City Profile: Bruges -- 08 February 2008

Bruges is a quaint little tourist town in northwest section of Flander, the Dutch speaking portion of Belgium. Despite being dominated by tourists from all over Europe, Bruges still maintains its charm and will make you hesitant to leave. The city is roughly egg-shaped, with a series of canals cutting the city into a number of rings. Bruges retains most of its medieval architecture including buildings including the Church of Our Lady, with its grand brick spire, the Béguinage which is still inhabited by nuns and the very prominent Belfry of Bruges.

In addition to architecture, Bruges boasts a number of museums, art collections, restaurants, shops and bars. The city has become such a cultural landmark that it was named the ‘European Capital of Culture’ in 2002. Be sure to check out some of the unique attractions Bruges offers, like the Half Moon Brewery and the Chocolate museum.

The easiest way to get to Bruges for most people is by train. The Bruges main train station is connected to most major Belgium cities. Trains arrive almost hourly from Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent. Bruges is also a stop for the French Thalys train on the Paris–Brussels–Ostend line.

Travel within the city can easily be done by foot, but there is also a city bus system. The main train station is approximately 15-20minutes by foot from the center of Bruges. Cycling is also a popular way to get around, as with most of the Low Countries, Bruges is very flat which make cycling very easy and relaxing. While the city does not ban cars from the city center, vehicles must yield to pedestrians and cyclists so one does have to worry too much about having to navigate through traffic.

Bruges has a number of hostels and hotels for those thinking of spending a few days there. Hostels include St. Christopher’s Bauhaus, Snuffel Backpacker Hostel or Lybeer Travelers’ Hostel. If hostels aren’t your thing, there are a number of small independent hotels in the area, with most of them going for around $130 a night.

Tips on varying the backpacking routine -- 29 August 2007

Backpacking Europe, it's a great way to learn about yourself, see the world and broaden your horizons. When you first arrive, you're ready for anything and full of energy, but as the weeks pass and you grow more and more tired, it's easy to fall into a routine. Take train to city, find hostel, look in guide book, see couple sights, spend evening in Hostel bar, rinse and repeat.

So how do you keep your trip from becoming just a routine to pass the days until you head home? Plan things to spice up your trip, adding a little variety will keep your trip seeming new, even if you've already seen 20 churches and art museums.

Here are some tips on how to get out of the typical backpacker routine:

Put the guidebook down: A guidebook is one of the best tools a backpacker can have, and I definitely suggest every backpacker have one. However, don't live out of the book. I've seen a lot of backpacker who always have their guide book out. Don't just check off everything in your guidebook and then move on.

Play the city by ear. Ask your hostel staff about things to do, look around for signs, pick up local tourist information and even just wander around. You'll find you're missing a whole lot if you just stick to your book.

Stay in unusual places: Every backpack will soon learn hostel life, so when you're traveling keep an eye out for cheap places to stay that aren't hostels. Many will get you off the beaten path and let you meet some really nice people.

Consider staying at a convent. They're generally very basic accommodations, and most have rules you'll have to follow while you're there. However, it's a cheap way and interesting way to stay.

Sleeping on Someone's Couch-you thought at home was the only place you could crash on someone's couch? Why not do it in Europe. Probably the easiest way is to use Couchsurfing.com, a site that connects travelers with locals with an unoccupied couch. You'll meet amazing people who can show you the city like only locals can, definitely do this at least once.

Eat Local: You'd be amazed at how often I see other backpackers eating in American chain restaurants, while they're definitely a lot less scary than that tiny little German hole-in-the-wall, but you can get McDonalds everywhere.

Just walk around any town or city and you'll see tons of little shops and restaurants. Go in and you'll see that they're usually a lot less crowded, cheaper and more fun to eat at. Even if the staff does not speak English, they'll probably be very willing to try their best, and if all else fails just point at something on the menu, you might get lucky.

Do things that a backpacker wouldn't: Don't just stick to seeing famous buildings and cultural spots. Take some time to do fun stuff as well. Go miniature golfing in the Netherlands, play videogames in a Croatian arcade, or find a bowling alley in Germany. If you have the money, try things that are more adventurous like whitewater rafting or horseback riding. Anything that will break up the string of castles, churches and monuments and will keep you from getting burnt out.

If you keep some of these things in mind, you will have a much more entertain trip and might just come home with some new stories to tell.