Minnewater Bruges Belgium
To appreciate a town like Bruges, one must wander when the town is still asleep, just when the young has returned from their pub crawl and the daytime tourists are no where yet to be seen.
I woke up as early as five in the morning, with a disappointing weather yesterday, I know I will regret not seeing Bruges all over again, I am not yet ready to part ways with its small town charm. I have a hunger to soak into its medieval vibe and own its cobbled street when still empty.
Walking on empty streets and seeing the town without all the touristy facade, Bruges is at the peak of its beauty. I can finally say this is the exact reason why I wanted to be here in the first place.
The best place to spend a quiet morning in Bruges is to walk along the canal path towards the Minnewater and the Beguinage (Begijnhof).
The flocks of swan, the remaining autumn foliage, the towering castles in the background, the morning fog and just the over-all stillness is how I will always be reminded of Minnewater.
Beguinage or Begijnhof in Dutch is series of houses surrounded by garden with tall poplar trees. It is one of the most picturesque and tranquil place across town. No matter what time is it on a day, the Beguinage offers a shelter of calmness for those looking to breakaway from all the crowd of the Markt and Burg.
I peeked at window display of closed shops, in a child-like wonder of wanting to eat that bar of chocolates or owning that doll.
I entered the smallest alleyways I could find, feeling small against the towering walls, never minding if it will lead me to a dead end or I will get lost.
To walk in Bruges on a beautiful morning such as this with a headphone on is unfitting, for it is a rare chance to see this town on its bare beauty.
Sometimes with all the hustle and bustle in life, these quiet morning are becoming elusive and if there is a chance to experience one do it as often as you can.
