So today was my "rest day" anotherwords no cycling, just relaxing and eating. It's nice to have one day where you don't have to worry about riding your bike or racing and usually after a hard weekend of racing Monday is the perfect day to relax.
Today Marie Josee (Nico's mom) took me to Brugge for the day. We also headed to the coast and got to take a look at the North Sea. Belgium is small and getting around from city to city is fairly quick, even with a little traffic it is only about 45 minutes or so.
Naturally the first thing you must do is find parking in a city and in Bruges it is no different. Unless of course you happen to find a free parking lot within walking distance to the market square (markt) like we did. Even if you don't find free parking its pretty easy to find a place. The way in which you pay is also quite unique. Simply send a text (or "sms" as they say here) to the number on the parking meter and voila! You get a printout to stick on the car so when you return you just pay. At least something to that effect, it seems to pretty easy if you ask me.
Then it was off for some coffee and to relax for a few minutes. No point in rushing around :)
The pics above are from the "markt" or town square. We eventually took a carriage ride around the city to see the chapels and architecture. I didn't get a picture but we went by the Heilig Bloedbasiliek or the Basilica of the Holy Blood a muesum that is said to hold a phial of blood that belongs to Christ.
I already forgot where this was from and I'm flipping through my guide book (which I forgot) with no avail.
To see all the of architechture is amazing! Of course with all of this sightseeing it was time for some lunch. So we walked around a bit more and spotting a nice restaurant for a salad.
Advocado and crab salad, its was pretty tasty! Naturally there were also lots of places to find chocolate.
Also a wall of beer, each bottle next to the appropriate glass and don't ask about the picture of the chocolate that looks like well, I don't know, I've never seen them before ;)
The cherries in the picture to the left are actually candy (snoep)!
After Brugge went drove up to the coast to check out the North Sea and the seashore. We strolled along the shoreline and enjoyed the breeze before we returned home.
Well, time for some dinner and then I will probably study my Dutch a bit to try and make sense of my day.
Have a great evening all!
Today Marie Josee (Nico's mom) took me to Brugge for the day. We also headed to the coast and got to take a look at the North Sea. Belgium is small and getting around from city to city is fairly quick, even with a little traffic it is only about 45 minutes or so.
Naturally the first thing you must do is find parking in a city and in Bruges it is no different. Unless of course you happen to find a free parking lot within walking distance to the market square (markt) like we did. Even if you don't find free parking its pretty easy to find a place. The way in which you pay is also quite unique. Simply send a text (or "sms" as they say here) to the number on the parking meter and voila! You get a printout to stick on the car so when you return you just pay. At least something to that effect, it seems to pretty easy if you ask me.
Then it was off for some coffee and to relax for a few minutes. No point in rushing around :)
The pics above are from the "markt" or town square. We eventually took a carriage ride around the city to see the chapels and architecture. I didn't get a picture but we went by the Heilig Bloedbasiliek or the Basilica of the Holy Blood a muesum that is said to hold a phial of blood that belongs to Christ.
I already forgot where this was from and I'm flipping through my guide book (which I forgot) with no avail.
To see all the of architechture is amazing! Of course with all of this sightseeing it was time for some lunch. So we walked around a bit more and spotting a nice restaurant for a salad.
Advocado and crab salad, its was pretty tasty! Naturally there were also lots of places to find chocolate.Also a wall of beer, each bottle next to the appropriate glass and don't ask about the picture of the chocolate that looks like well, I don't know, I've never seen them before ;)
The cherries in the picture to the left are actually candy (snoep)!
After Brugge went drove up to the coast to check out the North Sea and the seashore. We strolled along the shoreline and enjoyed the breeze before we returned home.
Well, time for some dinner and then I will probably study my Dutch a bit to try and make sense of my day.
Have a great evening all!
It's great to read the "Adventures of Brandon in Belgium" as I am sitting here living a slightly less adventurous life in my cube, in lovely Westborough...
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your next races!
Btw, Drew and I did our little Wels Ave crit on Sunday and he's getting faster as I'm getting slower: I came in 4th and he came in 5th - Herbalife representing in the US!
Brandon, The place with the white door is called a Beginage, which I know I'm spelling wrong. Ask Nico's mom but it's a place where men would leave their wives in convents while they were off fighting in the crusades during the middle ages. So they were convents for lay folks..
ReplyDeleteHi Brandon just signed up but have been folloing along. Very cool,U will become more stable in time. Think like a europeon HAha. see u on the airwaves. luv robert/amy
ReplyDelete