Bye Bye Brugge

 If I left the impression that Brugge was an iconic European city, untouched by WWI or WWII with which we were falling in love - I was still understating our affection for this place.

Today the weather was near perfect, sunny and 54

Brugge Christmas market

degrees.  The City switched on the Christmas lights and we chose not one but two tours, one by horse drawn carriage and one by boat.  The city's canals are narrow, shallow and surround the city.  

Making a raclette

The Christmas markets were open and we had a fine open air lunch in one of the town squares.  I learned of a sandwich called a Raclette.  Basically the vendor has a half wheel of cheese under a heat lamp.  To prepare the sandwich the vendor scrapes the wheel and adds the warm cheese to a baguette and adds ham and whatever else is ordered.  Seems not too different from Wisconsin.  Cathy had a white chocolate waffle on a stick. 

We've visited three Catholic Churches.  Saint Salvador

(just a block away), Our Lady of Brugge (which is now a museum and home to the Michelangelo statue) and The Basilica of the Holy Blood.  The church displays the blood of Jesus Christ.  The vile was awarded to a nobleman for his support during the crusades and was brought back to Brugge and presented to the local bishop. 

Vile of the precious blood
Photo taken from a brochure

Tree in Brugge

Canal in Brugge

Brugge

 

Our living room

We got off the train in Brugge and during our 10 minute walk to our rented house we couldn't help but notice that our bags don't roll very well on cobblestone roads. We have since learned that ALL the roads are narrow and cobblestone.  Kathleen wrote this real life tweet about her walk to our rental home:  "I am a tired New Yorker facing an existential crisis about my career. I was just dragging my roller board suitcase down a cobblestone road in Bruges and had to pull off to the side of the road to let a horse drawn carriage pass. If Hallmark has taught me anything, it is that I will be a princess by Christmas."

I said earlier that we were trying to play into the

Steps in Brugge

stereotypes of the countries we visit.  Brugge is about as old world as one can find.  The streets, the architecture, everything seems not to have changed for hundreds of years.  Even the house we are staying is a small three story house with a fireplace in the parlor/sitting room/dining room.  I'll try to include photos.  

Chocolate is everywhere

One in five shops seem to be chocolate shops.   One in ten seem to be Christmas shops.  Over the streets are Christmas lights.  In one of the two town squares a Christmas market opens today. In the center of the other town square is the huge village Christmas tree which will be lit tonight.                  

In Paris, we learned of Pere Noel

Canal in Brugge

(Father Christmas).  In Belgium the children anxiously await Sinterklass who comes each year on December 6th.  He comes from Spain and gives sweets and small toys to all the good children children.  Sinterklass rides on a white horse and is accompanied by his sidekick, Black Peter.   

On Christmas children get gifts under the Christmas tree but this is not the same everywhere. In some families, they buy gifts for each other and put them under the tree. It is not Santa or SinterKlass that brings the gifts.

Belgium has three official languages, French, German and Dutch and we speak none of them.  However, it does seem like if you may an effort, your effort is rewarded by kindness and English.  

Thanksgiving dinner

Our Thanksgiving included Carbonara and wine at our home.  We hope you had a wonderful gathering as well.  

In Chocolate

Michelangelo

Moving Day

Apartment Stairs

Paris apartment

Today is moving day.  We leave Paris and head to Brugge by way of Brussels.  

I had to give up on the blog as google did not recognize my sign in and wanted to send me a code via phone call or text message as verification.  I can't get either while in Europe so I'll continue to just email.  To be clear, nobody has to read my emails.  I write them mostly for myself as a journal of our travels.  You will not be tested on any of the material when we get home.

Our window view

We will miss our little apartment that we had in Paris.  I've included some photos.  We were five stories up on the fourth floor.  Floor 0 is the entry level floor.  There is a tiny elevator (comfortable for two people) that we ride when going up.  We usually walked the near 100 steps down when we left as the elevator was so slow. 

The subways in Paris are a good way to get around.  They are clean and seem to be safe.  However, there were times that we were packed in like sardines.  Seriously, if I had lifted both of my feet, I think I would have remained upright because we were squeezed in so tightly.  Also, while there are a few escalators and we even saw an elevator once however the norm is lots and lots of steps going down and coming up out of the subway.  I'm not complaining but even after we were in the subway we could walk half a mile before getting to our track.  The buses seemed to be more senior citizen friendly but slower.

I mentioned that we've tried to embrace the French culture by indulging in pastries, wine, cheese and bread.  I forgot to add that we decided to also take up smoking.  I've heard a lot of good things about it.  
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Kathleen’s Crown

We've arrived in Brugge today.  I'll write more about this city that is busting with old world charm later.  But I'lll sign off with something that Kathleen tweeted today,  " I am a tired New Yorker facing an existential crisis about my career. I was just dragging my roller board suitcase down a cobblestone road in Bruges and had to pull over to let a horse drawn carriage pass. If Hallmark has taught me anything, I will be a princess by Christmas."

Paris Day Three

 Today was another late start day which began with a subway ride to the Montmatre section of Paris.   Sacre Coure is a huge Catholic basilica

Sacre Coure, Paris

built on a hilltop in the Montmatre section of the city.  There has been organized prayer there every day for over 100 years.  The outside is alabaster

Stairs to Sacre Coure

white.  Beside being a spectacular church it is also known for its view of Paris from atop the mountain.  Some people will say the church was built on a mountain some would say hill.  As someone who walked up to it from the subway (300 or more steep cement steps) it's a mountain. The area surrounding the church is filled with cafes, bakeries and gift shops.

After leaving the church we walked to Moulin Rouge, known in its hey day as the place where

Eiffel Tower

the risqué can-can was performed.   It's surrounded by restaurants and seedy smut shops.

From there we were able to take a city bus to the Eiffel Tower.  While we had already seen it from a distance at night, it was even more impressive up close.  We did not take the time nor spend the energy to go up into it.  Nearby we found a nice cafe for a meal.

We got back on a city bus and got off at the

Champs de Elysees

Arc de Triumph.  Having already been to the Arch de Triumph, our goal was to stroll down the Champs de Elysees.  The Christmas lights along the famous boulevard were all lighted and twinkling.  We stopped at a cafe for a round of Chocolate Choud (hot chocolate).   It does seem like the wait staff didn't care how long we lingered even with such a small order.   We made it back to our apartment by about 7:30, in time to prepare for our departure tomorrow.   

Paris Day Two

 

Paris Christmas Market

Notre Dame

After sleeping for 11 hours we started our day with a subway ride to Sainte Chapelle, noted for the its stained glass windows.  The chapel was built to house the religious relics bought by the King and brought to Paris.  The relics are now housed at Notre Dame.  The spectacular windows are why one goes to Sainte Chapelle.

Attached to the Chapel is the Palace of Justice, the French Supreme Court.  Next to that was the Conciergerie, the last place visited by the 2400 people who were beheaded in the French Revolution, including Marie Antoinette. 

We walked from there to Notre Dame and were able to take a few photos of the outside of the church.

 Today our cafe lunch in the Latin Quarter of Paris was three courses for $14  which included baked French onion soup, beef bourguignon and a cheese plate for dessert.  My table mates enjoyed creme brûlée.

Sint Chappele 

Mona Lisa

From there we took a bus to the Louvre.  We spent about 2 hours in the museum as it poured out outside.  We were able to see the Mona Lisa about a half hour before closing.  The museum was even more than we expected.

After the Louvre closed we walked to an outdoor Christmas market.  I enjoyed a mulled wine while the others enjoyed hot chocolate.   We all had crepes.  
   

We limped home from all the walking.  We stopped at a market on the way and we are now sitting at our kitchen table listening to Christmas music, eating cheese and bread and drinking some wine.  We are doing our best to play into the French stereotypes.   

Paris Day One

Our trip has officially begun and we're exhausted!  The flight from Chicago went well but flying all night I've determined is for younger people.  We have basically been awake for two days.  

Arc de' Triomphe

 We made it to our rental at about 12:30 and it's very nice.  It's small, efficient, safe and in an old part of Paris called St. Denis.  We were able to drop our stuff off and leave.    

Gallaries Lafayette

 Our first stop was Galleries Lafayette, think, Macy's in New York.  It is as decked out for Christmas as any store in the world.  It also has access to a rooftop terrace the offers an incredible view of the city.

We love then made our way around the Paris Opera House, and before heading to the Arc de' Triomphe, we ate lunch outside at a cafe which included a cheese course.  

 Once we got to the Arc de' Triomphe we were able to take an elevator to the top instead of the 280 steps.  I have a bad heart you know.  Even then I had to walk 44 steps to the very top, down 44 steps to find Cathy, up 44 steps to find the girls, down 44 steps back to Cathy, then down 44 steps to find the bathroom and up 44 steps to reunite with Cathy and the Girls.  The top of the Arc de'Triomphe offers spectacular views of Paris.  I'll try to include some photos with this post.  Tonight was the lighting of all the Christmas lights along the Champs de' Elysees.  
 

Exhausted, we still managed a river cruise along the Seine.  We saw lighted historic sites including Notre Dame, The Louvre, The Musee D'Orsay and the Eiffel Tower.  Most of these sites we hope to return to for a longer time in the sunlight.   

Today's transportation included Planes, cabs, subways, tour boat, and walking.

Paris Opera House

Eiffel Tower

To Europe we will go

For the first time in a number of years all four of us could travel together so we (Kathleen) put together this trip.  That’s what we are telling people but the truth is it's been 50 years since I took High School French and I thought if I didn't use it soon I might start to forget some of it.   

I'm not sure how much we will blog.  Our itinerary takes us to Paris, Bruge, Amsterdam and London.   Erin will head home after the Bruge leg of the trip.