Bruges, Christmas Market with Adrian & Jen

Once we were all on board the JollyDays minibus we took the ferry over the Channel before driving on through France to the historic city of Bruges in Belgium. We arrived at our hotel and settled in, unpacking and chatting with the very welcoming owners. We then got ready for the evening and went for a stroll around the town, which took us through the Christmas Market. We found a nice restaurant for dinner, which everyone enjoyed.

After a full breakfast we ventured out to explore the local area in daytime. We looked round the shops, especially interesting were the chocolate and lace vendors. At lunch we sampled the world famous pancakes and waffles! We took a horse and carriage ride around the town – seeing the sights in style! It was also great to hear about the history of the city, known as ‘The Venice of the North’. We wandered around the Christmas Market before heading back to the hotel. We had a great an evening, a lovely meal, sing song and laughing all the way. Even the restaurant staff and owner joined in with us! Some tried the local dish - mussels and chips.

The next day after breakfast we headed off to the ice sculptures. As was usual for this holiday we were laughing and singing xmas songs all the way. The ice sculptures were fantastic (though stored in a room at a chilly -6º), the theme was the Hobbit. After walking round the sculptures we were all very much ready for a nice hot chocolate. We then ventured into the town a different way to take in different scenery. On a tour of the brewery we had great views from the rooftop. We had dinner in a lovely restaurant with log fire overlooking the xmas market, church square and ice rink.