarders at their Beguinage de Wijngaard cloister just inside the town. Some of the houses in the cloister date back to the 15th century. Stays in monasteries are not everyone's cup of tea -- and they often call for adhrerence to certain visitor guidelines, like curfews -- but they can be quite restful, a very interesting new experience, and significantly cheaper than traditional lodging arrangements. If/when I'm back in the area, I may look into it.

And, no, they won't necessarily try to convert people. smile

[Edited 7/26/13 16:23pm]

That is a nice idea, something different and in tune with that environment. Depends on what time the curfew is I suppose.

If the milk turns out to be sour, I aint the kinda pussy to drink it!
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
  New topic   Printable     (Log in to 'subscribe' to this topic)
« Previous topic  Next topic »
Forums > General Discussion > Travel tips or local knowledge. Bruges and Brussels.