Cycling to Bruges -- Friday, August 2, 2019

For a change I am typing my blog early -- it is not even 2 pm yet. The day is not over yet, although we are through cycling. Today started out cool, cloudy and moderately windy and it stayed that way, except when we had a few brief showers. I managed to stay ahead of the rain for the most part. The one time that I did feel that it was sprinkling hard enough that I should put on my rain jacket, it stopped before I could park my bike and dig out the jacket.

Today was a mixture of small towns and villages, farmland and forest. It was all very pleasant with good roads and bike paths for the entire ride of about 25 miles. Here is the video: https://www.relive.cc/view/gh38343781917

I arrived shortly before the barge got here. While waiting, I watched this man fishing. They take their fishing seriously -- note the umbrella. I saw several fishermen like this today. In the time that I have been here, this one has caught several small fish -- like the sunfish or perch that we caught as children.

Watching the boat arrive was interesting as well. Just before the docking spot, the boat had to go under a bridge. It did so with the yellow smoke stack and the mast folded down on the deck.

The boat is moored about an hour's cruise from the center of the city of Bruges, our destination for tonight and tomorrow. Upon arrival in Bruges, we will have a few hours to explore it on our own, then we return to the boat for the farewell dinner for those members of the group that are ending their tour at this point. (Six of us are continuing on for two more days of cycling and brewery touring.) 

This will be our last night on the barge, so I will have to pack tonight. I am not looking forward to

that😞

Tomorrow we will have a guided tour of the City. I have been to Bruges before and love it -- with its many canals, it is often called the Venice of the North.  I vividly recall visiting the Groeninge Museum with the painting Judgment of Cambyses by Gerard David. Since the museum will not be on our tour tomorrow morning, I may revisit it this afternoon. 

Starr and Phil