An Afternoon in Brugge...

After we’d had enough ice, we ventured into the center of this quaint historic town. I love the architecture, but not the crowds; this UNESCO World Heritage Site is perhaps too popular and overflowing with horse-drawn carriages and souvenir shops. There was a cute, but small Christmas Market set up in the main square and in a few of the smaller squares. We had a late lunch at an Egyptian restaurant, then wandered back around the city streets to see the festive holiday lights and enjoy a hot Belgian waffle with some hot chocolate before the 2.5 hour drive home.

Ice Fantasy...

While the name Ice Fantasy might conjure all kinds of unique images, the one I’m referring to was the theme of the Snow & Ice Sculpture Festival we went to in Brugge, Belgium with a friend just after Christmas. Forty artists from around the world used 330 tons of ice and 440 tons of snow to build the sculptures, which ranged from a wizard to a hedgehog to a cemetery complete with the Grim Reaper. After 30 minutes in the 21° F, we were too cold to hang out and have a drink at the ice bar.