The cruise itinerary said Amsterdam – but our calendar said Brussels. Having been to Amsterdam several times and spent a number of days there (which can be explored at https://egmagicbustour.com/2019/09/22/amsterdam-the-end-of-our-journey/), this was the perfect opportunity to hop on a train to Brussels and see something on the ‘bucket list’ for several years. The Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix is a world class museum and the number one tourist attraction in that city. It takes up a lot of our time as volunteers when home for both the museum and ushering in the fantastic 299 seat theater with phenomenal acoustics! It is reported that the founder of the Phoenix museum, Bob Ulrich, was inspired by a Musical Instrument Museum in Brussels. Well – this needed to be checked out.

First – a need to quickly explore this capital city of Belgium AND the capital of Europe, as it serves as the main home for the European Union offices and NATO. It also houses King Philippe and Queen Mathilde in the Royal Palace – another location to put on the VRBO list for next summer;-)

Brussels is a place of pilgrimage for Art Nouveau fans from all over the world. But it also displays the Gothic City Hall, which is the only building to have survived Louis XIV’s (almost) total destruction of the city center. A part of this beautiful city center is La Grand Place – the heart of town with many museums lining its sides. In August of even numbered years, a flower carpet of begonias covers La Grand Place – –

The use of Art Nouveau in commercial architecture can be admired at the iron and glass Old England department store reborn as the Musee des Instruments de Musique (le MIM – included in 1,000 Places to See Before You Die!). Yes – the destination of this little side trip. This museum holds a world class collection of more than 600 musical instruments organized primarily by type. It is certainly easy to discover how Bob got his idea, and those of use who reside in Phoenix are quite grateful.

It was a VERY busy day and a train to Bruges was calling – so all aboard for the next stop.

Venice of the North, as Bruges is called, was once one of Europe’s most prosperous cities. It was a busy trading hub in the 15th century where Italian Bankers rubbed shoulders with merchants from Spain, England and Scandinavia. Many medieval landmarks and pieces of art recall these ages – the towering town belfry, the 14th century Gothic Town Hall, the 13th century self-contained convent-like community that flourished for 600 years (a separate UNESCO designation) and the Church of our Lady with its marble ‘Madonna and Child’ by Michelangelo. Bruges is one of the best preserved medieval towns in Europe, and as such, the historic center of Bruges is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is adorable, walkable and one of the most wonderful little towns ever visited!!! LOVE this place.

Belgium is famous for two other things – beer and chocolate! They can keep their beer, but give me all the chocolate. One can get the best chocolate in the store with the best name – ELISABETH!

If you want a fabulous place to stay in Bruges – try the Hotel Heritage. It will spoil you rotten and amuse you with its ‘antique’ appointments. A good place for lunch or dinner is Brasserie Raymond just down the street from the Heritage.

Belgium was fantastic! It was wonderful being in the capital city and seeing their MIM and Bruges can NOT be beat. It just makes one feel happy and there is so much more to Bruges that wasn’t even discussed – the horse and carriage rides through the town, the canal boat rides, all the little fabulous cafes, the many, many chocolate shops, etc., etc., etc. One could spend days here, but a ship is waiting for us and it can’t be missed.

So – a very fond farewell to Bruges.

E & G – Happy with our little side trip;-)