Again, we woke to a light drizzle and, after a good breakfast, headed out early on the bus to the North Sea to visit the Atlantik Wall installation of the Nazis during WWII. Running 1,000 miles or more from Denmark to the north of Spain, it was built as defense from Allied advances. We walked miles (but not all 1,000!) through the mazes and looked into rooms with special displays - the infirmary, the bunk house, the kitchen and of course, gun emplacements.

Afterwards, we drove into the village of Damme, along the North Sea coast, seeing windmills along the way, both modern ones used for electrical energy (21 in one farm) and old style mills used to grind mustard or grain. Our guide, Steven, told us the windmills in the Netherlands are different, used primarily for pumping water - isn't that logical?

In Damme, Steven treated us to lunch at a delightful "pancake house", Tante Marie's Patisserie. Belgian pancakes are more like crepes to us. Delicious, with a sprinkle of brown sugar, or natural sugar, or a dab of jelly. No syrup, tho. We were first served coffee, dark and rich and strong. Along with it came a little cookie and a tiny taste of chocolate mousse. Since Darrel doesn't drink coffee, he ordered a diet and with it came tiny salty puffed crisps. What a treat it was.

We came back to Brugges, and walked to the cathedral to see the Madonna and Child statue by Michelangelo. A fellow traveler offered me her ticket to get in, which I accepted, but when we entered the ticket office, the teller asked, "You've been here today, already?" Quick as a wink, I said, "Yes and I'm bringing my friends to see." She let me in. But the Holy Mother chastised me for my lie - I had to take three photos for every one as they were so out of focus. Now, this evening I discovered, none of them are on my camera - my "memory" was full! See, it does NOT pay to lie - ever!!

Outside the cathedral, I sat on a bench to wait for the others, and a gentleman sat beside me. Hearing us speak English, he asked me where we were from, and lo and behold, he, too, is American and the Caldecott-award winning illustrator, EP Perrin. I asked for his autograph, and not only did he give it to me, but drew a little picture to go with it! Now when I get home, I must buy the book.

High in spirits, we left for the Begijnhof, a nunnery. During the Crusades, when the knights did not return, their ladies were expected to give up their worldly goods and join a nunnery. But a group of widows in Bruges decided that just wasn't their style. So they set themselves up as nuns here, keeping all their finery. Today, it is a wonderful museum, showing how they lived, furniture and art dating back to the Crusades. But shh! The Benedictine nuns now occupy the convent, and silence is maintained.

We walked back to the hotel in time to join the group for dinner - right across from the nunnery from which we had just traipsed! Too tired to walk back through town, we took a taxi to the restaurant, 'T oude kantshuis (The Olde Steak House) , Steven's number one place. By the way, please note: a person can not hail a cab on the streets of Bruges - it is forbidden. You must call on the phone! It turned out to be my lucky day after all, because as I was climbing into the cab, I noticed a 2 EU coin on the floor! I had delicious Dover sole muniere with salad, and a starter of four large shrimp in a curry sauce with a little mound of rice topped with some kind of sprouts. Darrel enjoyed a beef steak, frites (remember what that is?), smoked salmon for a starter (I am so proud of him for trying, and enjoying it) and a crème Suise, like a dessert souffle. MarySue & I enjoyed the local beer, Brugges Zot, while the gentlemen preferred still water - always sold by the bottle. MarySue ordered garlic mussels, or moules, and Richard had beef stew for the third day in a row - well, if you find something you enjoy, why not stick with it?

TOMORROW: We check out, head for Ghent, then Antwerp to board the river board.