Brugge

The train tickets I booked to Brugge were confusing because you just get a ticket marked Amsterdam to Antwerp,  the first leg of the trip. I thought it was probably because the first train is Thalys international but there was nothing on the ticket to indicate I had paid for two intercity legs of the trip. I called raileurope when I was home and they assured me the ticket would work and that there wasn't a time attached and we could go to any station in Belgium.

We went early to the station because European train stations often don't prominently display the information I want. We joined a line of people who also wanted to know what platforms to go to for their trips.

We got to the platform in plenty of time and the train was on time. We had assigned seats. Some guy was holding up the line to our car because he had approximately 24 gigantic suitcases to load and then arrange them on the luggage shelves where there's never enough room. We did manage to squeeze in our luggage but had to throw a few suitcases around to retrieve the bags and get off at Antwerp--most people were going on to Paris.

That train had to stop outside of Antwerp so it was 15 minutes late, making us miss the connection. We found a train going to Brugge without making us change at Ghent. So we took it. I was prepared to cry if they tried to kick us off the train but the guy just stamped the ticket and moved on. That ride was great because it saved us from transporting our luggage again and there was hardly anyone on it.

The prediction for Brugge was a dangerous thunderstorm but that didn't happen today, probably tomorrow.  We were able to go on the canal boat trip which really is the highlight of  a trip to Brugge. Because swans.

Brugges canal

Plastic whale in the canal

Swans 

Most of the ancient cathedrals were closed by the time we were ready to see them except for Saint Salvatore. It's huge. Also old, built between 1250 and 1350.

St. Salvatore

After sightseeing, we ate at Poules Moules. We had mussels and fries. And chocolate we had previously bought at Dumon, one of Brugges premier chocolatiers.