BELGIUM - Best of Europe 2014 - page 221

bonbons, hollow figures, and solid bars of chocolate. You'll view a delicious little video
(8 minutes long, runs continuously, English subtitles). Your finale is in the “demonstration
room,” where—after a 10-minute cooking demo—you get a taste.
Cost and Hours: €7, €11 combo-ticket includes nearby Friet Museum, daily
10:00-17:00; where Wijnzakstraat meets Sint Jansstraat at Sint Jansplein, 3-minute walk
from the Markt; tel. [phone], www.choco-story.be .
Nearby: The Chocolate Museum owner's wife got tired of his ancient lamp collec-
tion...soheopeneda LampMuseum nextdoor(€11combo-ticketwithChocolateMuseum).
While obscure, it's an impressive and well-described collection showing lamps through the
ages.
Friet Museum
While this fun-loving and kid-friendly place tries hard to elevate the story of the potato, this
is—for most—one museum too many. Still, it's the only place in the world that enthusiastic-
ally tells the story of french fries, which, of course, aren't even French—they're Belgian.
Cost and Hours: €6, €11 combo-ticket includes Chocolate Museum, daily 10:00-17:00,
Vlamingstraat 33, tel. [phone], www.frietmuseum.be .
Windmills and Lace by the Moat
A 15-minute walk from the center to the northeast end of town (faster by bike) brings you
to four windmills strung along a pleasant grassy setting on the “big moat” canal. The St.
Janshuys windmill is open to visitors (€2; May-Aug Tue-Sun 9:30-12:30 & 13:30-17:00,
closed Mon, last entry at 16:30; Sept same hours but open Sat-Sun only; closed Oct-April;
go to the end of Carmersstraat and hang a right).
The Folklore Museum, in the same neighborhood, is cute but forgettable (€2, Tue-
Sun 9:30-17:00, last entry at 16:30, closed Mon, Balstraat 43, tel. [phone]). To find
it, ask for the Jerusalem Church. On the same street is a lace shop with a good reputation,
't Apostelientje (Tue 13:00-17:00, Wed-Sat 9:30-12:15 & 13:15-17:00, Sun 10:00-13:00,
closed Mon, Balstraat 11, tel. [phone], mobile [phone]).
▲▲▲ Biking
The Dutch word for bike is fiets (pronounced “feets”). And though Bruges' sights are close
enough for easy walking, the town is a treat for bikers, and a bike quickly gets you into
dreamybacklaneswithoutahintoftourism.Takeapeacefuleveningridethroughthetown's
nooks and crannies and around the outer canal. Consider keeping a bike for the duration of
your stay—it's the way the locals get around. Along the canal that circles the town is a park
withadelightful bikelane. Rental shopshavemapsandideas (see“Bike Rental” on here for
more info).