Bruges (4 janvier)

First Rotary trip of the year! Bruges!  famous for its canals and tall towers!

We had nice tours by nice volunteer rotarians and their spouses.  And then Galetes des rois to celebrate Epiphany! (that's the king cake with a little totem inside.  He who finds the little character in his slice of cake gets to wear a crown)

A large fountain with dancing people.

Rotary kids love posing for photos!  Somehow I missed my chance to be in one or take one... :(

A great huge church with a Michelangelo piece in it! 

that's her.  You have to pay to get closer.

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Chocolate in Bruges is famous.  They have a lot of little genuine Belgian chocolate shops.  I can't remember the word I'm thinking of, but it means that there is only one of them in the world, little private shops.

Lac d'amour!  I was told a lot of postcards of Bruges have this view.  There's a legend about a couple with a forbidden who came here to meet by night and were caught once, so they jumped in and drowned themselves.  My memory may be confusing the legend of this lake of love with just about every other legendary body of water, I'm sure it's something like that.  May I also point out that the legend dates from when Europe was ruled by the Romans.

Wooden shoes!  Not yet in the Netherlands, but this culture exists in the land of the Dutch-speaking.  Wood was the cheapest material that the serfs could find and they worked well as shoes.  Apparently they also did good things for the skin because they retain water, or soak up sweat or something.  I bet they were comfortable though after a few months though.  The sign is for canal cruises. 

Another thing Bruges is famous for is LACE!  Lots of little lace shops too.

The square-cornered roofs are very Flemish.  They're in Ghent a lot, too.
It's an architecture style that is very distinguishable.  Wallons think it's pretty!
As long as it stays in Flanders!

This is a government building.  Apparently frequented by bikes and prams.

and  a really nice car.

And then Galetes des rois to celebrate Epiphany! (that's the king cake with a little totem inside.  He who finds the little character in his slice of cake gets to wear a crown)

We stopped in a youth hostel café with all the kids and Rotarians where they had the Galettes des rois prepared, and they gave out certificates of completion of the exchange to my oldies!  It was a proud moment!  They gave the Wallon outstanding exchange student award to Miranda Daughtry of Australia, who is really a lovely girl.  The thing about exchange kids is that even the most annoying ones are just incredible people.