A (photo-) blog about the beautiful Belgian town Bruges as seen through the very two eyes of an inhabitant. Sharp, witty, and... always admiring.
25-07-2006
For sale
On the corner of the Philipstock- and the Gunsmiths streets there is a business for sale. Until recently it was the Vanbelle Bakery. The chances that this business might be a bakery again are very slim. There is another bakery in the street and, moreover, slowly but surely the trend is towards buying bread in the big chain-groceries. And this, of course, means the loss of the independent baker.
25-07-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
The Vanbelle bakery
At the beginning of the 17th century, there was already a bakery here. The first baker's name was Adriaan Wouters. Four hundred years later, Christiaan Vanbelle puts an end to it. During all these years, here the people of Bruges came to buy their farmers' bread, as well as many other specialties, of course. The interior of the bakery was very old-fashioned, and it was one of it's charms. We are curious to see what shall become of this store. It is in a quite good tourist spot. Lace-shops are no longer "in". I am hoping for an "all-night" store, or a chocolate boutique. However, rumour seems to make it likely to become a souvenir and notions shop.
25-07-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Bundles of rays...
Good morning, Bruges. The heat is not letting up. From 10 in the morning, it becomes unbearable. It is now almost a certainty : this will be the warmest summer our small country has ever known.
25-07-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
24-07-2006
The 'Divina Commedia'
. ... of Alighieri Dante (1265-1321) has the following reference to Bruges and the Cadzand. Translated, it reads : "As do the Flemings between Cadzand and Bruges, fearing the streaming waters who turn against them, throwing up dykes to keep the sea at bay." Dante was using this comparison with the Flemish dambuilders to illustrate the dams surrounding the hellish sea of flames he was describing in his "Divina Commedia". Thus it would seem that the fame of the dam-builders of our area had reached as far as Italy during Dante's lifetime. It was only much later (in the 20th century) that the Dutch surpassed the Flemish in this discipline. That particular fragment of the "Divina Commedia" has been symbolized in the group of statues which stand in the centre of the Zand.
24-07-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Simon Stevin
That's him, Simon Stevin. The square, where some are sleeping ( see previous photo), is named after him. Everybody takes a picture of Simon from the front. Yet, there are also a back and two sides to him. And seen from the side it is quite noticeable that the famed mathematician is the victim of quite a bird-poop problem.
24-07-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Morning nap
. Simon Stevin Square. Around 10:oo a.m. These tourists are sitiing on a bench, their luggage about them. Let me guess : this morning, around half past nine, they got up, had breakfast and left their hotel because their reservation had run out. There was no air-conditioning in their room and thus, it was too uncomfortable to enjoiy a god night's sleep. Exhausted and overwhelmed by the glaring sunshine warming the Simon Stevin Square, the lady just dozed off again.
24-07-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
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