Bruges with the Moeder

Bruges- (In Flemish it is pronounced BROO-ghah...a little raspy on the shah if you please or broozh in French.)  is a quaint little mideval town near the shore in northern Belgium.  And I sorta love it.  The stepped gabled brick buildings are very indicative of this area, and I want to see a chimney sweep hopping up them-but I dont know if they do that.  BTW Christy took this picture and is very pleased with herself.

CH and one of the three existing windmills in Bruges.  This picture cost us 30 Euros...in parking ticket fees. Doh.

 After the windmill spot, we drove into the middle of one of the squares.  This little gent saw us and approached our car to ask if he could help.  Christy mentioned we were looking for a place to park.  He kindly said he would give us directions or, if we would permit him, he could get in the car and go with us.  "I dont speak a lot of English, but enough to say 'Turn left. Turn right.  Turn left here."  He was the kindest, dearest little man in all of Bruges.  I didn't have change for parking, only a 5 Euro bill.  He took it to get change.  When he returned he admonished us to be very careful.  "There are many pick-pockets around.  They will just take your money and go."  Then with a smile that gave a twinkle to his eye, "But I am not so dangerous."

 
When I returned to my car, I found this little note, carefully taped to my windshield.  Isn't he a dear?

 We ate fish and chips at this busy little friterie.  There was man do it all...so we understood when he forgot 2 drinks and tarter sauce (which costs an additional Euro).  Ha.  Those were the best Belgium fries I have eaten.

Then we found a little gem of a lace shop named Rococo, Wollestraat 9, Brugge-Belgium.  It is a Belgian lace manufactory and has been in the family since 1833.  Christy had prayed before our trip, that we would be guided, and boy howdy were we ever.  There was a lady in the shop from Chicago who is a lace curator.  She knows her stuff, and because she did, the dear owner took her to show her all of her pieces and treasures...and I got to follow them around.  The lady has a site that I have added to "sites I like" over on the right.  She mentioned that the lace work that the shop owner, she was probably my age, did was "Excuisite."   I purchased a lovely, not-cheap handkerchief and will use it whenever I go to a temple dedication.

The owner was led to know what to show us and tell us about because of our questions.  I was interested in patterns.  She showed us how the teacher who owned the journal below (best handwriting I have ever seen) taught her students.  The colors shown here tell the student what tied or knot the lace maker should use.  The owner mentioned it was like how "Dō is the same.  Everyone, everywhere would know it is the same key.  It is the same with Lace.  The purple color tells the maker to use a half knot."  Hmmm, I found this very interesting. 

This is really extraordinary.  Little straight pin are pushed into the pattern on the pillow and then the lace string is "woven" into different knots and so forth. Those are  A LOT of spools. 

 
A much simpler design.  I think this one is from one of the daughter of my favorite shop owner.

This is an interesting piece.  I understand that there are maybe only four pieces like it in the world by the creator of it.  The lady who made it up used both needle point lace and bobbins and it was very interesting to the curator.  She pointed out the place where the different techniques mingled...but I didn't get that exact spot.  Doh. 

We took a little bus tour and it was informative and made little Brugge seem bigger than it is because we drove up and back the same streets several times.  It was fun to go with my mom, and gave some good details we wouldn't have known otherwise.