DOI Heft:
No. 14 (May, 1894)
DOI Artikel:Patten, William: Letters from artists to artists, [7], Bruges as a sketching ground
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17190#0059
Sketching Grounds.—No. VII. Bruges
Heyst-sur-Mer. Here there is a fine beach with funeral of a nobleman. There
sand-dunes stretching away to the eastward, herring is a point on the line of tram-
boats on the shore, the dyke on either hand, with cars from Bruges where the
plenty of good models in the fishermen and boys route passes into Holland for
in sabots. At Heyst good board and lodging may a short distance and stops at
be obtained at the Hotel des Flandres for five Sluis, a jolly little companion-
francs a day. I found it a good plan to work at able town that is sleepy enough
Bruges for a while, and then run down to Heyst, to bear out its reputation of
where the bathing, from bright-coloured bath- being one of the oldest towns
houses, and the salt air were an invigorating change, in Holland. The Hotel de
Blankenbergh is a much more pretentious water- Ville has a fine mediaeval tower
ing-place than Heyst, and like Ostend is more with four turrets. Here, the
easily reached by the regular railroad. Apart from coffee-room facing the canal,
the light and colour of a summer watering-place, I with its stolid inmates, was
found nothing at either place of particular interest, decidedly paintablc ; so, too,
except some men fishing for shrimps. Walking was the diminutive steamboat
on the beach from Heyst to Blankenbergh I came as it slept and simmered in the Qi .^V
across dramatic figures of bent old women gather- sun on the tree-bordered canal, i
ing driftwood. waiting to carry its passengers
Ypres is reached in about an hour and a half by back to Bruges. The little steamboat may or may
the railroad, and is very little known. It was at not be running now; and, if you feel inclined to
one time the capital of Occidental Flanders, and, make the trip to Sluis, let me give you due warn-
judging by the numerous drawings preserved in the ing that when the railway clerk is away, no one
Museum, fifty years ago it must have contained else can be found who speaks French,
many rare architectural treasures. To-day there is To return to Bruges : there are monks of a Capu-
little left to explore except the enormous Halle aux chin order in the Rue Ste. Claire that are very paint-
Draps and the interesting old Church of St. Martin, able, and another monastery, one with much more
Still, I am glad I went, if only that I saw there the simple surroundings, in the Rue de la Bouverie.
continuance of some curious old customs at the Some one will anticipate one of my pet subjects
THE PORTE ST. CROIX, BRUGES
BY WILLIAM PATTEN
45
Heyst-sur-Mer. Here there is a fine beach with funeral of a nobleman. There
sand-dunes stretching away to the eastward, herring is a point on the line of tram-
boats on the shore, the dyke on either hand, with cars from Bruges where the
plenty of good models in the fishermen and boys route passes into Holland for
in sabots. At Heyst good board and lodging may a short distance and stops at
be obtained at the Hotel des Flandres for five Sluis, a jolly little companion-
francs a day. I found it a good plan to work at able town that is sleepy enough
Bruges for a while, and then run down to Heyst, to bear out its reputation of
where the bathing, from bright-coloured bath- being one of the oldest towns
houses, and the salt air were an invigorating change, in Holland. The Hotel de
Blankenbergh is a much more pretentious water- Ville has a fine mediaeval tower
ing-place than Heyst, and like Ostend is more with four turrets. Here, the
easily reached by the regular railroad. Apart from coffee-room facing the canal,
the light and colour of a summer watering-place, I with its stolid inmates, was
found nothing at either place of particular interest, decidedly paintablc ; so, too,
except some men fishing for shrimps. Walking was the diminutive steamboat
on the beach from Heyst to Blankenbergh I came as it slept and simmered in the Qi .^V
across dramatic figures of bent old women gather- sun on the tree-bordered canal, i
ing driftwood. waiting to carry its passengers
Ypres is reached in about an hour and a half by back to Bruges. The little steamboat may or may
the railroad, and is very little known. It was at not be running now; and, if you feel inclined to
one time the capital of Occidental Flanders, and, make the trip to Sluis, let me give you due warn-
judging by the numerous drawings preserved in the ing that when the railway clerk is away, no one
Museum, fifty years ago it must have contained else can be found who speaks French,
many rare architectural treasures. To-day there is To return to Bruges : there are monks of a Capu-
little left to explore except the enormous Halle aux chin order in the Rue Ste. Claire that are very paint-
Draps and the interesting old Church of St. Martin, able, and another monastery, one with much more
Still, I am glad I went, if only that I saw there the simple surroundings, in the Rue de la Bouverie.
continuance of some curious old customs at the Some one will anticipate one of my pet subjects
THE PORTE ST. CROIX, BRUGES
BY WILLIAM PATTEN
45