CHAMPAGNE-ARDENNES

During the Easter break we bundled up the puppy for a short trip to the nearby region of Champagne-Ardennes in north-eastern France. Still a bit on the damp and nippy side, it was nevertheless a great couple of days away and the pup behaved surprisingly well (helped along by many hours of running through forests...but not crossing tiny streams...absolutely not. Not even rivulets....tell me again how spaniels are meant to like water??)

BRUGGES

Brugges, also called the Venice of the North, is a little village just over the Belgian border, that has been frozen in time - much to the delight of hundreds of tourists who flock to the town for their fix of lace, chocolate and ye olde authentic horse and carriage rides (this town probably has the highest carriage per person ratio of anywhere in the world outside of Amish settlements).

EASTER AT MEERT

The pricey but exquisitely turn of the century chocolate, pastry and tearoom known as Meert is the jewel in the Vieux Lille crown. However, aside from popping in for the occasional packet of old style syrup filled waffles (gaufres), it's not an experience I can readily afford. But window shopping is free...(and they're pretty chill about letting you take photos).