Two ways of looking at Bruges

Thanks to our daughter Elizabeth, we were introduced to Segway years ago and love it as a super fun way to get around and see a place. When we saw that our city of Bruges offers Segway tours, we said, "Giddy up!"

I hadn't been on a Segway for a few years but it only took me 5 minutes to get perfectly reacquainted with it. I remember how nervous I was the first time I tried it way back when!

I have no photos to show you of the Segway tour other than the one above because it takes two hands to "drive" ("ride"?) a Segway. Because this town is 90% cobblestone, we were on cobblestone the entire time. It made the ride bumpier but the Segway can handle it -- as long as I kept my hands on it.

With us on this tour -- besides the guide -- were only a father and son (12 years old). We found out the dad is a professor of Climate Change at Columbia University and the author of a few books on the subject. Since Earl has very non-mainstream positions about climate change, I was glad we didn't get into a discussion on that! Of course, when our tour guide happened to mention that even though Belgium has an extraordinary tax rate they "get a lot of things for FREE!" I couldn't help but express my Libertarian views!

Anyway it was a memorable time, as always, tooling around on this device. If you've never tried a Segway, I encourage you to consider it.

Another way of looking at Bruges ...

I wanted to see Bruges with empty streets and still water ... and for us to be alone on a bridge or 12. So yesterday morning, we got up at 6:00 to walk the streets. What a pleasant time we had!

It was just us and the canals ...

... and the only creature we shared a bridge with was a gull. 

The squares were not bustling ...

Restaurants were at the ready but not opened ...

And the sun coming up gave us a whole new view of Bruges ...

Early early in the morning is a very romantic time ... especially when the town is this breath-taking.

Thanks for reading my blog about two ways to see Bruges ... Segway and early way. I wouldn't trade either for all the beer in Belgium.

(But we did see a couple of beer trucks delivering. Of course. Did you know there are 264 breweries in this little country!)

Jane