IN BRUGES - Dream Destination Day 3

The day started out a bit earlier, I missed breakfast but that was okay because my goal was to finally make it to Lily's for a waffle for breakfast anyway. So when the alarm went off at 10:30 I forced myself to get up even though I was exhausted. Couldn't sleep another day
away. After all, this is Bruges! After I got ready I called the lady who I had met online who lives in England and has a house here. Turns out she was about 5 minutes away in the berg. I met her and she was so sweet and accompanied me to Lily's. Her husband had already headed there on foot, because it is over a mile away I'd decided to take a taxi there and walk back, wandering and shopping. The owner was delightfully surprised to see me so that was fun. I gave him the waffle card I'd made him and he was quite excited about it. That made me feel good. I told him it had been over a year since I'd been here and here and he said it hadn't been so when I started thinking about it, I realized he was right, I was here last June. Later I asked him how he remembered things like that and he said he always remembers special people. How sweet. Annette and Martin had something to drink and we had a great conversation about cameras, photography and how they ended up with a house here. They decided that their house is so small that they would upsize in the same area outside of London but when they saw the cost they realized they could buy a house for the same price. They considered Spain or France where other people have their homes and one day realized that since they always love visiting bruges they should just buy it here. They said they got it for the price of an extra bedroom and a garage! Sounds like a perfect place for them.

After we had a nice visit I said I would like to buy their coffees and Martin said he had already taken care of the bill and the owner wouldn't let him pay for my waffle. So he bought my hot chocolate and they told me about a place where the daffodils had bloomed and walked me to where they could show me how to get there and we parted. Next to Love Park where the swans are, there is a Beguinage, again I'm quite sure my spelling is wrong. Can't remember the exact definition of the beguines but it is worth looking up. I walked in expecting a few daffodils and the sight that met me inside the large doors was breathtaking! There were thousands and thousands of blooming daffodils with the historic building in the background. Yes, many pictures of this incredible springtime sight on that little card inside my camera!

After getting my fill of daffodils, I headed back towards my hotel. The day was a bit cold,but sunny and pleasant. The streets were packed with hundreds of tourists! I photographed my way back towards my hotel. I passed chocolate shops one after another. Most things here are either candy or lace or the standard souvenirs. I passed the little flea market by the canal but was very disappointed I'd missed the big marketplace because it closes by 1 pm. next time! By the time I'd spent hours wandering I was ready for some of those fries with gravy. The market square was packed with people and the line was a bit long. I ordered the fries I thought I'd seen but was a bit confused when it was 8 euros. I paid it and waited...I gasped when I saw what I had bought...a huge container of fries topped with a full serving of stoop, Flemish stew! Huge chunks of meat and it was quite a meal! Delicious, but so much more than I'd expected!, after somehow managing to eat it while standing I walked the couple of blocks back to my hotel and had a nice nap.

I'd hoped for a nice night to take pictures of the sunset but the clouds had moved in so it was light and then it was dark. I decided to go back to visit my friend at Lilys in hopes he would be less busy and be able to talk. He was able to talk to me and was so excited about the cards he said I wouldn't have to pay for waffles if he could get some,so I will make him some and send them. He made me another waffle and was so funny because when I went to take the picture he turned the plate around so it was the direction he wanted it. It wasn't the best shot but I took the picture and when he left turned it to an angle I liked better. I asked him the meaning of the name Lily and he said he started the business 16 years ago and named it after his yorkie. He said she died 6 years ago but he kept the name, as he should. A young couple came by with the cutest beagle and after chatting for a while they sat down and had frites. They are working in Paris for the next couple of months and will then be returning to the US with their French beagle. They had to get help with the commands in French because that is all their dog, snoopy, understands. He had been abandoned and had already been living at the rescue shelter for 2 years. I asked if it was a no kill shelter and they said it must have been because when you walk in there are 15 dogs lying around that the girls who work there said were theirs. Evidently when it's decided that a dog is too old or not adoptable these employees adopt them to keep them from being euthanized and bring them to work each day. So basically they are still up for adoption but have homes to live out their years. Loved the story!

After another walk to some previously unvisited streets I stopped into a restaurant for dinner. Ordered a steak and had a nice conversation with a French couple next to me who were here for the weekend. They had 2 suggestions for future trips for me, one to la Rochelle in france and one to Dubrovnik, Croatia. Great! Finally I have some new places to put on my list! And I was able to help them a bit too, now they will be visiting the Musee d'orsy and having the best hot chocolate in the world AND they have never heard of giverny so they will be going there too. So nice I could help some French people enjoy a bit more of France!

And that, my friends, was day 3 In Bruges. Maybe I'll be back for the ice sculpture show at Christmas!