The Vlach Six: Bruges in the Fall

As soon as we started seeing the telltale stair-step rooflines, we knew we were getting close to Bruges, only 2 1/2 hours from Lux in Belgium. We pulled into our centuries-old rented house -- a classic three-story place with the creakiest, most narrow and steep staircases I've ever seen (not the easiest when carrying a baby). But it was charming and the location was perfect; the host, Geert, greeted us and gave us a colorful history lesson about Flanders. We arrived with enough time to walk into town for mussels & frites and flemish stew for dinner. We watched the sun set on our walk back home, and took in the medieval town lit up at night -- breathtaking. Swans, canals, clip clop of horses, smell of waffles.....

The kids had a leaf flight straight out of the car!

Transfixed by Alvin and the Chipmunks in Dutch

Classic mussels and fries

Fresh waffles for dessert!

We were out the door so early the next morning, there was only us and the street cleaners, walking the town as it woke up. We could see our breath. Found a breakfast place in the Maarkt (a beautiful large central square) for hot chocolate and coffee, then hopped into a horse-drawn carriage for a 30 minute tour of the gorgeous Bruges. By 11:30am, the town was teeming with tourists. We bought a Bruges Christmas ornament for our collection in a tiny shop; everything was breakable and I discovered photos were not allowed when I tried to take a shot of the boys absolutely transfixed by a wall of Black Forest cuckoo clocks (a steal at 700 Euros each). After checking out the Belfry, we ducked into a sandwich shop for some pumpkin soup and a Belgian beer, then rested the kids' tired little legs on a canal boat cruise. We visited the tiny Church of the Holy Blood where we saw a relic of Christ's blood -- it made quite an impression on the kids. We kept them going through the day with ice cream, waffles and stops in gorgeous little chocolate shops, then strolled through the flea market on our walk home. The kids ran wild in the Astridpark playground 100 feet from our rented home with all the little Belgian children. Off to dinner at Old Bruge Bistro; more mussels and frites, and Madeline loved her traditional Flemish rabbit entree (John begged her to share her plate, which she did, though grudgingly).

The chocolate shops!

Art installation around the city signifying unity after 9/11

Canal boat ride

This was my view the entire trip! Can you imagine anything better?

The next morning, we were the first ones awake again. We went to the Prestige Cafe for a beautiful breakfast served on silver and china -- I stood the entire meal while Bitsy took her morning nap in the front carrier. Then we crossed the street and went to another darling Christmas shop while we waited for the Historiam museum to open. All five of us were outfitted with earphones, which led us through a museum experience drawing on all five senses -- we were made to feel as though we were in 15th century Bruges! We could smell fire smoke, hear water, feel snow fall....amazing!