So it wasn’t supposed to rain last night but it poured. Beaten only by Applecross last year, it was a downpour that left us ever thankful to be in the van and not under canvas. Still it meant we were up early and ready to explore Bruges.

Riding our bikes, we felt slightly smug knowing the way to the city centre and being comfortable with how the road network worked. We arrived at the main square in good time and found plenty of room to lock up our bikes securely. The city was quiet and fairly empty of tourists at this time (10am) so we headed South through the Minnewater gardens and past the Lake of Love. Poertoren (Powder Tower) stood majestically at the far end of the lake and the bridge provided coach loads of tourists with the optimal selfie opportunity.

Lake of Love, Minnewater

Powder Tower

From here, we meandered to the Smedenpoort – gateway to the city before heading back to Casa Patatas and our well deserved lunch: Dirty Fries. I don’t know what it is about them but they’re so tasty!

Our afternoon became an opportunity to drink local beer, watch the world go by and be acquainted with a Blue Whale…

“SKYSCRAPER” (the Bruges Whale)  is made of 5 tons of plastic waste that has been retrieved from the Pacific Ocean. It stands as a stark reminder of the estimated 8 million tonnes of rubbish added to the oceans each year. It definitely was attracting the tourists and provided a talking point; it’s extraordinary what ends up in the sea.

After sampling a few local beverages at riverside venues Borgogne de Flandres and 2Be, we made the obligatory trip to Mary to collect some chocolates before cycling back to Camping Memling. The plan was to sit out the drizzle and have dinner before cycling back in to spend the evening in the centre of Bruges – our buttocks may be regretting this activity now though.

By night, Bruges is bustling with people eating and drinking in bars and restaurants all over the city. We left the Markt square and spent a while in Bar’N with it’s unique lighting, wide range of spirits and the unexpected head of a Highland Cow mounted on the wall! As we left for a dusk wander, we heard “When I’m 64” coming from the Belfry. This was followed by a variety of modern, traditional and classic pop songs played on the Carillon – stored at the top of the tower. We had inadvertently stumbled across a free concert, which lasted an hour. It was spectacular and must have taken ages to programme the Carillon correctly.

Collecting the bikes, we opted for a stroll through Bruges to marvel at the night life, and how the buildings shone in lights. It was a beautiful end to a great day and one we will never forget.