Ghent & Bruges: Historic Buildings, Beer, Food & Chocolate

Hearing about the medieval city of Bruges, with its lace and chocolates , was all we needed to be off on a day trip there. We get off the train and ask about bus or tram tickets into town, and some guy looks at us like we're crazy.

Over the river and through the park (all sing now) and we are immersed in history. The craftsmanship on buildings—600 to 1,000 years old—is astonishing.  So many talented people. Artists that are not in museums, and whose names have long disappeared. I am amazed wherever we go.

We find  lace. I buy a lace lavender sachet. We don't have much room in our bags. It is in Bruges were I taste St. Bernatus and Chimay Blue. I think I am starting to like beer.

We strolled, we sauntered,  we window shopped—and then we quickly walked each time we figured out we were going the wrong way. Some things looked so much farther on the map, sometimes closer, sometimes not there at all.  We complain about Gulph Road, New Gulph, Old Gulph, but that is amateur hour compared to Europe, where the streets have a different name every block or two.

Steven and I always share our meals when we go out. Now we are sharing his beer since I am learning to appreciate the brew. It is incredible that in Europe, beer is the cheapest item on the menu; sometimes half the price of a soda and usually less than coffee or tea.

The next day we tour Ghent. Waterzooi is a specialty of Ghent. We ordered it for lunch with the cod. It was a lovely fish stew with leeks, carrots, zucchini and of course potatoes.  It is delicious. The fish is barely cooked and is heaven with the slightly thickened leek-infused creamy broth. We also order the salad vinaigrette with lightly grilled goat cheese and serano ham. It arrives and a salad of arugula, baby greens, pine nuts, onion and red pepper, and  is delicately enrobed in the ham. The goat cheese must be a 6-ounce round that has two textures like the humbolt fog I love so much.  The toasted pine nuts marry beautifully with the softened cheese, spread on toast points and happily consumed.

We find an amazing chocolate store in Ghent called Chocolaterie De Graslei. They have not only chocolates but a speciality that translates to mean nose—cone-shaped confections that are traditionally raspberry flavored (real raspberry). The outside is crystalized and the inside is sweet jelly. Steven loved them, but they were a bit too sweet for me. Not to worry: the dark chocolate-enrobed orange peel and candied ginger set my heart afire.  Yum.

Off to Paris tomorrow.