We spent the morning checking out some of the churches before we would ultimately head north and see the North Sea and some of the Belgian countryside. Above is a shot of the free breakfast (included breakfast I should say) spread. I enjoyed my boiled eggs, fruit, breads, cheeses and assorted meats. Thank you Hotel Europ.
A shot inside the room. Nightstand complete with a circa-1970s radio that no longer worked. Nice vintage wall paneling. The hotel room was actually nice all joking aside. New carpets, clean, updated bathroom, etc.
The next series of photos are from the "Church of Our Lady" a magnificent cathedral built in stages between the 12th and 15th centuries. Notably a Michelangelo statue of the Madonna and Child reside within the church. It is the only Michelangelo piece to leave Italy during Michelangelo's lifetime.
The Madonna of Bruges is shown below. It is unfortunately behind a layer of glass, although this photo which Kate took came out fairly decent.
Inside the of the Basilica of the Holy Blood. This is a pilgrimage site where they claim to have an actual vial of the blood of Jesus Christ. In the Middle Ages such "relics" were popular means to draw people into a church, hoping to be bestowed good luck, or to pray for miracles. We were waiting to see the "blood" itself. There is a weekly ceremony where it is brought out, and people may wait in line to lay their hands on this holy object. I decided to sit this one out and watch the spectacle, however Kate did wait in line to experience this ritual and lay her hands on a vial of "The Precious Blood". By her description she said it was basically a vial or reddish looking dirt, which I suppose is what I would expect really old blood to look like- although I suspect in all likelihood it would more than likely just end up being a stain on the inside of the glass since it should be primarily water. The most unusual claim made by the church is that it miraculously turns to liquid once a year on the same day.I enjoyed watching the reaction of the public and the priest/ bishop who was showing the blood. I began imagining that the holy man was preoccupied casting judgement on who was a believer and who was a curious tourist. For some he had very warm smiles and greetings, for others he just nodded and seemed to hurry them along. I suppose the truth of the matter was it was I who was judging, but it was a good way of passing the time while watching Kate wait in line.
The Romanesque looking church below was the lower level of the Basilica. There were several graves of notable beneficiaries to the church inside. It wasn't difficult to imagine someone sitting at a pew in a suit of armor.
The color inside the Basilica chapel (below) was fantastic, and really added something when you compare it to the cold granite and brick that you get so acustomed to in cathedrals.
Last item on our agenda before hoping on a train to the North Sea was hitting up the chocolate shops that Belgium is so famous for. Kate was in here for about 20 minutes picking out the perfect presents for her coworkers and Mom. There was a lot to choose from, but I did my best not to get overwhelmed with the options ;)
