Though they aren't nearly as inexpensive as I'd like them to be, trains in Europe certainly are convenient. On our way from Brussels to Bruges, we hopped off in the town of Ghent, stored our luggage in a locker, and set off for a half-day excursion. If you're ever passing through, make sure to stop in Ghent for a few hours if not a day or two if only for the cuberdon.
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| Most of these buildings have been rebuilt to look old, but it still makes for a really cool waterfront |
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| Ghent has lots of old churches and even a castle (not pictured due to entry fee) |
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| Same old church, different angle |
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| Our favorite candy we've found anywhere on our travels - Cuberdon, a firm surgary cone filled with raspberry syrup |
We used Bruges as our base for a few nights. There's plenty to see and do there, plus it's easy to get out and see the countryside and neighboring towns.
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| It seems every city in Netherlands and Belgium has canals |
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| Apparently that's the blood of Jesus in that vial |
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| Ornate church |
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| Free harp concert! Of course we tipped - I'm not that cheap |
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| Maybe Bruges is our favorite |
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| They have swans! |
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| The central square in Bruges |
One of the reasons we used Bruges as a base is because we could go cycling from there. They have an amazing network of bike trails, most of which are completely flat since they follow the canals. We rented a couple bikes and rode out to the coast on a beautiful fall day...
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| Steph loved the flat cycling |
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| Dammmmmme! |
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| Everybody loves a good windmill |
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| Old church in Damme |
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| Made it to the coast - not that nice really |
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| This church had lots of cool artwork inside |
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| Belgium is also famous for it's fries - double fried in animal fat - unfortunately we ate them before we remembered to take a picture |
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| They love bikes around here - they have parking garages for them! |
From Bruges we took the trains over the border into France to Lille then hopped on a bus for Paris!
