Mmm, chocolate!
My trip to Bruges as told to Amanda:
So my trip to Bruges. It was really good, but the ending sucked. The day started out fine. I woke up super early to catch the bus by 6am. The bus ride was cramped and uncomfortable (and since I've been working at M&S my knees have been hurting so sitting for long times without being able to stretch my legs hurts, so the bus hurts. They get better when I'm not working, so I just need to rest them, but anyways, the bus was annoying for that). We got to Dover and onto the ferry. Seeing the white cliffs was neat, although apparently they whitewash them so they stay white. The ferry was good though. We got some overpriced food and I took some pictures from the boat of Dover that look nice (I'll upload them soon). We wandered around the boat, went through the duty free (I didn't buy anything then, but planned out things to buy on my way back!) and eventually we were arriving in Calais. Which did not look as nice as Dover. Apparently it's all industrial around there, so it's not nice to look at. We got back on the bus and drive on to Bruges. Which was also uncomfortable. But after sitting in some traffic (apparently we went on the busiest day of the year) we arrived in the car park! We walked into the center of town as a group (we could have gone ahead, but this way we didn't get lost!) We ended up at the Christmas market. Rachel had to pee (she has the tiniest bladder ever, it's quite annoying) and so I waited and then waited. And then I thought she had left already and didn't care to find me, so I went off on my own. Turns out there were big lines at the washroom and she was still waiting. After I went through the Market (which consisted of food, mulled wine, and socks - ie, not good at all) I found Rachel standing in line for the atm. So we went through the market and got some bratwurst and mulled wine (both yummy!) and then walked around the town. We went into a few souvenir shops (I sent you a postcard, but I had to send it from England - sorry, I didn't get to write it until the ferry back to England!) we went to a beer store and bought some fun beers. We walked some more. I was trying to find this little alley where apparently there are good chocolate shops, but I didn't find it. Eventually I just picked a chocolate shop (I swear there was one every third store) and bought some chocolates. Which are delicious btw! I've eaten my weight in chocolate the past week. I bought a big box to bring to Bristol and then a small box for myself. And some chocolate espresso beans. Then Rachel and I went to a pub and had a fruit beer. I had peach, it was really good! The alcohol content was really low though, more like a wine cooler, but it tasted good and I wasn't looking to get drunk, so it was fine. Then while waiting for Rachel to pee (yet again) I went to another chocolate shop and bought some seashells which are my favourite. And they were really good too! I want to go back to Bruges so I can buy more chocolate! Then we found the group and walked back to the bus. Oh and we got a waffle on the way back, although it wasn't super great. Not bad, but not as good as I wanted. We were in Bruges for about 3.5 hours, but I managed to do pretty much everything I wanted to do, so it was good. When we got back to the bus, there were two people missing, so they decided to wait for them, they never showed up, so we got on the road. There was traffic and we managed to miss our ferry by 5 minutes. Which SUCKED big time. We had to wait over an hour in the freezing cold (well we were on the bus, but we went to the bathroom and had to walk outside) for the next one. Eventually we got on the ferry. I walked around, got a drink, went to the duty free. I bought two cheap bottles of wine (and brought them to Bristol). I was going to buy Baileys but I didn't want to spend any more money. I kind of regret it now, but oh well. I'll survive. I got into a spiff with Rachel and was on my own. After a (slow) ferry ride we arrived back in Dover. Got back on the uncomfortable bus and made our way back to London. We arrived back after midnight and the tube had stopped running. So I had to take the bus home and didn't get back until 1:30am. It sucked. I was so tired. It was way too long of a day. But I had fun in Bruges. I made up with Rachel eventually. And I got some really good chocolate out of the day!
So my trip to Bruges. It was really good, but the ending sucked. The day started out fine. I woke up super early to catch the bus by 6am. The bus ride was cramped and uncomfortable (and since I've been working at M&S my knees have been hurting so sitting for long times without being able to stretch my legs hurts, so the bus hurts. They get better when I'm not working, so I just need to rest them, but anyways, the bus was annoying for that). We got to Dover and onto the ferry. Seeing the white cliffs was neat, although apparently they whitewash them so they stay white. The ferry was good though. We got some overpriced food and I took some pictures from the boat of Dover that look nice (I'll upload them soon). We wandered around the boat, went through the duty free (I didn't buy anything then, but planned out things to buy on my way back!) and eventually we were arriving in Calais. Which did not look as nice as Dover. Apparently it's all industrial around there, so it's not nice to look at. We got back on the bus and drive on to Bruges. Which was also uncomfortable. But after sitting in some traffic (apparently we went on the busiest day of the year) we arrived in the car park! We walked into the center of town as a group (we could have gone ahead, but this way we didn't get lost!) We ended up at the Christmas market. Rachel had to pee (she has the tiniest bladder ever, it's quite annoying) and so I waited and then waited. And then I thought she had left already and didn't care to find me, so I went off on my own. Turns out there were big lines at the washroom and she was still waiting. After I went through the Market (which consisted of food, mulled wine, and socks - ie, not good at all) I found Rachel standing in line for the atm. So we went through the market and got some bratwurst and mulled wine (both yummy!) and then walked around the town. We went into a few souvenir shops (I sent you a postcard, but I had to send it from England - sorry, I didn't get to write it until the ferry back to England!) we went to a beer store and bought some fun beers. We walked some more. I was trying to find this little alley where apparently there are good chocolate shops, but I didn't find it. Eventually I just picked a chocolate shop (I swear there was one every third store) and bought some chocolates. Which are delicious btw! I've eaten my weight in chocolate the past week. I bought a big box to bring to Bristol and then a small box for myself. And some chocolate espresso beans. Then Rachel and I went to a pub and had a fruit beer. I had peach, it was really good! The alcohol content was really low though, more like a wine cooler, but it tasted good and I wasn't looking to get drunk, so it was fine. Then while waiting for Rachel to pee (yet again) I went to another chocolate shop and bought some seashells which are my favourite. And they were really good too! I want to go back to Bruges so I can buy more chocolate! Then we found the group and walked back to the bus. Oh and we got a waffle on the way back, although it wasn't super great. Not bad, but not as good as I wanted. We were in Bruges for about 3.5 hours, but I managed to do pretty much everything I wanted to do, so it was good. When we got back to the bus, there were two people missing, so they decided to wait for them, they never showed up, so we got on the road. There was traffic and we managed to miss our ferry by 5 minutes. Which SUCKED big time. We had to wait over an hour in the freezing cold (well we were on the bus, but we went to the bathroom and had to walk outside) for the next one. Eventually we got on the ferry. I walked around, got a drink, went to the duty free. I bought two cheap bottles of wine (and brought them to Bristol). I was going to buy Baileys but I didn't want to spend any more money. I kind of regret it now, but oh well. I'll survive. I got into a spiff with Rachel and was on my own. After a (slow) ferry ride we arrived back in Dover. Got back on the uncomfortable bus and made our way back to London. We arrived back after midnight and the tube had stopped running. So I had to take the bus home and didn't get back until 1:30am. It sucked. I was so tired. It was way too long of a day. But I had fun in Bruges. I made up with Rachel eventually. And I got some really good chocolate out of the day!