Bruges, a fucking fairytale city, and a great spot for a weekend trip away. The northern Belgian town is situated around an hour away from Brussels and is easily accessible from the UK by car, plane or Eurostar. Full of history and virtually untouched by modern architecture, Bruges is a popular beauty spot with people from across the globe, and it's easy to see why.
The bustling medieval town is absolutely brimming with things to do, and no end of tourists willing to pay to do them. But with so many attractions in the city, it's hard to know what's genuinely worth your time and what's just a tourist trap.
Bruges at night
So I've popped together a list of things you need to do in Bruges and some things you just need to avoid...
- Things to do in Bruges -
Take a boat trip along Bruges beautiful canals
Walk to the top of the Belfry of Bruges
The Belfry of Bruges is likely the most popular tourist attraction in all of Belgium, but for a very good reason. Not only is the Belfry beautiful to look at from the ground, but it also offers visitors the option to see Bruges from the sky. From the top of the tower, you will be treated to the most stunning view across the city, and if you time your visit right you will also be able to see the bells chiming from the ceiling above. You will need to carry yourself to the top however as there is no lift.
Enjoying a cheap boat trip in Bruges
The boat trip ventured along the most popular canals in Bruges
Visit the Beer Wall
Find the Beer Wall and you will find tourist central, but don't let that put you off. Whilst the beer wall and the adjoining bar will be busting with visitors I would still say it's still worth a trip. Here you will find hundreds of bottles and glasses on show which makes it a perfect photo opportunity. I'd also recommend visiting the shop next door which is a bit of a labyrinth, but great fun to walk around!
Take a tour of De Halve Mann Brewery
No city break is complete without a visit to the local brewery, and in Bruges, you have a few to choose from. I would recommend a trip to De Halve Mann brewery however as this is where the famous Zot beer is made. Whilst the brewery tour is pretty standard it is a great way to learn some of the history of Bruges before indulging in the freshest of fresh beers.
View from the first floor of the Belfry of Bruge. Bruges Market square can be seen below.
View from the top of the Belfry of Bruges
Try a Merveilleux
A Merveilleux is a cream-filled meringue cake native to the Flander region of France and Belgium. Whilst you can buy these beauties in select stores in Paris and London, nothing beats devouring a Merveilleux cake where they originated. Merveilleux come in several different flavours however I'm quite partial to an original milk chocolate covered cake which tastes like it was created by the angels themselves.
Tasting the local Zot Beer at De Halve Mann Brewery in Bruges
View from the top of De Halve Mann Brewery in Bruges
-Things to avoid in Bruges -
As someone who grew up being able to smell the original Cadbury factory from their house, I always knew doing a chocolate museum tour would be underwhelming but this was a different level of disappointment. Not only was the museum harder to find than any tourist attraction should be, but there just wasn't that much of interest there in my opinion.
Frietmuseum
Similar to the chocolate museum, the Frietmuseum (chip museum) was also pretty dull. This one is a little more fun for children, but for any adult wanting to spend a cultural weekend in beautiful Bruges, I'd steer clear.
A giant Easter Egg inside Chocostory in Bruges
The Blood Of Christ
Housed in the stunning Basilica of The Holy Blood Chapel, the blood of Christ almost made the things-to-do list as I was quite intrigued by it. The cloth features the blood of Jesus Christ on it and is kept in a vial, only displayed at certain times of the day. Ignoring the fact that it's likely not the actual blood of Christ, the object may still be of interest to both Christians and non-Christians alike, however the queue to see this piece of history will likely be enough to put you off visiting as it was for me. Maybe it's worth the wait to some, but anyone visiting Bruges with a strict schedule might want to skip this one.
Torture Museum
The Torture Museum in central Bruges is jam-packed with torture devices from every century, and whilst I did find it interesting, I couldn't help but feel that I was wasting my precious time here. I did enjoy learning about some of the most brutal man-made instruments imaginable, but while I was in there I only longed to be outside exploring the winding medieval streets of beautiful Bruges.
A chocolate covered Merveilleux cake
Very happy with my choice of cake in Merveilleux De Fred in Bruges
So those are the things I think you absolutely need to do in Bruges and those you should probably avoid.
All of this is based on my own taste and opinions and whilst some of you may well enjoy the likes of the chip museum, I've travelled enough to know these kinds of places only exist because tourists will pay to visit virtually any kind of museum when they're on holiday.
Thanks for reading!
x
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2020 is already a year for the history books, and we are only 6 months in. There are a lot of things happening around us right now, and whilst it might seem very doom and gloom, I think many of us can already see the light at the end of the tunnel.
This year is going to be a year of big changes. Millions of us have already seen our lives turned upside down because of the pandemic, and now we have more change on the way due to the massive surge in support for the Black Lives Matter movement. But these events have accidentally caused a mini-revolution within the online world, I believe they've triggered the demise of the influencer.
Definition of an influencer
Influencers will always be around, the very definition of an influencer is ''a person or thing that influences another'' so for that reason we will always have an influencer of some sort. However, the influencer as we know them are running the risk of extinction, and I'm not mad about it.
Instagram is full of the typical influencer, you know the 'do it for the gram' crowd, and if I'm honest I've fallen into this category myself one too many times. We've all taken a photo, or shared some content purely because we knew it would get likes. I mean I still do it, I'll spend hours getting ready just to take a couple of cute shots and whilst there is absolutely nothing wrong with this, I think the world is starting to getting bored of it. My generation, in particular, is getting tired of empty Instagram posts and a lot of us have already abandoned celebrity culture for this exact reason.
Stephanie Yeboah
I've followed bloggers and influencers for years on many different platforms, and whilst my favourites have changed over time, there are certain people I have always kept around. I didn't realise the reason for this until last week when it hit me that some of the 'influencers' I've followed the longest are the ones with a voice. People such as Stephanie Yeboah, Grace Victory, Leanne Woodful, they've all spoke up on important issues, and I've always admired them for that, whether I realised it or not.
This certain type of influencer offers the world so much more than a pretty face. They share important information and opinions, they unapologetically advocate for change, and they give us hope of a better world. As much as these women can influence others to purchase the latest skincare products, they also have the power to inspire a revolution, and that is what I believe my generation is now looking for.
So how are current events causing the demise of the current top influencers? I think it's been very clear over the last couple of weeks just how fragile this industry is, and how shallow some of the most popular influencers are. With the murder of George Floyd and the disgust that followed both on and offline, it was obvious that many of us looked to our favourite influencers to speak up. And many of them did. Our feeds were filled with information and acts of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, but disappointingly many influencers chose to stay silent.
Grace Victory
Influencers with huge followings seemed to ignore the disgusting acts of police brutality and everyday racism that was being shown on all platforms, and this simply wasn't good enough. Staying silent when the most important civil rights movement of our generation is battling on around us is not good enough. If you're not using your voice for good, what are you using it for?
I think maybe some influencers, especially those with a smaller following may have felt they didn't have anything of value to add to the conversation, especially after the controversy around the black square on Instagram. But I also think more and more of us are waking up to the fact that with a following of any kind comes responsibility, and it is our job to at the very least amplify voices of change, which in this case was the Black community.
Leanne Woodfull
"Influencers" won't be going anywhere just yet, but influencers, as we know them, will soon find themselves dying out if they don't shape up and find a voice. People are tired of nothing but empty Instagram posts and they are tired of influencers, especially those with a large following, staying silent on important issues. In the coming weeks and months, we are going to see a surge of people looking for leaders and I'm not sorry to say if that if you're not with the movement publically, your silence suggests you're against it.
The way is currently being paved for influencers who have the power to change things for the better, and that is something I can get behind.
While you're here, have you had a chance to donate to the Black Minds Matter fund? The fund aims to provide mental health services for Black people in need. If you would like to make a donation you can do so on the Black Minds Matter Go Fund Me page.
Thanks for reading!
x
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