Cobblestone, Canals, and French Fries: The Old City of Bruges

I arrived in Bruges in the early evening after a long day of missed connections and train station food. My body was tired, but the uneven cobblestone sidewalks made it ache even more. But I couldn’t complain; the sun was setting and I was in probably the most picturesque medieval city I could imagine. The green patches of grass and vegetation complementing everything else brick and stone is eye candy for any traveler. I was particularly impressed at how the city seemed to remain largely untouched by modernization (in an architectural sense). I thought of it as a quieter, more scaled-down Amsterdam with a clear, and attractive, historical energy.


In most other cities I’ve visited thus far, infrastructural modernization and a progressive culture have clearly influenced the landscape, as well as affected the population's identity as a member of the landscape. Bruges, however, seems to have eluded many present changes that eradicate past culture. This is no more evident than in the old city and city center portion of the city. This ancient map shows how little the layout of the city center has changed over time. Not to say that there isn’t significant commercialization and touristic plans, but Bruges’s “magic” comes its ability to maintain a distinct Flemish identity in multiple ways.


The wealth that Bruges has accumulated over the past centuries is evident in the beauty, cleanliness, and sophistication of the old city. As the city’s own website explains, Bruges has a “long tradition of international port activity,” which leads to an influx of wealth and culture alike. The city most likely began as a Roman military fortification against invading Germanic tribes; gradually it became involved in trading with Scandinavian countries. Although it is not located on the coast itself, the canals that run throughout the medieval streets once allowed Bruges to be the trading capital of northwest Europe. The modern concept of Bruges, and rightfully so, is not a seaside urban landscape; Bruges's identity was eventually morphed with societal advances. Because of its cultural and architectural accomplishments, Bruges has mostly shed the image of being strictly a port city. The old city is a relic of the Flemish identity Bruges maintains.

There are strips of cobblestone that bear the mark of commercialism, but for the most part, Bruges has resisted instincts to completely rely on tourism for economic prosperity. The tourism aspect of Bruges is most evident during the day, but unlike other travel destinations, is relatively quiet at night. Bruges’s atmosphere is certainly not party-focused; the demographic of tourists it attracts seems to be an older crowd. Tourism will most likely increase in Bruges in the future, but for the time being, the city expertly balances its past identity with urges to modernize.

Bruges is as modernized as any other city, but sustains a uniquely historical ambiance. Importantly, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognized the historic city center of Bruges as a World Heritage Site. Bruges’s old brick infrastructure exemplifies “a considerable exchange of influences on the development of architecture,” among other criteria needed for a World Heritage Site. Although this may not be a well-known award to many, it nonetheless speaks to the importance citizens of Bruges place on maintaining the city’s historical integrity. Integration into a more European identity has taken place in Bruges, but not to the extent as other regions of Belgium, namely Brussels, where integration operations are centered. As part of the Flemish region of Belgium, Bruges most clearly symbolizes Flemish culture through its ability to maintain its history even when social, cultural, and economic forces work against it.

Bruges is the crossroads of everything that is Flemish. It has the old churches and monuments, traditional Flemish food, medieval architecture and a quiet and slow energy. I can’t say enough about how impressed I was with Bruges’s resistance to the fast-paced, heavy partying, gaudy atmosphere that has infested many other historical cities I have visited. Any traveler looking to experience a historical culture in the confines of a comfortable and relaxing city look no further than Bruges and its old city center.

The Touch of Holy Blood

Bruges is a picturesque city of cobblestone streets and pointed brick houses. Its beautiful and romantic canals carve the city. I picked Bruges as one of my destinations for its rich and assorted chocolates, refreshing cherry-flavored beers, and of course, its delicious waffles.

On the train ride to Bruges I read and made a list of possible sites to visit. One of sites on my list was the Basilica of Holy Blood that is tucked away in the upper-right-hand corner of Burg Square. Supposedly, this Catholic Church has a relic of Jesus Christ's blood. I say supposedly because there is no proof that the blood in the sanctuary upstairs is, for a fact, the blood of Jesus Christ. The blood is placed in an ornate, glass vile with gold on either side. The vile was placed on a purple velvet pillow about the size of a notebook.

According to tradition, Derrick of Alsare, Count of Flanders, brought the relic of blood to Bruges after the second crusade in 1150. He received the relic in the Holy Land by his brother-in-law, the King of Jerusalem, for his heroic performance during the crusade. After receiving this gift, Count Derrick and his wife placed the relic in the chapel he had created and built.

The chapel is located in a sanctuary up spiraling, marble stairs that is separate from the church. Before I could even walk in the sanctuary, I was bombarded by a variety of people waiting in live to touch the vile and say a silent prayer. After waiting only five minutes, it was my turn to walk up six, white marble steps to the alter and make a donation. I stood across from a priest as I said my prayer for about twenty seconds before exiting.

The priest standing on the other side of the alter gave reassured me that my message was sent up above. For the past year and a half, I have been searching for a miracle that would heal my aunt of ovarian cancer. So for me, this church meant more to me than a tourist attraction, it was directly linked to my beliefs and affiliation with the Catholic Church. Some members of my traveling group decided not to visit this church because they needed proof or else the blood could have been anybody’s blood. However, I do not need to have proof or documentation to believe in the holiness of the relic. My proof is my faith, and therefore I would never question the credibility of the relic. I found this church to be spiritually moving and I would encourage anyone to visit. Touching Christ’s blood made me feel personally connected to him and unique for having the opportunity to see and touch his blood.

For more information on the Basilica of Holy Blood, you can visit their website at www.holyblood.com

The Church of Our Lady in Bruges

From the outside, this church seemed to be just another gothic church, but on the inside, it was spectacular. The mere enormity of the structure was mind boggling from the inside; it is a true architectural masterpiece. The first thing I noticed when I tiptoed inside was the massive alter with Jesus Christ on the Crucifix. it was graphic and detailed and evoked a sense of sadness within the onlookers.

From there I meandered about the rest of the church looking at some historical Catholic antiques, there were pairs of shoes that previous Popes had worn, a tabernacle that probably weighed 250 pounds and was made out of pure gold decorated with various gemstones from all across the world. These items were hidden behind a sort of gates that made it difficult to see unless you were tall. The fact that the church had decided to restrict the public from this territory made it obvious that these items were of great importance even if you did not know exactly what they were or what they were used for. There were some areas of the church where you could go sit in a nook of stained glass windows and kneel down to say a few prayers; it was very peaceful due to the strict “silence” policy that this church upholds.

Once we got all the way around, we realized that we had forgotten our main goal of coming to this church in the first place. The Church of Our Lady is the home of the “Madonna and Child” by Michelangelo. This statue transcends its own beauty through its own history; it was made by one of the most famous artists of all time and is more than 500 years old. The marble was still incredibly intact and was awe-inspiring. I was there when there was only one other person outside of our group, and they quickly moved along so we could take pictures and study this masterpiece. This piece embodied maternity and showed something that almost anyone can relate to. To me this piece of course was about the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ, but it also symbolized a bond that I took as symbolic of the church, I thought it showed that the Catholic Church really is committed to its followers just as the Virgin Mary is committed to her son, Jesus Christ. The looseness of Mary’s grip on the child is symbolic that the Church is letting its believers go out into the world, but that it is still holding onto us in everything we take part in.

One thing that struck me as very odd was the fact that this sculpture is not behind glass or any protection at all. Almost every famous piece of art is protected in some way and this one was closed off by one velvet rope that easily could have been bypassed if one wanted to go closer. I took this openness of Church of Our Lady to mean that they trust the people of Bruges to protect this artifact and make the most of this monument that they are the proud owners of.

This is the only Michelangelo to be in Northwest Europe and I think it was worthwhile to stop and see the famous piece I had only read about in history classes.

Bruges

Bruges

The Benefits of being American in Europe

I was so excited to have my first weekend abroad on our own. We are students on a budget so spending money has to be done wisely. That is why this first weekend we split going to two places Amsterdam and Bruges so that we are seeing the most for our money. Something that I want everyone to know is that when people see that you are American they jump at the chance to help you and to ask you a million questions. I originally thought no one would like us and that we would have a really hard time finding our way around and understanding people. What I experienced was something completely the opposite.

Amsterdam was nice but Bruges by far was my favorite. First off I love the small town vibe that Bruges has with the cobblestone streets and little quaint cafes, my first impression of Bruges was that it was gorgeous. Our day started with viewing some amazing churches including one that had the sculpture by Michelangelo which was just breath taking. This is a must see when you go to Bruges because it so beautiful and to add in the money savior tip visiting churches is a free way to see some of the oldest parts of Europe history.

After visiting the churches we decided to sit down and have a snack and a drink. Never would I have thought that it would be one of the best snacks I have ever experienced.You may be thinking that I am referring to the food but not at all. When we sat down we happened to sit down by an American couple that struck up a conversation with us. They could not have been nicer to us by giving us tips on places to eat and how again to save money.The couple worked for the government as diplomats and has been living in Brussels for three years. We were both sharing information about ourselves and talked to them for about forty minutes. During this forty minutes I remember thinking that if we hadn’t chose this outside café we would never have met such nice people. Advice to the next traveler that reads this blog remember to try new places and not to just stick to places that look American or ‘safe’ you have to venture out and try new places you normally would not pick.The couple was so nice and willing to answer any of our questions, it reassured me that we were in very nice place. It came time to get the check and the American couple had just gotten up and waiter says no check and points to the couple. The couple had paid for our bill so nonchalantly and wasn’t even going to stay so that we could thank them, but luckily we caught them just as they were leaving the restaurant to thank them profusely. It literally shocked me that someone would do such a thing to for us. The whole day I could not believe how nice of a gesture that was. It made me feel good to be an American in Europe.

The Basilica of the Holy Blood in Bruges

After two days in the more modern canal city of Amsterdam we retired Saturday and Sunday to the slow paced canal city of Bruges with architecture reminiscent of, even often still intact from, it's glory days during medieval Europe. We grabbed a map geared towards backpackers and hostel travelers, though even these attractions were still relatively “grown up” museums etc. there was literally a museum for everything, yes we were guilty of visiting the Chocolate Museum to see the White Chocolate Madonna and the Barack Obama. We drew the line at the lamp museum. While the main town square the Markt was an amazing space I found the adjacent Burg square my favorite primarily because of the Heilig-Bloedbasiliek or Basilica of the Holy Blood.

While the majority of Belgians are considered Catholic they are mainly non practicing making it an increasingly cultural label. It's cultural and national importance is still seen through the pride displayed during the annual Precession of the Blood that draws 50,000 pilgrims to witness the remembrance of the arrival of the relic in the early 12^th century. The date of the appearance of the relic from the Holy land to Bruges falters between the legendary date of of 1150 AD and the more exact suspected date of around 1256 when it is first introduced to the historical record. While its history maybe contested there is certainly no question of the believers revere of the object. We found the churches Gothic architecture, with its detailed glass windows and ornate statues so beautiful and the aura so catching that we decided to go back Sunday morning for Mass followed by the veneration of the blood. For more information on the relic this is a helpful site:

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/belgium/bruges-basilica-of-holy-blood.htm

Upon taking our seats in the back of the Basilica it became clear our group was a generation, or two, separated from the rest of the patrons. Although the Mass was held in Dutch they made an effort to hand out prayer cards that included five different languages so I could attempt to follow along. Even though I could not fully understand the mass I could comprehend the service because of the symbols, surprisingly even the cadence of the Apostles' Creed was in step with the English version. One man in the row behind us continued to pray in his native language and followed his home practices even when they diverged from the group, such as kneeling and praying with his hands up and open during the Our Father, which I found a prime example of carrying your traditions and continuing them through your own practices.

However you could also see examples of their culture and demographic reflected in the service. I had never seen adult female alter servers, I could not decide if this was out of respect or necessity that they were serving. It was an worthwhile experience just to exchange the sign of peace because all though we were not speaking the same language we could all understand the expression. The most enchanting part of the Mass was the iridescent shimmer of the incense smoke colored purple from the stained glass. During the veneration most people elected to line up and kiss the relic, reaffirming their belief and continuing this connection to each other and the 'imagined community', while reaffirming the place of the Roman Catholic Religion in Bruges. Turns out the orb pulpit was in fact meant to symbolize spreading the word to the world, off a famous quote, our guess was incorporating Belgian chocolate into their design, so I guess not all symbols are as easy to spot as expected.

Bruges from the Belfry

The Belfry Tower is one of the most visited monuments in Bruges and the entire Bruges community treasures it. It is gothic in style and located in one of the city’s main plazas, Markt. This monument used to house the national treasury but it has since been moved. The belfry is a reminder to the people of Bruges about its history and prominence as a center for trade dating back to medieval times. From the ground, the summit is 366 steps away. My mission was to make it to the very top and see the panorama of beautiful Belgium.

The first flight of steps everyone in the group was doing great, even Kim and Amy who had their heavy backpacks with them. I think we counted about 50 steps when we had reached the first break in the stairs. We were so confident in our abilities that we pressed on without stopping. By the next break, I was embarrassed that I was panting and but so was the rest of the group. We stopped for a little while then decided to keep going. Along the way, we stopped at other breakpoints and one contained a clock mechanism that allowed the bell to ring at certain intervals. In medieval times, the bells were used to notify the people of Bruges for a multitude of reasons like fires, work hours, and social or religious occasions.

366 steps later, we reach the top of the tower. We heard that there was construction but was slightly disappointed by the amount of area blocked off at the top. The disappointment didn’t last long because the view from the top was absolutely breathtaking. I could see all the spots we had gone to on our short stay in Bruges.

First, I saw the Basilica of the Holy Blood where we had gone for Mass earlier that morning. The mass was really interesting to see but it was very hard to understand. Luckily, Catholic masses are the same in all places I was able to follow along pretty well. The Basilica of the Holy Blood is the home to the relic of the precious blood of Jesus. During the mass, they carried the vial to the alter and then after the mass they allowed people to come and pay their respects to it by touching and kissing the vial or praying in it’s presence.

Next, I looked down into the plaza below the tower. I could see the restaurant where we ordered the infamous Belgian waffles, the two battling French fry stands that are open for late night, as well as The Chocolate Museum that we had visited earlier that morning. The Chocolate Museum was very detailed in the origins of chocolate and all the different Belgian brands of chocolate like Leonidas, but my favorite part was getting to see and take pictures with the ornate chocolate sculptures of Barack Obama, the Madonna with Child, and many other sweet sculptures. The sculptures looked so real and they took a lot of precision. Chocolate has been a Belgian tradition since about the nineteenth century and has continued to prove to be a prospering industry. Also, Belgium is home to the creation of the Praline, which is enjoyed my many sweet tooths worldwide. In Bruges, I noticed the Belgian’s pride for their chocolate and they had chocolate shops on just about every street corner.

If I could have seen 360° view, I would have been able to see the other side of the city and I would have seen the Church of Our Lady, which is where Michelangelo’s Madonna with Child is displayed as well as the western Belgium coast. Bruges’ prosperity as a city was launched by its location and geography, a canal city right next to the North Sea. The port of Bruges (Zeebrugge) is the second largest port in Belgium and is a very important to European trade.

As I began my decent to the ground, I noticed the steepness of the steps as well as the insanely cramped-ness of the stairwell. It was nearly impossible to have two people going opposite directions at the same time. Bruges was a beautiful city from ground as well as from the top of the belfry.

Bubbles of Brussels

Exiting the train station, I was greeted with tall glass business buildings on scattered on street corners and bold graffiti on every underpass and column. This is Brussels. Also known as the capital of the EU and capital of Europe. (http://europa.eu/index_en.htm). Being

the center for executive decision and major power, this city only temporarily gives off that legislative vibe.

Our hostel (http://www.hotelsabina.be/) was located near the Embassies, Parliament, and Royal Palais, so we strolled the area and saw the well manicured buildings and grounds that were accessorized with security cameras. Since it was after business hours, the area was mostly vacant with the exception of joggers in the garden across the street. There was a distinct feeling of power, wealth, and influence in that area which faded as we walked else ware. This distinct territoriality seemed shaped through the function of the buildings and as a result and is easily seen through tourists and others that this is a purposeful space meant to host specific functions of the Belgian government and EU. As mentioned in a “Use-It” Guide, “The ‘eurocrats’ who work for the EU in Brussels are a community on their own, with their on habits, bars, restaurants,…” This reinforces the fact that this isolation is not a hidden concept.

The next day, while walking through the city we found an eclectic flea market (http://brussels.angloinfo.com/information/29/markets.asp) tucked into a square bordered with shops and cafes. People of all ages were rummaging through random treasures such as chandelier pieces and heaps of clothing; trying to find that perfect something. A small band was playing music to add a more vibrant energy as the shopping continued. This bubble of a bounded social space was seen as more of a local market, aimed at bringing local goods and selling them to other locals, not centered around tourists or government officials.

Heading to the cities most visited area; Grand Place in the heart of the city we ran into an unexpected surprise; a parade. As we approached we heard drums and people shouting. We decided to watch and see what they were celebrating. We could see the parade streets away and slowly meander through the city. As the parade advanced, the drums, cheering, and dancing escaladed. More passersby began to clog the street corners and frame the moving celebration. Children, tourists, and couples made up the very diverse demographic that was present. Finally, the parade was close enough to see the people. Their costumes were very abstract garments with everyday items such as cabbage, felt, cardboard, and saran wrap. This bizarre element was seen through the performance pieces, music, and dancing. This displayed the Belgian’s true appreciation for the arts in a very modern way; by moving through the heart of the Capital city in front of historic buildings; showing great pride in their country.

These three very distinct areas strongly connect to the theme of territory and nationalism. Each space was made for certain people whether it be government officials, locals, or tourists. Their purpose was represented through forms of nationalism; whether to influence the country politically or to embrace the country socially. One thing that is quite true of Brussels, is that there are definite sectors of the city, but also sections that combine the extremes of regulation with imagination for a great show of public pride for outsiders to enjoy.