Bruges : Exploring the Canal Ring

Horse Trough at Minnewater, Bruges
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This morning I decide to follow the canals around the town centre to the West. As I get to Gentpoort, two very large working barges pass me by. They look identical to the one Rick Stein is using in his current TV series, travelling along the waterways of France. I can feel a really great idea for a holiday coming on!

My plan is to follow the canal system as far as it goes, hoping that I’ll find a nice attractive area to relax later when the heat gets too much. According to my map there are no buildings in this area between Gentpoort and Katelijneburg, but there is. It looks rather like the kind of tower Rapunzel would live in, if only it had a window. I puzzle over it for a while but just can’t work out what it is for. Or what the strange concrete pillars next to it are.

On the way I pass an Australian shop – I could certainly buy some interesting souvenirs in there!

Begijnhof, Minnewater, Bruges
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A little further on and I find a similar tower next to Minnewater. This one is called Poortoren and was once a gunpowder store. Perhaps that is what the other one is. Minnewater is as beautiful as always and as packed with Tourists as normal. Coaches are depositing their charges and shepherding them into the town. I decide if you can’t beat them, join them. My first stop is the Begijnhof. It is a truly tranquil and beautiful place and strangely seems devoid of tourists. Perhaps they are all in the cafés and shops. As I wander around the complex trying to do it justice with my camera, I spot a dovecote. Unfortunately as soon as the doves realise I’m creeping up on them, they disappeared inside and steadfastly refused to come out.

Minnewater, Bruges
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I visited the little shop run but the current occupants of the Begijnhof, a group of nuns. It felt a little strange and I was a bit uncomfortable. However it only seemed fair to support them, so I bought a small gift book and some postcards. Interestingly the nuns are obviously keeping up with modern technology. Some of them take photographs of the Begijnhof and use them to create greetings cards.

With the help of my guide book, I head up towards St John’s Hospital. This is now a fascinating museum, featuring some truly beautiful religious paintings. I love looking at this kind of painting and picking up the hidden attributes and symbolism hidden within it. The hospital has two joint patron saints, John the Evangelist and John the Baptist. The first usually appears with a challis, whilst the second usually appears in rags or animal skins, holding a cross shaped staff and accompanied by a lamb.

Hospital Gate, Bruges
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The highlight of the Museum is a tremendous triptych painted for the hospital’s chapel by Memling. Normally it is displayed with other works by the same artist, but these are currently on loan and form part of the temporary exhibition at the Groeninge Museum. The other major painting in this collection depicts everyday life within the Hospital. You can even see artefacts in the painting that are on display in the hospital today.

Upstairs there was a modern art installation that frankly left a lot to be desired. The art was generally poor, but the incredible ceiling of the hospital was worth seeing. Feeling a little bit peckish by now, I decide to pop into the more modern part of the hospital, which has been converted into shops and cafés. Here I find a really attractive bar where I can get a fairly reasonable coke and toasted ham and cheese sandwich (with ketchup). I sit here for a while enjoying the cool and reading my book. They do have internet computers, but for once I decide not to bother. This is going to be a relaxing holiday. Before leaving I go in search of the loos. On the way I pass an Australian shop – I could certainly buy some interesting souvenirs in there! The loos are reasonably interesting. You have to pay a chap before you can go in and he certainly earns his money, because as soon as you leave the cubical he pops in and wipes it down. Yuk.

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Just across the road from the Hospital is the Church of Our Lady. The church tower actually gives the Cathedral’s a run for its money. In fact when I went to Damme, it was still visible along the length of the canal. I was particularly taken with the stunning pulpit. It seemed to float as it was clearly not sturdy enough to support itself. In fact if you looked closely enough you could just make out it was supported from the ceiling. However the real highlight of this Church as a sculpture of Madonna and child by Michelangelo. It is one of very few that ever made it out of Italy. There were actually two sculptures, but there was no disguising the true master’s work.

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One real benefit of visiting religious buildings on extraordinarily hot days is that they are wonderfully cool. After the Church, I visited the Cathedral. This sadly doesn’t have any sculptures to match, but does contain some rather attractive tapestries. Unfortunately these are suffering rather badly from light damage. It seems a shame to see them slowly degrade.

By now I am beginning to suffer from the heat. So I decide to have a more relaxing holiday. I head back to the Zand, aiming to pick up the canal ring. It’s strange that most people think that the Zand marks the western edge of the old town. Actually it doesn’t and there are some attractive streets just beyond it. I follow a road that loops out past St Godelieve Abbey and the Dumery bell until I reach the ring canal. This I follow, aiming to find somewhere quiet and attractive to read my book. For a while I rest up near an old (but called new) water mill. Although the traffic noise is less here, I am very close to the railway line, and the grass I’m sitting on is very wet, so I decide to follow the canal ring to its furthest point.

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A short distance on I come across one of the most splendid town gates Bruges has to offer. Smedenpoort (Marshall’s Gate), with its elegant turrets and surrounding weeping willow, could easily give Minnewater some competition for most attractive spot if it wasn’t for the traffic. It was here I spotted a heron, standing mid stream, fishing for his supper.

Pushing on I eventually came to a very busy road junction called Bloedput, where I risked my neck trying to cross it whilst bikes and cars came at me from all angles. Beyond was not better, the buildings were becoming more modern and much larger and I had the feeling I was leaving old Bruges behind. There was a small park (Graff Visartpark) which looked interesting on my map but was disappointing in real life and the final stretch of the canal (which now looks more like a boating lake) was unimpressive. In the end I didn’t bother walking all the way to Ezelpoort (Asses’ Gate), but crossed over the canal and began my hike back home. On the way I found myself a comfortable bench to pass a few more hours on.

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Unfortunately my restaurant is closed again today, so after nipping back home to change into a warm pair of jeans and a fleece, I head back to the Canal side one I visited yesterday. When I arrive I have trouble recognising the staff. I’m the first customer to arrive, so they are all sitting outside enjoying the sun. Of course I ruin that, but it does mean I get my favourite seat back again. Unable to make a decision I eventually go for a salmon steak, with a beautiful light sauce. Again it is excellent, but expensive. Unable to resist a pudding, I go for profiteroles and they easily live up to yesterday’s standards. I’m a bit disappointed that I won’t be coming back tomorrow, but I’d be foolish not to make the most of my own great value restaurant.