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Howdy!

Yesterday I started the day with a short walk before breakfast with the family, then I headed out for a walk and to catch a couple of museums before meeting up with the Family again to watch the Procession of the Holy Blood Which has got to be one of the longest running parades in the world ;)

After the procession, I walked Mom back to the hotel before heading over to the Airbnb where Judy, Balin, and a bunch of the rest of the folks in the tour were hanging out. Balin bought an 8-pack of gold-winning Belgian beers, so we tried those, and I get why they were gold medal winners. Around this time, Alex showed up in town from his travels, so we headed back to the hotel with everyone, and we had a short introduction get-together and played a get-to-know-you game. It was pretty nice, and I met a couple of the folks on the tour - I still don’t know everyone’s name, but that will be part of the goal of this, to get to know everyone a bit better.

The crowd broke up into smaller groups and headed out to separate dinners. Alex, Sue, Perrin, Mom, and I went to a place with a late kitchen.

Today we get on the boat at 1:30 - and then we are off on our adventures!

Love ya all Dan W

PS - you may have noticed that the style of the captions on these pictures are kind of inconsistent. And that is

Gunpowder tower on my early morning walk.

Breakfast in Belgium was a waffle made in an american waffle iron.

There are so many little scenes here that seem to be taken straight out of Christopher Alexanders A Pattern Language book.

Quiet devotion in the Begijnhof chapel, where single women once lived in a peaceful walled community. Stillness and sunlight fill the space with timeless grace.

More Canal’s opn my morning walk.

Came across this piece at the old hospital museum in Bruges—it’s called The Bridge by Patricia Piccinini. It shows a woman gently holding a strange human-animal hybrid. The artist is exploring the compassion of caring for others, ev

The Attic space in the hospital - this not only controlled ventation for the space, but was also where the nuns lived for many generations.

Beautiful old carving from the hospital museum in Bruges—shows scenes of heaven and mourning. Was probably meant to comfort patients with the promise of peace after death.

The museum features seven works by Hans Memling, and up in the attic there’s this interactive display where you can mix and match elements from his paintings to create your own Memling-inspired masterpiece.

Inside the chapel of the old hospital in Bruges, this beautiful altar stands surrounded by soft blue stained glass and two watchful angels. A quiet reminder that healing here was always about more than just medicine.

Lunch with the family before the procession of the Holy Blood

The police are the sign that the parade is about to Start

The dignataries

The introduction to the parade

one of the first groups to come buy

Not sure who these guys are - but they look important

Just in case you needed a reminder of where you were at

A costumed queen

The snake tempting Adam and Eve

Not sure which bible story this one is about

Camels, in Bruge.

The Egyptians

Herding sheep through the route

John the Babtists head

The Romans carrying a bound Jesus

Roman soldiers

Jesus carrying the cross

A procession leading the crusified Jesus

One of the many moving scenes from the Procession of the Holy Blood in Bruges, held on Ascension Day. This float shows Mary holding the body of Christ

The body of Christ being paraded through the streets

More parading

A knight in full regalia rides through the streets during Bruges’ Procession of the Holy Blood—part pageantry, part pilgrimage, and all rooted in centuries of tradition.

Another Relic being carried through the streets

A Relic box

Everyone stands as the Relic containing the blood of Jesus passes by

A close up of the star attraction

Walking mom back to the hotel after the Parade

Wandering through Blinde Ezelstraat (Blind Donkey) in Bruges—a narrow alley steeped in history, where legends of blindfolded donkeys meet stunning medieval architecture. A hidden gem connecting the city’s past and present

Bruges City Hall—serving up Gothic grandeur since the 1300s. Still standing proud in Burg Square, where the city’s been calling the shots for centuries.

Another shot of the main square

St. Walburga’s Church in Bruges—a Baroque masterpiece built by the Jesuits in the 17th century. Its ornate interior and rich history offer a serene retreat amidst the city’s medieval charm.

Alex made it into town and Had a good time catching up with Perrin

Playing a game with the folks on the tour before we broke into smaller groups for dinner.

Sue, Alex, Mom Perrin and I went out for a slow dinner.