How sweet Bruges turned me into a real chocoholic
FIRST, a confession. Unlike Bill Clinton way back when, I did inhale.
Up my nostril shot a burst of precious powder that left me reeling, dizzy and dazed as the substance shredded my sinuses in a kaleidoscope of confusion. But fear not, there was nothing too naughty going on here. I was in Bruges, and, Bruges being Bruges, that sensational substance was chocolate.
This historic city in Flanders sees itself as the chocolate capital of the world, and along its crowded streets can be found more than 50 specialist shops devoted to the worship of the humble cocoa bean.
Neuhaus, Leonidas, Sukerbuyc.... they all look and smell incredible and present some of the sweetest temptations imaginable.
I was in The Chocolate Line, one of the most upmarket of the lot and home of a remarkable spring-loaded device that propels chocolate powder laced with ginger or raspberry to the top of one's nasal passages to amazing effect.
The gizmo is available in the Michelin-recommended shop at 45 Euros a pop, and is the invention of maverick 'shock-o-latier' Dominique Persoone, whose expertise in the field is far from conventional.
The story goes Dominique was asked to provide goodies at a private party in Brussels thrown by the touring Rolling Stones - and his strange chocolate-snorting machine was inspired by their lavish lifestyle. Whether the device could be used in er ... other more inventive ways, I simply could not say.
But it is indicative of the seriousness with which Bruges takes its chocolate heritage, as evidenced by its very own museum Choco-Story, which tells the whole tale from its Central American roots to the delicious creations of today.
A weekend break in Bruges couldn't be simpler to set up. I'd travelled to Hull and taken the overnight P&O ferry to Zeebrugge - Bruges is then a 20-minute minibus ride inland.
This medieval gem has no shortage of history and high culture - but I was there to enjoy some of its more frivolous charms as well.
After all, a museum all about chocolate is one thing - but one devoted to the humble chip? There again, chips, or frites as they are known there, are another really big deal in Belgium - the country claims to have invented the delicacy sometime in the 18th century.
It's obviously an issue that's open to debate, but it's best not to take things too seriously in one of the weirder heritage centres you'll ever visit.
Delving into the chequered history of the potato is one thing, but a hall full of antique chip pans and commercial chip frying equipment is a curious sight indeed.
At least there's a chance to sample the real thing before you leave - there's a fully fledged friery in the basement and very good the frites are too - taken with mayo, as is the local custom.
So, chocolate, chips ... what's the other famous Belgian speciality? Why, beer of course.
So next on the agenda has to be a tour of the authentic De Halve Maan (Half Moon) family brewery, the only one of its kind left in central Bruges, set amidst the canals and cobbles. It's a remarkably unsanitised experience that sees you clambering up narrow staircases and down perilously steep ladders to see brewing equipment old and new, plus a remarkable collection of beer cans and other memorabilia donated from around the world.
There's a superb panoramic view of much of the city from the brewery roof - you look almost in vain for any sight of a modern building, the only notable exception being the 21st-century concert hall.
A word about the Belgians and their beer is in order though - they don't half like a stronger type of tipple.
A pleasant lunch in a quiet Taverne De Spieghel the next day saw the proprietor determined that I should try the pick of the local brews - which weighed in at a hefty nine per cent proof, not exactly ideal for light midday refreshment. A woozy 30 minutes or so later, I politely suggested a rather more manageable ale might be suitable for my second glass - and this turned out to be a 'mere' six per cent. Ouch.
A taste of times long gone is what you'd expect to find in a pace like Bruges, but Saturday night spent patrolling for pubs brought a taste of the past I didn't expect - a rock bar where the punters were still allowed both a drink and a smoke. It was like 2006 all over again!
Sunday morning of my Flanders weekend saw a change of pace - a hired bicycle and a pleasant ride out of town to the historic medieval town of Damme, about five miles away along a spendidly flat canal bank.
Apparently 11,000 people live here and in the surrounding villages, but it's the sort of picturesque place that actually seems to be dominated by the second home brigade, so quaint and pricey are the properties.
This was once though a wealthy trading town, thanks to the original canal linking it to Bruges and the sea. Proof of its prominence can be seen in the lost magnificence of its ruined Church of Our Lady - a huge structure for what is now such a small community.
But by the end of the 13th century, the sea channel began to silt up, leaving Damme high and dry. Today it is known for the excellence of its many restaurants and has aspirations to be a centre of excellence for bookshops, a Belgian Hay-on-Wye.
A relaxing ferry ride home - complete with a treat in the shape of an excellent dinner and breakfast at one of P&O's franchised Langan's Brasseries - rounded off a top class weekend.
Factfile
Mike travelled to Bruges on the Pride of York with P&O Ferries, sailing from Hull to Zeebrugge. More from.poferries.com
He stayed at the Oud Huis de Peelleart, courtesy of Tourism Flanders- Brussels. More from.visitflanders.co.uk
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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