3 Days In Belgium On A Solo Trip
My first solo trip to Belgium’s fairytale cities (Ghent and Bruges) started while I was waiting for the bus at The Hague Central Station. I decided to travel to Ghent by FlixBus, which is significantly less expensive than a train ticket. The entire journey took about 3 hours. However, both my excitement and the emotions I was feeling as a result of the book I was reading (“Memories of a Geisha”-Arthur Golden) made it seem much shorter.
I took the train from Ghent Dampoort to my final destination, Bruges, after leaving the bus stop (the Flixbus direct route to Bruges was fully booked that day). I arrived at 15:30. And there I was, all by myself, in this picturesque, romantic city. The walk from the train station to the apartment where I had booked a one-night stay took me through a beautiful park, which sent my heart fluttering. It wasn’t long before I noticed how lively the place was so I took out my camera and began taking photos. I noticed the elderly talking and holding hands, people reading and smiling at the sun, and at me as I walked past them also smiling instinctually.
I finally arrived at my apartment which overlooked the park. When I entered the spacious bathroom, I was delighted to see a bathtub that I had only hoped would be there the night before: at home, I have a tiny shower. In that moment I imagined buying a bath bomb, a Belgian beer, and taking a relaxing, hot bath after exploring the city. I ran through the door leaving my backpack behind, but the idea lingered with me until the evening.
I turned off my phone notifications and decided to not use a map, instead just wander around aimlessly. This was a wise decision because my photographic instincts led me to all of the city’s highlights: Grote Markt, Begijnhof and Minnewater, the Church of Our Lady, Belfort, Gronerei Canal, and other hidden gems and relaxing spots I discovered along the way. The touristic area of Bruges is like an open-air museum; it is small and walkable, making it possible to complete a full tour of the city in a single day.
Although couples were kissing at the “lake of love”, seeing them only reminded me of the bath I had planned, rather than making me feel lonely which I was really pleased about.
I returned to my apartment after admiring the horse-drawn carriages at sunset and the medieval architecture of the city. I had already purchased a bath bomb and a passion fruit beer, but it occurred to me that I could also order a vegan pizza. The bath was already filled with warm water by the time the currier arrived, almost inviting me in.
I put on some jazz and spent the next hour in complete relaxation. I slept soundly after such a day and woke up at 6 PM to ensure I had enough time to complete my morning routine. My morning routine consists of tongue scraping, washing my face and teeth, 20 minutes of yoga, 15 minutes of meditation, and another 20 minutes of reading. However, when I opened the curtains and saw so many people active in the park, I decided to go running- unusual because I hate running but it just felt right that morning. And it was incredible: the cool breeze and the rise of my heart rate provided the perfect energy boost to start my second day in Belgium.
After finishing my coffee, I checked out of this lovely apartment and walked to the Choco-Story Museum for an introduction to Belgian chocolate. The museum exceeded my expectations because it taught me so much about the origins of chocolate, how it conquered Europe, and the role of the industrial revolution in popularising it. The museum has a demonstration center and a chocolate tasting area.
After the museum visit, I took one last walk through the city before heading back to Ghent; Bruges’s sister city and Europe’s veggie capital. In Ghent, I stayed another night in an inexpensive B&B hotel. I highly recommend that you visit both because they are vibrant and yet very different. It began to rain on my way there, but it stopped after a few hours, allowing me to admire the city’s colorful graffiti. The street art map can be downloaded from the internet. While admiring the graffiti, I heard live music and followed the sound until I came across the incredibly talented street performers. I was saddened to hear that the money offered by the small audience was their sole source of income.
As the sun sets, there is also light art to enjoy and I believe walking through the city at night provides a different perspective on its architectural accents and monuments.
In terms of food, I had delicious vegan pancakes at O’yo followed by a Lebanese meal at Beiruti before my bus to The Hague arrived.
And so, my first successful and heartwarming solo trip came to an end.
I hope there are many more to come!
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Thank you!
Lots of love.
