And we are off to Ghent for the day

Took us awhile to get underway this morning, but we were on our way before noon. We wanted a cappuccino- so we started looking for a coffee house that might have a homemade pastry. But then Jim wanted something savory too.

First coffee shop - closed for vacation

Second stop - out of pastries and oat milk for Jordan’s cappuccino

Third stop - nothing savory….

So we end up at a pizza place for pizza!

These are all the places we passed on

it was a good cappuccino - and not a bad pizza.

We had seen a metal penguin in a store window the other day…and he just kept calling out to us. So we are now the proud owners of a metal penguin.

Time to catch the train for Ghent.

First sight out of the train station…bicycles! I’m traumatized.

That’s a lot of bikes.

We walk through a park on our way to the historic center.

The green expanse looks like lawn, but it is what I can only assume is an algae filled pond.

As we near the first cathedral it really starts to rain, so we seek refuge in the church

The rain passes in about 20 minutes and we are on our way again. While we wait out the rain storm, we are entertained by a rhythmic dancer - barefoot no less.

I think she was just moved by the music

The next cathedral is spectacular - Saint Bavos.

There is a behind the alter section called Lamb of God - featuring a panel of Christian paintings done by the van Eyck brothers in 1432.

It really is a stunning piece of architecture.

On for more walking..

We stop for appetizers and witness a local man lose control of his bike and fly over the handle bars. It looks like he broke his wrist, had some significant injury to his elbow and knocked out some front teeth! He simply came around the corner and lost control (that’s easy on a bike).

And we take a 45 minute walk back to the train station.

Once we arrive back in Brugge, we have a 45 minute walk back to our hotel - so we need some energy.

Muscles for Jordan and pie for Jim and me.

And that’s a wrap for the day. Just under 24,000 steps / 10 miles of walking.

We head for Paris tomorrow where the weather is in the high 80’s. And I am already tired of my clothes!