It was a coincidence that our trip to Bruges coincided with the Procession of the Holy Blood, which happens every year on Ascension Day. The procession dates from the 13th century and commemorates the return from the Second Crusade of the Count of Flanders, who is said to have brought with him some of the blood of Jesus. We knew that the relic would be paraded through the city in the afternoon, but other than that we had no idea what to expect.  More than 30,000 people turned up for the procession. We had neglected to reserve a seat in the stands in the main square or a café chair on the pavement, so we peered out over the crowd while standing on a bench.  We quickly worked out that the procession involved scenes from the Bible, but without a programme we had to guess which ones they were. Some floats were easy to make sense of (a pharaoh in an elaborate headdress flanked by two pointy golden pillars; a statue of Jesus carried by dozens of Roman soldiers in tiny white shorts), while others were less so (a lounging couple in Arabian dress with a life-size stuffed peacock). There were sheep and donkeys, people waving palm fronds and purple-robed dancers bearing the Star of Bethlehem. It was confusing and colourful and I couldn’t stop watching, even though my legs were cramping and my Bible knowledge is patchy at best.  After the death and resurrection of Jesus, actors depicted the arrival of the relic into Bruges in 1150. Numerous knights on horses paraded through the city, followed by a man who discreetly picked up the droppings.  Then the bell in the belfry tower began to toll ominously.  “The Holy Blood must be coming,” my friend said.  People stood silently in reverence as clergymen carrying an elaborate gold reliquary walked by. Whether you believed in the authenticity of the relic or not, it was hard not to get swept up in the pageantry of it all.  The procession ended with a man on a castle-shaped float pulled by horses playing an intricate set of bells. Their delicate chime mixed with the heavy, rhythmic tone of the bell from the tower. A strangely beautiful song for a strangely beautiful parade.  Your travel writing could earn you £1,000. That's the prize for our Just Back article of the year. The weekly prize is £200 in the currency of your choice from the Post Office. Email your entry of no more than 500 words (with the text in the email itself rather than attached) to justback@telegraph.co.uk by midnight on Wednesday, June 13.  Click here for more information and full terms and conditions.  The Post Office is Britain's largest travel money provider. It offers more than 70 different currencies with 0% commission on all currency and traveller's cheques. Customers can buy selected currencies over the counter at 8,000 branches and all currencies can be ordered for next-day delivery at 11,500 branches nationwide. Orders can also be placed online at www.postoffice.co.uk
Katie Dickerson wins this week's travel writing competition for her tale of a 'strangely beautiful parade' in the Belgian city of Bruges.