A BIT OF A WAFFLE - - WEDNESDAY 13TH AUGUST - BRUGES

No one we know particularly likes Bruges in the mood it was in today, at least not the bits of it in the centre.  We certainly tend to stay away at times like this, when apparently every tourist in Europe decides that today is the day they’ll visit.  Thankfully it’s only for a short time during the day, and when all is said and done it only affects a few city blocks with the rest of the place pretty much left alone to do its thing in peace and quiet.

Who knows what they are thinking, or trying to see as they hustle shoulder to shoulder on their pilgrimage. We would have avoided them entirely on our last day in town for the year as we thought the few errands we had to run could be taken care of in the periphery where it seems tourist dare not venture.  We were wrong of course.  It was Market Day, and the square was filled to the gills with stands and trailers offering all sorts of fresh produce, although strangely not affected by the crowd intent on other things than obtaining the fixings for dinner.

He who dares wins they say, and in this case it was the best fennel Pat says he has ever sliced, and he does know a thing or two about this stuff.

Of course the little gallery which had been displaying a small trinket in the window, (an object of desire for one of us which would certainly bring cheer if not a cure for broken bones), was closed on Wednesdays, and in case we got any bright ideas about popping back in the morning, it’s closed most of Thursday for good measure.

We had other things on the shopping list too, meat was one, but the butcher was closed for his annual break, so was the baker and for all we know the candlestick maker was with them, perhaps queueing for a boat ride downtown.

Having managed to cobble together the ingredients for a fine evening despite the added challenges, Pat set about doing his culinary thing, Pamela joined the crowd in search of a waffle, Dave and Ria popped in to assist with another lengthy night of revelry, and the two of us just sat about enjoying the distraction.