High Culture in Europe in the New Endeavour B62 – Part 1

But that was precisely the plan when we set off in Bailey’s new Endeavour B62 campervan – to experience parts of Northern Europe and a little more art than outdoors. Where the great views were contained within gilded frames, and the music was classical strings rather than bird songs.

After crossing Le Manche on the Dover-Calais ferry, it was barely an hour to our first stop—the beautiful city of Bruges. This well-preserved medieval settlement is famous for its incredibly ornate architecture and ancient streets. Our campsite, Camping Memling, had all the normal amenities and lay outside the inner ring of the old city. A handy bus stop sat outside the entrance, taking you into town. However, it was November, wet, and since we were often dressed up, we decided to treat ourselves to a €10 taxi.

To experience a cultural feast, one need not visit any particular venue or attraction in Bruges, although there are some superb examples. The city itself is the main draw, and despite the rain and armed with our umbrella, we wandered around the uncrowded streets, gazing upward at the ornate pillars, gargoyles, fashioned roofs, and carved stonework that cover every edifice. However, as beautiful as the architecture is, we did decide to take cover in a few notable locales. Bruges is home to the Dali Museum, containing hundreds of works by the famous Surrealist artist, all housed in the impressive Burges Belfry, itself an imposing structure 83 meters high commanding the views of the Market Square. Another internal must-see is the Church of Our Lady. Yet another marvel of the 13th-15th Century building, it contains a vast array of religious artwork, including the world-renowned Madonna and Child sculpture by Michelangelo.

But I will confess Bruges does not just supply artistic and architectural culture. There is also a huge collection of what one might generously call brewery culture. Belgium boasts the production of over 1500 different types of beer. So, even after four days in the country and a reasonable amount of experiencing the local ‘culture,’ we still had not had the same beer twice. Perhaps a future mission for one would be to try every beer in Belgium. A task beyond me.