After a morning of museums and tours (and beer), our afternoon consisted of more museums and tours (and beer and wine).

First stop was the Museum of the City of Ghent, called STAM. The place was amazing and I took a lot of photos of the way they used graphics in the intriguing set-ups of the displays.

Ticket to STAM

This was followed by a visit to the Design Museum. We really only had time for a quick run-through but it was worth it.

Design Museum Pass

Reflection of the docent in the artwork in the Ghent Design Museum.

After the design museum we went searching for someplace to have a drink but every place on the sunny side of the street/canal was packed so we ended up inside the ‘Irish Pub’. I had a rosé wine (or two); Al a Stella (or three). People walked in from the street, asking to borrow a corkscrew to open their bottle of wine, and then headed back outside to sit alongside the canal with their friends.
Happy hour in the Irish Pub.
Looking through my shots I was surprised to realize that I had taken 600 or so photos on my first day in Ghent — and only had 1876 left on my card for the next 14 days of our trip!

The first restaurant of choice was closed due to the May Day holiday, and the restaurant recommended in our book was filled until 9:00 (and it was barely 7:00). Consequently we wandered the streets until we found Brasserie ‘T klok Huys  where we indulged in white asparagus with smoked salmon, and chocolate mousse with two spoons for dessert.

‘t-klok-huys brasserie in Ghent

white asparagus with smoked salmon and baby potatoes

Our trip was roughly based on the Beer Route through Belgium, and here it is so far:

SOME VISITS TO A FEW TRADITIONAL BARS IN BRUSSELS:

• a 300 year-old bar in Brussels
• a la Becasse, a traditional pub in Brussels
• a la Mort Subite, a historic brasserie in Brussels

MORE ON FAIRYTALE BRUGES (BRUGGE):

• lunch at the Cambrinus
• tour of the Brewery in Bruges
• t’ Brugs Beertje in Bruges
• dinner at the Cambrinus
• warming up a chilly day in Bruges
• the Verdi B&B

ON GHENT:

• beer and museums on our first day in Ghent
• beer, food and museums on our second day in Ghent – Part 1
• Ghent SMAK exhibit, the conceptual Bulgarian artist Nedko Solakov
• beer, food and museums on our second day in Ghent – Part 2

TO THE BELGIAN COAST:

• Off to a Photo Exhibition in Knokke-Heist