by Kasia Nowicka
Another city break was planned and I was excited as the photos I had seen of Bruges looked magical. But then I thought that it was going to be yet another European town; some museums, a few lovely squares, a little bit of shopping (for chocolate, of course) and hopefully a few examples of local cuisine. I knew all of this, just different versions of it. I still wanted it to be an exciting trip, so I reached for “Bruges-la-morte” by Georges Rodenbach. Maybe not one of the most cheerful reads but definitely one that added some meaning to my trip.
Nowadays Bruges seems to be an overly romantic city, full of cafes, quaint squares, delightful green spaces, and full of chocolate, beer and lace shops, all to please tourists. It did not use to be like that, definitely not at the time of Hugues Viane, the protagonist, who saw the city decaying along with his own life.
It was fascinating to see the thriving city while knowing that in the past it might have hit its nadir. Wandering through its streets and having in mind the images from the book, made me appreciate the place even more. Hugues Viane was a widower missing his wife, and the city was an epitome of his life at that moment. Everywhere he went and everything he saw reflected his solemn mood. The streets were bleak and empty.
“Countless bells, never tiring. As he lapsed into melancholy again, he had started going out at dusk once more, wandering aimlessly along the quais. He found the constant ringing painful: bells tolling for anniversary or requiem masses, for trentals, calling to matins or vespers, all day long, swinging their unseen black censers, giving off a kind of smoke of sound. Oh, the incessant bells of Bruges, the great service for the dead chanted through the air without respite! How they expressed disgust with life, a clear sense of vanity of all things, a warning that death was on its way…”
Fortunately Bruges did not seem as morbid to me as to the novel’s character, but what I was able to appreciate more was the overpowering Catholic heritage of the town. The ubiquitous churches reign above the extensive old town. What is even more significant were the figurines of Saint Mary at almost every corner, or every few houses, inset in the facade of a building. Even though the bells were not tolling as incessantly, one could imagine how oppressive for the character the constant presence of moralising figures might have been.
Although Bruges is a party town these days, as it invites people to try every type of it’s amber nectar in many bars, it is still a place to allow yourself a brief respite. There are many spots with enclosed green spaces that would allow one some meditation after a long walk along the cobbled streets. Apart from the obvious ones like Minnewater or Astridpark, my favourites were the stretch of greenery along the canal on the south-west edge of the town and one by Peterseliestraat. The latter was far enough from the main tourist attractions to escape the crowds and near enough to go back quickly to the hub. Begijnhof is also worth a visit if you are looking for peace – as you enter the green area surrounded by whitewashed small houses you are requested to remain silent as the tranquility is demanded by resident nuns.
Outside Begijnhof you return to the mayhem of tourist crowds but despite many sources claiming that the terraced restaurants are tourist-priced, they compete with each-other and thanks to that I was able to try a reasonably-priced tourist menu, including mussels and a delicious Flemish stew.
If you are not a fan of experiencing Bruges in a solemn and tranquil mood then you can opt for the adventurous Bruges from the film. This is even easier than reading a book beforehand as you may simply join a free “In Bruges” tour. Run mainly by Americans, the tour guides rely on donations afterwards. They enthusiastically tell you all the interesting and free stuff in the town, as well as incorporating some trivia from the film without spilling the beans if you have not seen it. The tour leaves you with a definite urge to watch it. Thanks to that you may appreciate the town after it gets dark, visit the venues the characters hung out and imagine you were a part of it.
Immersing myself into the town by means of the book or the film made my trip more memorable. Unlike with history, when you are mainly given facts, with fiction you are flooded with the moods, the feelings, the attitudes. Otherwise my Bruges trip would have been just some more bricks, more streets, more parks, more canals. Thanks to the stories the streets, parks, etc., gained another dimension.