I go to Bruges once a month on a Saturday, either a coach day trip from the UK, or from Brussels (6 euros return on weekends on the train if you are over 65 !). From the station or coach drop off, I walk through the Minniwater park to the town centre and go first to the big Saturday market at T’zand (the square) where you will find all sorts of goodies from hot/cold food stalls, clothing and a guy selling ciggies & baccy from his van, look out for the union jack flying above the van. There is also a clothing/hardware supermarket & newsagent/tobacconist at the far side of the square, although the tobacconist won’t take sterling, the guy in the van does. There is also a indoor flea market around once a month in an old beer warehouse in a side street from the square, usually on a Sunday. I then go back to the town centre calling into a shop called kruidvat for chocolate & toiletries & hardware. Now I am ready for a cuppa at the top floor of a shop called hema with rolls soup, savouries and naughty apple pie & cream. From here I have a look at the flea market at Djiver, by the side of the canal, but it’s a bit pricey. Then I head to fnac in the main town square with dvd’s, cd’s, computer stuff cameras etc, & its own cafe with roof terrace for smokers. If you follow the road from Djiver past the fish market you will find a charity shop for the Ukraine, with some quirky items at a reasonable price but doesn’t open until 2pm. Across the street is a nice supermarket, where I usually get a case of lager,(I take my shopping trolley) & other foodstuffs that you can’t get in the UK. On the way back to the coach/train I call into a fast food cafe (nice chips) that has an internal small courtyard with a few tables for smokers. I would have rated this town as 5-star but for the cobblestones & too many tourists !!
