In Bruges (Part I)

We saved the best for last. The city of Bruges in northwest Flanders (Belgium) was untouched in the world wars and is considered a "medieval gem." We did the smart thing by leaving at 7 this morning to get there at a little after 9. Within an hour, what seemed like thousands of tourists invaded the city after us.


All of us walked the 366(!) steps up the Belfort, the city's belfry tower, begun in the 1200s and finished in 1501. The higher we got, the narrower the winding staircase.


The view from below before we climbed the tower...

And from above at the top, where we got a great view of the Grote Markt (grand place) of Bruges (known as Brugge in the native Dutch).

Over one of several canals that pass through the "Venice of the north."

The main canal and the Belfort tower (which we climbed) in the background. It was a beautiful day with 20C/68F weather. This was the nicest city we've been to on our vacation (in my opinion Trier is a close second).

More pictures later!