DAY 17: Last Day in Bruges

4:27am.

“Shaker boys, sha-ker boys!” Over and over, they chanted these words, charging through the front door, and scampering up the staircase.

“Shaker boys, sha-ker boys!” Then, the music.

“Shaker boy, sha-ker boys!” Their chants now accompanied by a pounding beat resounding through the house.

It didn’t take long for Bruges police to come knocking. Neighbors three houses down phoned it in. The manager wasn’t pleased. He had the group of Netherlanders vacate the premises and personally apologize to the surrounding neighbors one-by-one. He offered me two free additional days for the trouble if I wanted to extend my visit. I wasn’t so sure I did but generous nonetheless; He's a terriffic guy despite the noise.

I gave Bruges another shot today. Wandered. Such a relaxed city. Tourist activity is peaking here. People grilling hot dogs and hamburgers in the streets. Marching band randomly putting on performances throughout different populated areas; They sounded good. Every restaurant would leave the muscians a tray of beverages on the house.

I hadn’t given authentic Belgian chocolate a try yet. That was one of two main objectives today. I stopped in one of the many Belgian chocolate stores. Cute blonde Dutch lady was working the store. I inquired as to what her favorite brand and flavor were. We narrowed it down to peppermint. I don’t regret the decision; It’s delicious. However, I can only tolerate a single square at a time before I feel as though I’ve finished walking the Mojave dessert. They're rich.

Trailed through Belfort tower. They had an art gallery on display. Each section drastically different from the other. One area featuring paintings of exaggerated cartoons or abstract nudes, then another with clay models depicting naked men in various poses. My favorite of the bunch were these seashells made out of varying colors and textures of glass. Some would be incased in transparent glass giving this miraculous floating effect.

Pasta and chicken parm: that was the other objective. I sort of found it! Spot called De Mario. Small Italian restaurant located in the city center. "Spaghetti Pollo". The pasta was covered with a layer of sizzling gold-encrusted cheese. Steaming grilled chicken underneath with melted cheese sauce. Light paprika too. It was kinda perfect. Happily left Bruges with a full stomach of carbs and chocolate. Ready for the hot jacuzzi awaiting my arrival back "home".

The manager and his adorable poodle were working in the backyard when I got back. He and the little lady stopped by. We chatted about our travel experiences and what I thought of everything thus far. I was shamelessly reiterating thoughts I’d already written out in this blog, so you were practically there for the conversation. By the conclusion of our discussion we were talking about the women here. Jesus, they are something else.

One specific woman comes to mind. I was in Antwerp trailing through the hordes of tourists and I nearly stopped dead in my tracks. This Italian number with long dirty blonde hair and a tiny waist had one of the most beautifully shaped rear-ends I’ve ever witnessed in-person. So much so that everyone on the street was taking a gander as they passed her. Eventually I was following her so I could see the diverse array of people that were taking the time to admire this gorgeous creation. Kids! 60-year-old women! Other hot women! You name it, and heads were turning. I was laughing the entire time. I love Europe.