Originally the Chapel of Saint Basil, this church is famous for its relic of the blood of Christ, which, according to tradition, was brought to Bruges in 1150 after the Second Crusade. Brueghel deftly synthesizes religious scenes and slice-of-life detail in a local landscape — far from the Holy Land. He paints real objects with a camera-eye clarity, but jumbles them together in new and provocative ways. The Dumons don't provide English labels because they believe it's best to describe their chocolates in person — and they do it with an evangelical fervor. A tumultuous 20th century left Berlin filled with powerful sights - from evocative memorials, to surviving bits of its communist and fascist days, to its glass-domed Reichstag. This delicate Madonna and Child is said to have been the only Michelangelo statue to leave Italy in his lifetime. In many ways, this was less a hospital than a hospice. Rick Steves' Europe Swiss Alps. Today hundreds of parliament members representing an entire continent are hard at work shaping Europe's future. At Oxford and Cambridge, see where kings and prime ministers studied. Rick uses Ethiopia as a classroom for understanding global hunger and extreme poverty S11 Ep1107 | 25m 33s Share this video: Share this video on Facebook Share this video on Twitter This was the ultimate in church-going convenience — he could attend Mass and not even leave the house. With the entire Continent as his playground, fun is his mission. They are talking. I'm Rick Steves. Then he hikes the trails that top the towering chalk cliffs of the South Downs, wander into the beachy resort of Brighton (England's Coney Island), and push on to Portsmouth, whose naval heritage has left it with the best collection of historic sailing ships anywhere. (30 minutes) Can't find the episode you're looking for? The happy gang at this working family brewery [De Halve Maan] gives entertaining and informative tours. Great navigators are remembered. In the St. John Altarpiece, Hans Memling shows us the full range of his palette, from medieval grace to Renaissance realism to avant-garde surrealism…all in a luxurious setting somewhere between Bruges and heaven. Chris Hedges and Ramesh Srinivasan Debate Twitter and Facebook Banning Trump, Gorillas at Safari Park Test Positive for Virus That Causes COVID-19, L.A. Loses a Champion: Tom LaBonge Dies Suddenly at 67, Biden’s AG Pick Merrick Garland Has Record of Not Holding Cops Accountable, January 13, 2021 – PBS NewsHour Full Episode, The 4 Most Gorgeous Châteaux in France's Loire Valley, Poland Rediscovered: Krakow, Auschwitz and Warsaw, Greek Islands: Santorini, Mykonos, and Rhodes, Huell Learns About the Important History of Basque Food, Walk Through Frank Lloyd Wright's Ennis House, America's Test Kitchen from Cook's Illustrated. ... Rick Steves' Europe. [now combined into the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium]. Clerk: Oh, that they are ready to be eaten. The bride smiles, but she's closely escorted by two men, while the scared groom gulps nervously. You'll be tempted by chocolate-filled display windows all over town. Rick Steves, America's leading authority on European travel, returns to transport viewers to the continent's bustling cities, quaint villages and picturesque countryside. When Europeans have a gripe, this is where they demonstrate. The three Knight men resolve to split the farm into thirds for each of their own businesses, but Meryl breaks the deal. His St. John Altarpiece triptych is a highlight, as is the miniature, gilded-oak shrine to St. Ursula. From there, Rick visits the great historic sights of Martin Luther and the Reformation (Erfurt, Wittenberg, and Wartburg Castle) before finishing in the capital of Franconia: wine-loving Wurzburg. Today's daunting challenge: to respect these differences while building a democratic, prosperous, and peaceful Europe. This special episode is a sonnet to travel - an introspective love story, set in Europe, that vividly celebrates the rewards of exploring our world and the joy that awaits those who travel. But we'll see why it's worth discovering. Once in that, then it rests here, and afterwards, the second time, high temperature. With affordable flights from the US, minimal culture shock, almost no language barrier, and a well-organized tourist trade, Belgium is a good place to start a European trip. Just across the street, a monastery ran a hospital [Sint-Janshospitaal, now housing a Memling Collection]. Today this uniquely well-preserved Gothic city prospers because of tourism. Learn how Prop 187 garnered divided reactions among immigrants and even political parties. Clerk: This potato was peeled this morning, cut in pieces, and put in that fat. Even with low expectations, this bronze statue is smaller than you'd think. We'll explore the castle, peek at the new parliament, dabble in the local literature, sip a little Scotch, get wrapped up in a kilt, and then stow away on Her Majesty's Yacht Britannia. ", ©2021 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | Bulgaria, so mysterious to most Americans, has a vivid identity as a crossroads of the Balkans. 99 to buy episode. Our souvenir: A vivid appreciation of how ending hunger is possible - and how smart and modern development aid is the key. The fancy smaller buildings giving the square its unique character are former guildhalls with ornate gabled roofs crowned by statues. He ends in Assisi - the hometown of St. Francis - which retains its spiritual aura to this day. Siena, once a proud and independent city-state, retains its confidence and unique traditions. It was a 19th-century term for the nostalgic, pure, and spiritual art of these highly skilled 15th-century oil painters. 4.6 out of 5 stars 108. Then, we head for Brussels, home of Europe's most magnificent medieval square, and capital of the European Union. Get lost on the back streets, away from the shopping and the tour groups. By 1830 it was the capital of an exuberant and newly independent country — Belgium — booming with the Industrial Age. Climb the 366 steps for a commanding view. So if you drink Belgian beer you might recognize sour cherries — Kriek, as we say — raspberries, chamomile flowers, licorice, ginger, juniper berries, honey, seaweed — as long as it's natural, it's OK. We really have a beer culture. Good morning ladies and gentlemen, and welcome in the brewery Straffe Hendrik. It helped the down-and-out make the transition from this world to the next. The town slumbered for generations. A growing number of seed programs is atempting to connect Indigenous communities back to traditional ecological knowledge, while encouraging healthy diets and sustainable farming practices for all. The Ancient Art Museum [now the Old Masters Museum at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts], featuring Flemish and Belgian art from the 14th to the 18th centuries, is packed with a dazzling collection of masterpieces by Van der Weyden, Bruegel, Bosch, and Rubens. Belgium is a land of contrasts. Finally, they explore Maramures, where everyday life still feels like an open-air folk museum. Rick and his team tour Romania's vibrant capital, Bucharest, with its "Little Paris of the East" architecture and lingering reminders of a brutal communist dictator. Elie Mystal, justice correspondent for The Nation, says Garland is an “underwhelming” pick, given his judicial record. Rick Steves Belgium: Bruges, Brussels, Antwerp & Ghent. Belgium is a land of contrasts. Hugh agrees to induce Harriet's labor so he can start his new job in Sydney the following week, and Matt clears the air with Charlie. For coronavirus (COVID-19) travel information, We'll prowl backstreet fish markets, dodge fast-moving Vespas, and dine on pizza where it was invented. Rick Steves' Europe | All the best travel tips, travel inspiration, and European tour info from the team at Rick Steves' Europe. Bone up on bonjour and s'il vous plaît. And all along the way, Rick drives on the left and polishes his pub etiquette. Saxony, part of the former East Germany, remains a secret to most travelers. And he enjoys an intimate taste of contemporary culture: the yellow brick road of Sofia; the gregarious craftspeople of the medieval capital, Veliko Tarnovo; and the thriving pedestrian zones of cosmopolitan Plovdiv. The Brueg(h)el room takes you back in time. Here, he kneels before the grateful Christian patriarch of Jerusalem, who rewards him with the relic. Naples is Italy in the extreme. For the next 200 years, lace was the rage. For 600 years the Church of Our Lady has stood — with its 400-foot-tall tower of bricks — as a memorial to the power and wealth of Bruges at its height. Tue, 1/12 at 5:00 pm on Austin PBS Create. Rick: These are forming a skin right now? Today, they look down over the square, tall, in stone, and with richly ornamented gables. Belgium is a land of contrasts. See how different organizations came together in a concerted effort against Proposition 187 — from the unions to young organizers. Almost lost between Germany and France in the middle of Europe, tiny Belgium is easy to overlook. In times of crisis and challenge, we ask ourselves: What is the true value of travel? Brussels got a late start. The far southwest of England is a world unto itself, with a persistent Cornish culture. The upper chapel (separate entrance, climb the stairs) is decorated Gothic. It’s just a little different this year. Inside the basilica, the stark decor reeks of the medieval piety that drove those crusading European Christians on their holy war against the Muslims. At Ironbridge Gorge, he fires up memories of the Industrial Revolution. For higher art, I like Brussels' two greatest art galleries: The side-by-side Ancient and Modern Art Museums. Our finale: Ramesses II's magnificent temple at Abu Simbel. The square's historic highlight is the Basilica of the Holy Blood. The city specializes in seafood. Prop 13, the campaign to slash property taxes, launched a tax revolt that continues today. You see, these fries are swimming like fishes in the fat. In honor of Black History Month, KCET and PBS SoCal will showcase a curated lineup of enlightening programs to bolster awareness and understanding of racial history in America. His unique creations mix chocolate with various, mostly savory, flavors. Memling's heaven echoes wealthy Bruges in the 1400s, showing the city skyline, oriental carpets that passed through here, fine furniture manufactured by the city, and the latest Italian fashions. Tax ID: 95-2211661, FCC Public Inspection File | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use, © 2021 - Public Media Group of Southern California. Prime Video $0.00 with a Prime membership. If you like tombs and church art, pay to wander through the apse, but note that the church is undergoing a major, years-long renovation, during which different parts of the interior will be closed to visitors. UPCOMING EPISODES. Where else can you bike along a canal, savor heavenly chocolate, and see a Michelangelo, all within earshot of a bell tower with a hyperactive carillon? John the evangelist sits on the island of Patmos — transfixed as he envisions the Apocalypse now. Brussels is the political nerve center of the united Europe — only Washington, D.C., has more lobbyists. He walks us through a map he created of Sen. Harry Reid's major environmental campaigns. The bell tower has stood over Market Square since 1300. Here are a few programs and articles we recommend to help center your Thanksgiving celebration on honoring and amplifying Native stories, seeking truth about our history, and acknowledging Indigenous presence and wisdom. They were popular with the wealthy — colorful, great for warming up big drafty interiors, and a fun opportunity for a rich guy to tell a story. Scene I, called Soup-eating Lady, shows a shepherd girl with a bowl of soup in her lap. Rick island-hops through the Aegean, sampling three classic Greek getaways - Santorini, Mykonos, and Rhodes - and basking in their dramatic beauty. Skyscraper-studded Frankfurt - with so much commerce it's nicknamed "Bankfurt" - has a delightful-to-explore old center. The ins and outs and pros and cons of cruising, including making smart use of limited time on shore and the congestion and commercialism that comes with mass tourism. A nearby museum displays hundreds of his outfits. This brewery started in 1856, but we know that there was a brewery here on this premises, next to the canal, in 1564. see our FAQ. The brewery makes the only beers brewed in Bruges: Brugse Zot ("Fool from Bruges") and Straffe Hendrik. This busy symbol of European unity is filled with a cacophony of politicians speaking the full range of European languages. In fact, his mansion even had a private chapel with a box seat overlooking the cathedral altar. Brussels is famous for good eating — serving many cuisines. For some reason, every visitor has the Manneken Pis on his list. At this lace museum and school, you can learn about traditional lacemaking and then see lace actually being made. Clerk: About 60 different kinds, we have. "Primitive" is not an insult. It marks the tomb of the wealthy Bruges businessman who bought the statue in Tuscany. The gleaming gold knights and ladies on the church's facade remind us that this church was built by a Crusader in the 12th century to house the drops of Christ's blood, which he brought back from Jerusalem. Bruges seems to have a chocolate shop on every corner — and some are more adventurous than others. Up in heaven, in a rainbow bubble, God opens the seals of a book, unleashing awful events: fires, plagues, and wars that stretch as far as the eye can see. Then we head for the south coast of your travel dreams-the Algarve. The lower chapel is dark and solid — a fine example of Romanesque style. Until next time…keep on travelin'. Clerk: It's a layer of marzipan, flavored by a tobacco of Cuba. He begins his travels in England, where the … Huell visits the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County to explore its famous animal dioramas. Brussels' Town Hall dominates the square. 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