Bruges (and the continuing saga of the Euro-toilet)

As a port city Bruges was once one of the most important cities in Europe, not to mention one of the richest. Once the water dried up Bruges lost its access to the sea and thus its trade. Naturally the loss of its population and riches came next. Bruges became a ghost town. This also served to “preserve” the city and is now its lifeblood thanks to the millions of people who pass through Bruges each summer to gawk at the buildings and stroll along the canals.



After seeing Bruges for myself I can relate to Collin Farrell’s recent quip about the city in the trailer for his latest movie, “In Bruges.” Since my mother reads this I won’t be giving a verbatim quote but he intimated that things can be a bit boring in Bruges. This is true. There is a slower pace to the city, which I suspect plays into its stature as a city “stopped in time.” I don’t want this to be construed in a negative light. It is a picturesque city built for peaceful strolls. In the summertime you get to fight the crowds but enjoy the weather. In the winter you lose the crowds but gain large layers of clothing. I have to admit that the frigid weather was a bit of a distraction for me.



There seemed to be little to Bruges beyond the architecture and the quaint waterways. This much was later confirmed by a young citizen and business owner. My other fascination was the bikes. They were everywhere. Until I see Amsterdam, Bruges will remain the bike capital of Europe in my mind.

While we traveled through the cobblestone streets of Bruges in the freezing temperatures we came upon a manifestation of heaven on earth: Le Pain Quotidien. Somehow this Flemish establishment has perfected the art of baking, an art I had always associated with France. Despite her pride in French baking, I'm confident Morgane will attest to the veracity of my claims. It is impossible for me to break down pleasure into words so I’ll just tell you that if you are ever in Bruges get the Tarte au Chocolate at Le Pain Quotidien.

I often pose questions on here. They are rarely rhetorical and if someone has an explanation or answer for them, please let me know. The preceding is especially true for the following: Why are there no “free” toilets in Europe? My dad always told me that there was no such thing as a “free lunch” but as long as man has existed we’ve been able to get rid of those lunches for free. This has ceased to be true in Europe. I could understand it if with the money spent cleaner facilities were provided. However, they seem to be on par if not worse than those in the States. Is it to promote jobs, much like the New Jersey/Oregon laws forbidding citizens to pump their own gas? Is it because they know people will pay? Perhaps it is a true expression of capitalism in socialistic Europe? Answers are needed to ease my wandering mind.