25 May

Today started out differently, as there was no breakfast included in the €86 tariff for the night at Meerkerk. So it was prepare to leave, pack, make sure I had everything and then return the key and leave. In the car I got the apples and bananas out for breakfast to have along the way.
Memo to self: do not eat juicy apples while driving in the car.
I could have chosen the scenic route, which would have got me to my chosen accommodation by 4 in the afternoon – but as it was Sunday, I thought I would play on the safe side and arrive as early as possible – so I went the fast route. That was projected to get me there by about 12:30. After a few wrong turns (memo to self: look at programming SatNavs for dyslexics so I know which way to turn – I know the difference in French but not English) I arrived before 1 and found: yes, there was room in the inn; I could stay three nights; the cost was €40 including breakfast); there was Internet (WiFi) available.
Mine hostess was very affable and asked me what I was going to see and do. I had already seen a laundrette so was going to wash my laundry (and that will just last me), but she implored me to see Brugge this afternoon and do the washing tonight (the laundrette hours are 7-22) and gave me a brochure for it. I decided I would do that and headed off for the outskirts of Brugge, so I could park free but also not worry about time restrictions.
I quickly found a likely spot and parked, then walked a little way around the city, and then, after seeing two windmills, into the city. While I was walking, everything was quiet and there were few people (but interesting things – a mirror house and a sound display), but when I went to the centre, there where a huge number as well as interesting sights. Naturally a lot of the houses were old, some were small (and I mean small – one floor and only four to five metres wide), some were large and there were an amazing range of churches – though few were still being used as churches. There were so many tourists it made me glad I had arranged most of my visiting when there were not many around. Roughly half of them were English, and I think most were on bus trips as they all had to meet at the station (so there were groups huddled around each map).
Brugge is based on canals, but has a lot of streets. Most are one-way, but bicycles can travel both ways – horse carriages can only go with the traffic flow, and there were a lot of them.
After I had seen quite a bit, I was working my way back and was asked by two Dutch girls to take their photo (I got one too, which I will post for my students with the caption “I can still pull good-looking chicks, even in Belgium”). They were in Brugge for a “hens’ weekend”, just down a hundred or so kilometres from the Netherlands.
I got back to the car and returned to my lodgings, wanting to change into my tracksuit so I could launder all the clothes (including today and trousers). I did that and noticed that the room has a fridge – and saw the notice about Internet, but being in Dutch I couldn’t read it (further down in Belgium French is used and I could have understood that). The laundry was gathered and I went down to set it up (reasonable prices and six washers, four dryers). I wrote up my blog while waiting for the washing and had a cold drink while the clothes were drying.
I returned to my lodgings and set up for the next three nights, did the normal computer work, was able to check my email and post everything and went to bed.