Channel Tunnel and Bruges

Monday morning we were up early and off for the short drive from Canterbury to Folkstone to board the train to France. 

Passport control was an absolute nightmare, the British boarder couldn't really have cared much less about us leaving the UK but the french boarder was so painful. We seemed to get the slowest staff member ever and the queuing system was complete chaos - this said, after about a half hour and the exchange of a few choice words and beeps between drivers we were through and in the queue to board our train.

After 35 minutes of darkness we emerged on the other side in France! 

It was then about one and a half hours drive to our next stop - Bruges.

IN BRUGES:

"One gay beer for my gay friend, one normal beer for me because i'm normal" 

Ray, In Bruges 2008

Bruges is beautiful, I've been wanting to go for years after watching the film In Bruges and had always thought I'd go in the winter and see it in the snow however we got to see it in the sun and rain instead and it was still really lovely. 

We sat in Markt Square and ate Belgium fries with ketchup and mayo and then went for a wander round, stopping at various points along the way to enjoy a Belgian beer and soak up the sites. 

Dad took us to a 'secret chocolate shop' and we picked out a range of handmade chocolates including a white chocolate and peanut butter one, which sounds gross but tasted delicious!

We also visited the 2be brewery and bar which has a Beer Wall (https://www.2-be.biz/en/home/) and we tried a coconut blond beer which was interesting to say the least.....we also sat up at a balcony bar over looking Markt square where we people watched as a hot air balloon passed over head.

As it started to get toward tea time we headed back to the Motor home for a quick BBQ tea.

Later in the evening me and Wout braved the rain and walked back into the city to see it lit up at night. Unfortunately it became very rainy so we didn't get many photos but we did get to witness some bizarre student ritual / initiation taking place where VERY drunken Uni students were doing mad forfeits in the street such as rolling around the pavements in the rain, covering themselves in ketchup and raw eggs and eating biscuits soaked in beer!! 

Apparently this is a right of passage for all first year uni students - Be glad you're not a Belgian first year!