Day 5 (December 21)

We all woke up at around 8:00 A.M and began getting ready for the big day ahead of us. Before we left our hotel, Yuval and Trevor got into a heated match of FIFA 16 on Yuval's PS3. They were both tied for 2-2, and then Trevor scored a goal from half across the field. Yuval lost and got so mad that he threw his controller at the wall. A big dent was left in the wall! We were all laughing so hard. After that, we called two taxis to travel to the Church of Our Lady (History). 

Madonna And Child

When we arrived at 11:00 A.M, we learned a little history about the place. It dates mainly from the 13th to 15th century, and is the second tallest brickwork tower in the world. The altarpiece of the large chapel showed off the astounding sculpture of the Madonna and Child created by Michelangelo in 1504. It was recovered twice after being looted by foreign occupiers, French revolutionaries in 1794 and Nazi Germans in 1944. Close to the sculpture are important Brugeans such as Francoise de Haveskercke buried next to her husband in the black tomb of Haveskercke family. The place was more about the scenery, so there wasn't much to do. Once we walked around looked at the architecture and sculpture, it was 2:00 P.M.

Skating At The Rinks

After, we were headed off to our big event of the day, the Bruges Christmas Markets (Holiday). During this time of season in Bruges, Belgium Christmas markets are everywhere. We went to the one in Market Square connecting with Simon Stevinplein (the ice rink). When we arrived at 2:30 P.M, we went skating on the rink, and it was a funny experience. None of us are experienced skaters, so we were slipped and falling a lot. For example, Will slipped on the ice one time and it caused Pierce to fall over. We also walked around and looked at the huge Christmas tree in the middle of the market. The lights lit up the area and made the atmosphere very cozy even though it was cold. Max got hungry while we were there, so we all got some warm Belgian waffles. They warmed us up while we were out there. We also went for a horse carriage ride, and it was really entertaining to see the entire area.
(Purpose/History) Christmas is an annual holiday celebrating/remembering the birth of Jesus Christ. It happens on December 25, and it's a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people. Today it has moved away from these principles and turned into a season of giving/prosperity. People have parties, put up huge lights, and give presents to each other. Its a way to transition into the next year.

The Olive Tree

After we were done at the festival, we were all starving. It was around 6:00 P.M and everyone decided to eat at The Olive Tree. It's a Greek restaurant with a variety of foods. When we were seated, everyone ordered Parmesan chicken with tossed salad and garlic rolls. It was so delicious, and it was a great way to end the day. Once we were out of the restaurant, we called two taxis to go back to our hotel.  It was 7:30 P.M, and we were all exhausted after our huge day. We said our goodnights and went to bed, getting ready for the next day.