Day 6 of the Bike Barge Trip - Gent to Brugge - Thursday - July 11, 2013 (Day 10)

We left our docking place around 7:45 and sailed on-wards. Our breakfast was at 8 am. Around 9 am we arrived at Lovendegem. We got our bikes and headed out. This area seems to be a big farming area. Lots of cattle farms and the aroma proved it too. Our first stop was a beautiful castle that was privately owned. We couldn't go inside it because of that, but were able to take lots of pictures behind the gates.

Private castle in Lovendegem

Private castle in Lovendegem

  

Somewhere along our today's trip we saw a horse and buggy, where a young girl was learning to steer a buggy pulled by three horses. On our bike paths we also met cars, motorbikes, tractors etc. Our morning coffee stop was this small bar/cafe/restaurant (Den Overzet), that had the front room converted to the bar part. If you needed to use the bathroom you had to go through their living room to the backyard and use a separate bathroom out there. Our lunch break today was at the De Brug in Sint-Joris, which was a bar/cafe along the canal. You could eat your own bagged lunch there if you bought something from the establishment. Their bathrooms were also in the backyard, both men and women shared the same, except the men’s urinals were right next to the basin to wash your hands. I guess it makes it more interesting, at least for us North Americans who are not used to seeing men in ladies rooms.

Three horse buggy on the bike path

A tractor on the bike path

A horse disguised as a zebra next to the bike path

Coffee break 

Lunch place in Sint-Joris

Bikes along the bike path in Sint-Joris

As we continued our trip we saw couple of bunkers from World War II, and also a monument, a tank that was made into a statue. It was dedicated to all the Canadians that were fighting in that area.

WW II bunker

WW II bunker

Jeff took a picture of the inside of the bunker

WW II memorial (a reconfigure tank)

WW II memorial 

Along the way to Brugge

Getting closer to Brugge

We finally arrived in Brugge and at our barge, but poor Angela had lost her camera towards the end. Jeff tried to look for it, but with no luck. After we got changed a bit, Jeff and I took our bikes and headed to the old part of town. Boy was there ever lots of people in there. And there was little me who’s been always saying that I don’t want to ride on the streets, trying to dodge all the tourists who didn't know where they were going and all the cars and buses and horse drawn carriages. We biked a little bit around the marketplace area, but it was just too busy. We stopped by an old chocolate shop and saw a band setting up for tonight’s concert. We took the back way back to the barge along a few canals.That was a lot nicer riding than through the main streets of Brugge.

And there was Berber waiting for us

Jeff looking for Angela's camera

Brugge

Brugge

Market Square, Brugge

Market Square, Brugge

Brugge

Brugge

Brugge

Brugge

Brugge

Brugge

Brugge

Our dinner was at 7 pm. Today Ramon had made very spicy shrimp coconut soup, I could only eat the shrimp the rest was too spicy. Then we had spaghetti and a cucumber salad. Today was Rita’s birthday and her husband had surprised her with a birthday cake so that was our dessert. Berber had done a beautiful job decorating all the cakes.

Rita's birthday cake

After our meeting about tomorrow’s program the group went for a walk around town with Tom. I just didn't feel like walking so I’m staying in and writing this. Now I just have to decide if I want to do the ride tomorrow, which is supposed to be only 25 miles, or stay in Brugge and see some sights by myself. And maybe I can get some sleep which I desperately need before everyone comes back.