Following the irresistible scent of chocolate through Bruges
Bruges is exactly what it says on the tin. A picture-perfect town in the north-west of Belgium with cobbled streets, lively squares and gently flowing canals. Displaying a rich history going back to the Vikings, it is a superb example of how cities live through growth cycles, rising and falling with time as the world around them changes. Bruges is now classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here then is a city designed for people to amble through aimlessly and soak in the sights. Whilst that was my plan too, my senses (read nose and eyes) had other ideas. It felt as if every street I turned into led to a chocolate shop or bakery till I found myself sniffing my way through town, admiring the charming shopfronts, stopping occasionally to indulge in some 'yumlicious' flavours. The city of Bruges historically lay on several European trade routes. Its chocolate heritage too reflects the diversity. Words alone cannot do justice. The first two photos below are the Flemish ...