Bruges
Belgium is a relatively young country. Its origins go back to the aftermath of the Napoleonic wars, which did so much to redevelop the political map of Europe. Great Britain, victorious after Waterloo (a battlefield just outside Brussels, now the Belgian capital) insisted that no great power, be it France or the Netherlands should dominate the Low Countries which were characterized as "an arrow, pointing to the heart of England". Belgium was created in 1830 with a population that is half Dutch and half French, the former Flemish and the latter Walloon. The country has existed for nearly two centuries, acquiring and divesting itself of an Empire in central Africa in the process, balancing the needs and demands of its two distinctive cultural groups and in the process developing a distinctive Belgian cultural style.
Following our overnight passage, M. S. Endeavour docked at the historic port of Ostend. Made famous by the painter James Ensor, the town is now the premier coastal resort in the country. Our focus for the day was the mediaeval city of Bruges, often described as the “Venice of the North”. William Caxton printed the first English-language book here in 1485 when the river approach to the city was already silting up. That process spelt the end of Bruges as a commercial port but preserved an architectural jewel for posterity. As well as priceless fine art collections, including works by Van Eyck and Memling, Bruges is home to some of the world’s finest brewers and chocolate-makers. Appropriately, given the city’s proximity to Brussels, this Flemish-speaking city is where the College of Europe is located. After a revelatory walking tour of the historic city, we boarded riverboats to view its incomparable mediaeval architecture from the canals. Restored with waffles and coffee, a Belgian equivalent of afternoon tea, we were able to celebrate May Day with the locals by strolling the narrow streets in spring sunshine.
Belgium is a relatively young country. Its origins go back to the aftermath of the Napoleonic wars, which did so much to redevelop the political map of Europe. Great Britain, victorious after Waterloo (a battlefield just outside Brussels, now the Belgian capital) insisted that no great power, be it France or the Netherlands should dominate the Low Countries which were characterized as "an arrow, pointing to the heart of England". Belgium was created in 1830 with a population that is half Dutch and half French, the former Flemish and the latter Walloon. The country has existed for nearly two centuries, acquiring and divesting itself of an Empire in central Africa in the process, balancing the needs and demands of its two distinctive cultural groups and in the process developing a distinctive Belgian cultural style.
Following our overnight passage, M. S. Endeavour docked at the historic port of Ostend. Made famous by the painter James Ensor, the town is now the premier coastal resort in the country. Our focus for the day was the mediaeval city of Bruges, often described as the “Venice of the North”. William Caxton printed the first English-language book here in 1485 when the river approach to the city was already silting up. That process spelt the end of Bruges as a commercial port but preserved an architectural jewel for posterity. As well as priceless fine art collections, including works by Van Eyck and Memling, Bruges is home to some of the world’s finest brewers and chocolate-makers. Appropriately, given the city’s proximity to Brussels, this Flemish-speaking city is where the College of Europe is located. After a revelatory walking tour of the historic city, we boarded riverboats to view its incomparable mediaeval architecture from the canals. Restored with waffles and coffee, a Belgian equivalent of afternoon tea, we were able to celebrate May Day with the locals by strolling the narrow streets in spring sunshine.
