Bruges!

This Tuesday I was taken to Bruges, Belgium with my mentor teacher Caroline and her family.

Bruges was around 1h30 in the car from Douai, not bad to get to a different country! We arrived at around 10 am and began our adventure looking at all the fabulous buildings...and shops! Even our high street shops such as Zara or Claire's Accessories were incredible looking buildings. I guess Walsall could learn a thing or two about architecture from these amazing structures!

We were also really fortunate as the weather stayed sunny all day...most of this week has been grey, foggy and coooooold. Luckily Bruges brought out the sunshine!

You cannot go all the way to Belgium and not end up in chocolate shops, it's inevitable. One thing is for sure - it's not cheap. I'd advise anyone going to take a lot of spending money!! I thought I'd include some of our favourite chocolate constructions of the day....and I'm sure you'll learn why....

 Halloween chocolate...and slighty rude chocolate... always good fun! It really did make me laugh, it's not everyday you see chocolate like this I guess!!!!

For the beer lovers (shout out to Oli in particular) there was a whole bar dedicated to Duvel beer. You could have glasses with your name engraved onto it, notebooks, cases of duvel...pens/rubbers you name it it's there.

 What was also fantastic was that this was attached to a really large balcony, that had some fantastic scenes of the main town square - pretty breath taking. Maybe just as breathtaking as the chocolate Duvel....

Lunch was also fantastic. We decided to go and find a pub Caroline had discovered years ago, which has been now branded the most popular in Bruges. This pub was lovely and got so busy!!!! I decided to have a Croque Madame - toasties with egg on top! And then got given a free desert from the family - how kind!

  What was also really impressive was the size of Alain's beer. This beer came in a bottle with a special glass to drink it in - apparently it makes the beer taste better? I think Spoons at home needs these in their lives: 

 After filling our tummies, it was time to explore more of the architecture, spend more money and enjoy the sunshine. Alain really wanted to show me the canals so it was fantastic for photographs and generally a lovely day to sit by the water. What I found really bizarre was after a whole day of speaking French, when arriving in a shop where the serveur only spoke English or Flemish, I could only think in French. I think the problem was his accent, but my sentences were coming out half in French half in English...I did look like I'd lost my mind!

I'm really glad we went to Belgium again, it's starting to become one of my favourite places - especially for its fantastic views! I'm also glad in many ways I've stopped in France for half term. I think anyone who is looking to do the assistantship next year needs to really consider stopping. At first it feels difficult seeing everyone heading home and hearing your family and friends say DECEMBER THAT'S SO FAR AWAY but really it isn't, and how many times can you have a whole year to travel, relax and learn all at the same time? I think staying in France and making the most of your time is never a bad idea...it just makes Christmas that much more exciting.

December is coming round quite quickly. Next week I'm back at work in NOVEMBER and then have only that whole month to improve more...before heading home for two weeks and forgetting it all? But what's really motivating me is the constant news from home in calls and messages, all my trips, and my reading. I've discovered I've got an interest in Proust at the moment so he's sure to keep me busy!

So what's next? This weekend I'm in Paris with Caroline and her family..I CANNOT WAIT. I've not been to Paris since I was in sixth form and didn't really get to see everything I wanted to. This will be a true French day out...with a McDonalds on the Champs Elysées of course. Next week I'm back at work for two days before the weekend - so I really need to start thinking of ideas for my English Club! The week after I'm in Paris again, and the end of the month Zoe is coming to stay!

It's all go go go here. Still missing my family and Matt as always but time is going to go so quickly I can tell! What's most important is that I actually feel settled here...and not like my first year of University! Maybe you'll make a ch'ti out of me yet..

Tonight we have a huge meal with Isabelle's friends from the South just arriving - there goes the doorbell! Catch you soon!


JR


xxxxx