Arrived early afternoon after a somewhat challenging 5 hour drive. Started raining about 30 minutes outside Strasbourg, then turned to light snow after a few hours drive. Slow going for a bit. Fortunately, our B&B has parking and a place in front of the house to unload our baggage so not a long way to drag our bags. And, we’re on the 1^st floor so only 5-6 steps to our doorway.

Our B&B

Decorated for Christmas

Nice place! Our room has a separate bedroom and a sitting area with a dining table & chairs, couch, refrigerator, microwave, coffee, tea, and even a bottle of wine (for sale). Our host serves breakfast to our room each morning at 8:30am. Breads, croissants, meats & cheeses, yogurt, hard boiled egg, and fruit. Back in 1927, our apartment was a café. The owner had pictures of the rooms from then showing 9 tables in what is now, the sitting area. Must have been a bit cozy.

Bedroom 2025

Bedroom 1927

Sitting room 2025

Sitting room 1927

Unpacked our bags (once more) then headed down to old town for a grocery store and to check out the square. We were in Bruges around 2018, right after watching Monuments Men. Monuments Men is a movie about a group of soldiers assigned to recover priceless articles stolen by the Nazi’s in WW2. Bruges had a sculpture by Michelangelo, Madonna and Child, that was stolen during the war. The Monuments Men found the statue and returned it at the end of the war. It is one of very few statues by Michelangelo that left Italy while he was still alive and it depicts Mary and Jesus differently than traditional depictions. Mary is seated and Jesus is standing by her left leg, as a toddler, not a baby as traditionally depicted. Gonna see this again.

Picked up a few necessities, chips, nuts, vodka, cranberry, then headed back to the B&B. Made dinner reservations at Tom’s at the recommendation of our host. Done for the day.

Meatloaf & mash at Tom’s

Fish w/cheese sauce & veggies