“The spectator is a prince…”

“…who everywhere rejoices in his incognito.”

One of my favourite words is also one of my favourite things to be:

“Flâneur, from the French noun flâneur, means "stroller", "lounger", "saunterer", or "loafer". Flânerie is the act of strolling, with all of its accompanying associations” (Wikipedia)

And I have recently had a few days to enjoy being a flâneur in Bruges with my partner CB. The early days of our relationship were spent strolling around the streets of London, getting to know the City and its rhythms as much as we got to know each other. Since moving up North our urban flânerie has been curtailed, but we do love a wander and Bruges has to be one of the prettiest places to amble about.

We first visited Bruges a year or two ago so knew pretty much what we wanted to do. Which was essentially: eat waffles, chips and chocolate (not together) and drink beer.

Add a healthy dose of snoozing in the world’s most comfortable bed (we could lie horizontally on the feather duvet atop the memory foam mattress and not touch the sides – sigh!) and all that’s missing is hours spent walking around the cobbled streets and along the canal paths.

It doesn’t hurt that Autumn is my favourite season. The colours, the temperatures (hurray! Hats, gloves and scarves!) and the smells are a tonic for the soul.

Fun fact: I always thought Spring was my favourite season until this year. At some point in September I turned to CB and sighingly told him how much I love the sights and smells of Autumn, at which point he smiled and told me that I say that every year! He said it’s clearly my favourite season, but I had no idea! Well, at least I’m consistent in feeling even if I’m crap in memory…

Although this musing is really about the loveliness of existing in a space and being part of it while also passing through it, which is how I feel as a flâneur and also how I feel about Autumn, I couldn’t live with myself if I mentioned Bruges without a shout out to the amazing Historium.

Me, eating a waffle outside the Historium <3

God I love this place. Plus now there’s a virtual reality attraction where you fly. I almost fainted afterwards, it’s brilliant.

*Quotes from Charles Baudelaire