For the last week we’ve been on our bikes, riding over the Dutch border into Flanders. Months ago Anya booked a night in a hotel near the centre of the historic city of Brugge at a disount price. Built during the early Middle Ages during a time of rising prosperity (the weaving of cloth being one of the major industries), Brugge like other Flemish cities such as Mechelen and Diest, was spared the depredations of the Second World War. 

We visited Brugge some years ago during the main tourist season but this time we were out of season and this made all the difference. We also had a sunny day. This combination meant that our experience of Brugge was completely different. It was only now that we could fully appreciate just how beautiful the city really was.  

Mind you, for the three days afterwards, on our ride back to The Netherlands, we had to pay a price as it were for our one fine day in Brugge: days of rain. Rain sorely needed after the driest warmest summer on record.