When the Lodge of Stedfast Unity No. 9128 from Saffron Walden in Essex invited Freemasonry Today to join them for their Ladies’ Festival weekend in the beautiful Flemish city of Brugge, how could we refuse?
    Ian Eaton Festival Secretary and Worshipful Master Colin Marshall had decided on Brugge following the Lodge’s first successful European excursion last year to Chantilly, near Paris.
    Ian and Colin were only too happy to engage the services of President Tours again, as the Paris weekend had gone so well.
    The group met at Margretting, in Essex, then on to Le Shuttle at Folkestone. Following the short journey through the tunnel, followed by a shopping trip and lunch at City Europe, a massive shopping mall next to the terminal. Two hours later the coach departed for the Novotel Hotel, just outside Brugge.
    48 people checked in the hotel, but the organisers had pre-booked the party’s details in advance, so the only wait was for the lift!
    The Novotel is a three/four star, 150-room hotel, very clean and spacious, with all the usual facilities, including a mini bar! An informal dinner included all the wine you could possibly drink, and the meal drew appreciation all round.
    Brugge is undoubtedly one of the outstanding destinations in Europe with its charming canals, cobbled streets and humped-back bridges. Therefore the guided walking tour arranged after breakfast was a must.
    Although rain had been falling that morning, luckily for the group it had relented for the tour. One of the highlights was the visit to the Church of our Lady, where Michaelangelo’s ‘Madonna and Child’ is on display.
    The walk finished around 12.30 in the market square, which is surrounded by shops, cafes and restaurants, the ideal place to stop for lunch and also admire the focal point of the square, the Belfry, with its 366 steps to the top of the clock tower.
    For the afternoon there was a trip to Roose’s, a chocolate packing centre on the outskirts of old Hanza town. where a demonstration of the craft of chocolate making was shown and of course the opportunity to buy famous Belgium chocolates at factory prices.
    The pre-dinner reception began with champagne prior to the Gala Dinner and Dance. The food was again excellent, four courses with chicken taking the plaudits, and again wine all-inclusive. Two memorable anecdotal toasts were delivered with impeccable timing to The President and his Lady.
    The following morning we departed for the coastal resort of Ostend, where we arrived about lunch time with around three hours free time to eat, shop or just tour the mediaeval harbour, with its numerous fresh fish stalls.
    There was one more stop organised before boarding the train, the Wine & Beer Warehouse at Calais, an opportunity for the Christmas booze to be purchased.
    By 6.30 in the evening we were on Le Shuttle heading home after a tiring day.
    Such continental events represent a serious alternative to the UK weekends, and more importantly, are at a similar cost. This trip cost just £199 per person, and when you consider that the inclusive price included all the table wines, that is excellent value.
    Our thanks to the Lodge of Stedfast Unity for allowing Freemasonry Today to join in with their festivities, a very enjoyable weekend.