It’s my last night in Brugge – tomorrow I will take the train back to Amsterdam, closing the circle that I created when I flew from Amsterdam to Oslo last month on July 18. It’s quite sad to leave Brugge – I really like this town. Its atmosphere and buildings, the cobblestoned streets and alleys, its helpful and courteous locals who smile more freely – I’ve had a great time here. You may not find enough attractions to discover everyday if you stay in Brugge for too long. Two nights seem more than ample – but leaving Brugge is like saying goodbye to a newly-found friend.
I did also ‘meet’ Brugge’s more down-to-earth sibling, Ghent. After breakfast, I took the 30-minute train to Ghent and then took the tram to the city centre around Korenmarkt. Knowing that I only had limited time set me on a couple of Ghent’s landmarks that I wanted to visit. I made my way to the Het Gravensteen – a medieval castle a short stroll away from the city centre. There’s a movie that you can watch on a small portable device as you move from one spot to the next (helpfully numbered). The movie depicts how life was in the medieval time through the key characters: Filip and Mathilde. The cost of the movie guide is included in the admission ticket of €8 (less for students and children). I watched the movie from the introduction until the second spot, but it was getting quite cumbersome having to juggle the camera, my backpack, and the device, so regrettably I returned it to the desk. They probably thought that I was a ungrateful philistine who couldn’t appreciate the history of the place. Sorry! The castle complex is interesting though – the numbered panels do give good explanation on what the areas represent in the medieval time. You go through the tower, the meeting hall, the cellar, the walkway, and even the torture chamber and the latrine!
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