I never went to Ghent that looks friendly through your pictures, but to Bruges a couple of times, that's a super feeling with their little canals.
It's like a smaller Venice, they say, though I don't find the comparison so relevant cause Venice is much older, also larger and overflowed by tourists all year long .
It's actually not the same feeling. Venice is Mediterranean, while Bruges more northern.
The Flemish absolutely rock with their big plates of rump steaks and French fries full of yummy fat sauce meant for tourists.
They like French tourists like myself, friendly to us but they've been a bit bitchy to the Walloons...
That's silly and useless. We don't need to bitch one another.
Anyway, they are known as lovely craftmen and industrialists full of skills and even poetry whenever they bring their souls on.
Best quality industry over there, very much like the Swiss.
It's worth a visit and paying tribute.