Saint John's opened as a hospital in the 12th century and was still in operation when this postcard was sent. It didn't close as a hospital until 1977 — not a bad run! — and is now a museum.
The cursive message from Louise to Alfred is a bit hard for me to fully decipher. My eyes and ability to suss out the handwriting of a century ago aren't what they were when I started this blog in 2010. (I may be getting a second cataract surgery this fall, so maybe those skills will bounce back.) The gist of the letter, however, is a rave about Bruges and its old brick buildings and beautifully decorated churches.
It's still a destination worthy of raves. English actor James Frain described Bruges thusly in an interview with the BBC:
"Bruges is a beautiful medieval city almost untouched by time. If you like jazz you will be well catered for. If you like chocolate and beer you will be in heaven."
Related post
No comments:
Post a Comment