Bruges

Bruges/Brugge
You should really try to pronounce it the dutch way, with the g sounding more like an h.

Bruges is really such a cute town. The old city has a lot of old medieval buildings, and it's share of Churches as well. The only catch? Thousands of other people think it's cute too. There are a ridiculous amount of tourists in this city. Not to say that makes it any less beautiful, just harder to grab a photo when there are 20 other cameras around too.

This is the very busy central square. Everyone is getting ready for the parade.

The parade was very cool. It lasted over two hours, and there was also a closing ceremony that I skipped out on (it didn't seem that interesting). Basically they parade the holy blood all around the old city, and then put in back into the church. But it was super cool! There were tons of different sections, people in roman dress, medieval dress, royal dress, I think Egyptian too, there were camels, horses, and sheep. And alot of jesus's. Definitely worth seeing, I am happy that the timing for visiting Bruges worked out this way.

Here are some chocolate goodies that Belgium is famous for. Bruges is littered with chocolate shops and waffles. A very touristy thing, but I think something you need to do, at least once. Bruges was definitely more saturated with these then Brussels or Ghent.

Charlie Rockets- I stayed at a hostel called Charlie Rockets. it was 21 euros a night, which isn't ridiculous, and it was awesome. The place was very very cool. It is built in a old movie theater (there is a storage room where you can see where the screen use to be, its massive, defs should be turned into a dance hall or something). But the hostel is pretty big, with both dorm style and private rooms (Some of the bigger rooms were quite crowded I think) I stayed in a 4 person room, and it was nice because I didn't need to sleep in a bunk bed. 

Charlie Rockets has a bar downstairs, and the atmosphere is really cool. Other then the bar they don't have a common room, but there are always other hostel-ers that you can bond with over a beer. The staff also tends to be really helpful as well. Another plus is that since it is a bar, the curfew is 4 am (which, to me, means there isn't a curfew) There are also a whole bunch of pool tables and an ol' fashion jukebox.

Apparently they also run pub crawls several times a week, we met the guy who runs them. Seems like it would be a fun thing to do if you are looking to get beers with fellow travelers at some local bars. 

These things are annoying. Bruges has many canals, and 36 bridges that go over them (fun fact!). And in these canals you will find TOUR BOATS. The tour guides are loud speaking, in multiple languages in the microphone, and (from experience) it sorta wrecks the mood when you are inside any of these old buildings (a lot are converted into museums).

However, I did go on one of these tour boats. I went with two girls (see below). They were in my room in the hostel, very nice girls from South Africa who are Au pairs in Amsterdam.

The tour boat was pretty cool. I don't think you could find a more beautiful way to see Bruges. Was it worth the 7.50 Euro, debatable. One of the downsides was that I could just BARELY make out everything the tour guide was saying because of his accent, and that was after hearing it in dutch, french and english. 

This is a nice view of a park which is just outside the old city. Very nice, and they have alot of green space if you are just outside the center.

Museums.

Another thing about Bruges, which I thought was super cool (and I really wish I had more time!) are the museums. Bruges has a tons of museums, like I said, a lot of the old churchs and buildings have been converted. There are 4 different divisions of Brugge museums, and if you are under 26 it is just a Euro to get access to each of the sections. (I bought a ticket to the general Brugge museum division, and I think that it gave me access to like 6 or 7 different locations, I only got around to visiting 2.)

Some special exhibits or museums will still be more though, There was a Salvador Dali exhibition going on, that was still 6 euros with a student card.