From France, we crossed the border into Belgium which felt strange (but nice) without having to mess around with immigration like on our usual trips abroad. Without the hassle we have been accustomed to, it felt free.
Not wanting to drive into Bruges with the motorhome, we decided to set up camp in Blankenberge roughly 17 km from Bruges; situated on the coast. The sand was soft and the air was fresh with hardly anyone to disrupt the peace. The campsite (Jamboree campsite) was overly crowded with static caravans and cost too much but as we were staying for only a couple of nights it didn’t really matter (wouldn’t recommend if it was for a longer stay).

The next day we set off early cycling along the Flanders fields which from above would probably resemble a checkerboard; switching from wheat to corn every so often. The distance was long but it was flat with amazing bike tracks like most of Europe (Britain seemingly seems to be the exception).

The views always changing, kept us interested most of the way, whether that be by quaint villages surrounded by cobbled streets, vast fields of colour or paths with overhanging swaying grand trees.

Soon we had entered the UNESCO world heritage site of Bruges. The cobbled streets stretched around the city seeming to try to manoeuvre around the scenic canals; not the other way around. The medieval buildings fanned around the city, hiding secrets of a long industrious past.

Tourists sauntered around the streets, some mesmerised, others simply seeing life through big lenses and even then not really paying attention.

Smells of rich Belgium chocolate permeated the air wherever you walked along with the faint aroma of flowers.

We went on a canal tour around the main parts of Bruges all the while (which, even though touristic, I would recommend) listening to it’s history and ducking underneath the lowest bridges.

Most of the day we wandered (our best trait) and relished what the city had to offer and it wasn’t long before the sun was beginning to lower…and we had (well, not so much with their electric bikes) to endure the ride back to Blankenberge.