Resturant Review: Carpe Diem Tearoom

The quaint interior. We came at a slower time.

Their decorative napkin.

As my friend was in charge of the Brugge leg of our short Western Europe trip, and she was fully responsible for our reservation at the lovely Fort Lapin, I wasn't worried when she suggested we have afternoon tea and Belgian waffles at Carpe Diem tearoom. Of course, there are several places in Brugge for a tea date or Belgian waffles; however, Carpe Diem tearoom is one of the best as shown by their high online reviews. Therefore, I was excited about are visit. What better place to try a Belgian waffle than in Belgium, right?

Biking in Brugge

My friend biking and filming.
Sometimes recording your experiences requires
multitasking skills!

Biking is a great activity to enjoy in any major European city as they are extremely bike friendly. There are usually clearly marked bike lanes, and motorists and pedestrians alike respect the boundaries and keep out of them. I accidentally found myself walking in the bike lanes a few times in Cologne and Brugge, and the citizens politely reminded me to stay on the proper side of the sidewalk or road! As someone from a city where virtually everyone drives daily, it took a while to get used to a high volume of bike traffic.

When my friend and I went to Brugge, our main activity was biking around the city as we weren't interested in wasting our money on shopping or spending long periods of time in museums or old buildings (we had done enough of that in Paris and Cologne). 

Brugge: My General Impressions

Brugge is absolutely picturesque.

Hanging out with some swans.

While I planned most of the Cologne leg of our trip, it was my friend's idea that we visit Brugge, Belgium. I admit - before she brought the idea up I had never heard of the town which is located in the Flemish region of Belgium. Like most folks, Brussels was the first city that came to mind when I thought of Belgium. However, my friend sent me information about the town when we were planning our trip, and as I looked at pictures of it, I was immediately hooked! Although it isn't as bustling as Brussels, Brugge is absolutely worth a visit as it's incredibly aesthetically pleasing. In fact, the city center is rightfully designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nearly every section of the town offers lovely views and architecture from a time before ours. Brugge is often compared to Venice due to it's large number of canals, and the old cobblestone streets in the city center give visitors ample opportunity to stroll along the waterways.