With reluctance we said goodbye to Kees, Rem, Sem & Flyn (hopefully we will see them in Oz in the near future) and set off for Bruges in Belgium. We had 4 trains to catch to get across Holland and into Belgium and in 2 cases we only had 6 minutes in between!! Also we had to find the station number and just made it by the skin of our teeth ( I have never run so much with backpacks to catch trains!)

Bruges is a very attractive ancient city with cobbled streets, a main square where the Government Palace and Belltower are the dominant features. Around this square there are many cafes and restaurants but as it is still out of season most were pretty empty. The only ones with any custom were those facing the afternoon sun and people were enjoying soaking up the warmth .We walked the streets and next morning visited some of the museums - the Recorders Hall, where the councilors met, the City Hall with the most flamboyant Gothic Room with painted ceilings, frescoes of significant events in Bruges' history and notable people. This building is in present day use and locals were waiting to have their DA's assessed! We also took a canal trip which showed the other side of many of the major buildings and indicated how Bruges had developed. It was a major port connected to the seafront by canals and its history of trading goes back to Viking times.