Last Sunday we stayed in a hotel right opposite St Pancras station and the following morning we caught the Eurostar to Brussels. The train departed England and in no time we were in the tunnel. About 20 mins later we popped out into the French countryside. The train whisked us to Brussels and we arrived there in about 2 hours. Very efficient. We changed to a local train and were soon at the airport to collect our lease vehicle.

A little over an hour later we arrived in Bruges and checked into our B&B, Maison Printaniere located about 3kms from the old town of Bruges.

Bruges is beautiful. In the 5th century waters from the North Sea submerged the whole town. 200 years later when the water subsided the land was crisscrossed with canals. The town itself dates back to 892.

Bruges has 25 churches and 47 almhouses, houses for the poor which date back to 16th century. The almhouses are grouped together with a pretty central courtyard garden.

The city has narrow cobblestoned lanes lined with beautiful old buildings, houses, churches and lots of statues and monuments. Horse drawn carriages take visitors through the streets.

We took a boat ride along the canals and under the many low bridges, some so low that even in the low electric boats we had duck our heads.

Swans and ducks glide by as you sail silently along the canal looking up at the buildings, shops and step roofed houses lining the canals.