Stepping Back in Time in the Almshouses and Beguinages of Bruges, Belg

I must be honest. I’d never heard of a beguinage (or begijnhof, in Flemish) until I came to Bruges. Somehow the concept passed me by in my preliminary pass through the guidebook: I was too busy getting excited about bell towers, boat trips and windmills. And even the friend who comes to show us round (a task he’s performed for endless visitors) doesn’t seem to know what I’m talking about.