Belgium - Last Day

This is my last day in Belgium, and I hate to admit that I actually slept in this morning.  I really had no plans for today, so during my yummy, daily breakfast I decided to hit the tour books.  There are so many more things to see and do, but in all honestly I just want to relax, buy some souvenirs, eat, and have a few more beers.  So by the end of my breakfast the decision was made.  Today was about me. 

Fist on the agenda was souvenirs.  When I travel I always have my staples that I try to get, Christmas Ornament, Cookbook of the local cuisine, and a bottle or two of the local wine.  So I headed out, and because I just couldn't get enough headed straight towards the Grand Place area.  Tonight is the first night of the annual Belgium Beer Weekend where 250 different Belgium Breweries set up tents in the Grand Place center.  I will definitely have to come back tonight to see what it's all about, and of course to have a beer. 

One thing that I had to see was the famous statue "Manneken Pis."  I have seen him in chocolate form in just about every chocolate shop I passed so thought I should check out the chocolatiers inspiration.  The theory goes. . .

" In the 12th century the son of a duke was caught urinating against a tree in the midst of a battle and was thus commemorated in bronze as a symbol of military courage.   The inspiration for the statue has been revealed as cupid"

This statue is just as part of Brussels as the Trevi Fountain is of Rome.  The current statue has been in place since 1619, however the first statue was thought to have been in the same spot as early as 1451.  There is a tradition that was started in 1698 by Maximilian Emmanuel (the Governor of the Netherlands) that each visiting Head of State visiting Brussels donates miniature versions of their national costume.  The little boy has over 800 outfits.  So with all the talk, and the proudness of the locals over this statue, I have to say that when I approached the fountain, I was instantly disappointed.  He is barely 2 feet tall, and not what I expected.  As I was taking my pictures, I couldn't help but to listen to the other tourists, and was relieved that I was not the only one who did not understand the infatuation of Manneken Pis.

Moving on, it was time to buy some chocolate to take home.  I have restrained from buying chocolate since I arrived for the simple fact that if I had it, I would eat it.  I found a wonderful little chocolate shop "Chocopolis" and loaded up.  The woman that owned the store was awesome, and I was so grateful that she gave me 10% off.  Chocolate adds up fast!  I bought a few other items, but to my disappointment could not find a Christmas ornament, or a cookbook that I liked. Oh Well!  I headed back to the hotel to drop off my purchases.

I decided to visit one more church that I happened to pass everyday while walking around.  To my surprise the church was "Cathedrale Sts Michel et Gudule" and was the national church of Belgium.  This was the church that the Belgium royal family got married in.  The church itself was very impressive with gorgeous stained glass windows and its Gothic architecture.  The most interesting part of the church was the pulpit which was located in the middle of the church.  The pulpit was carved of wood in 1699, and the detail was stunning.

Well it's time to check out the Beer Weekend.  As I approached the Grand Place the first thing that came to mind was how low-key this was compared to Oktoberfest in Munich.  The people were dressed, and it seemed more like a large cocktail party than an actual beer fest.  I walked around a little just taking it all in when I came upon an escargot vendor.  I have never had escargot, and just couldn't do it.  Maybe next time.  With all the walking today I was starving.  My last night for my favorite meal.  I found a great little restaurant and decided to treat myself.  It was Mussel season, so how can I leave Brussels without trying their mussels (which seem to be everywhere.)  So my last dinner started with Mussels in a white wine and cheese sauce, Carbonnade, Fries, Waffle, and of course a couple beers.  I sat there for 3 hours, just eating, drinking, and watching the people walk by.  With as much as I was enjoying myself, I knew I still had to pack for my trip tomorrow.

Once back at the hotel I made my arrangements to the airport, packed my bags, and believe it or not watched "Meet the Fokkers."

I had a wonderful time, and was not looking forward to getting back to reality.

I cannot wait for my next adventure!



 

Belgium - Day 3 Part 2 (Bruges)

As soon as I stepped off the bus in Bruges, I instantly fell in love.  I almost regretted spending every night in Brussels, and wished I would have spent a night or two here.  But being my first solo trip, everything is a learning experience.  


Bruges which is referred to the " Venice of the North" is adorable to say the least.  Walking around the  cobblestone streets is like taking a step back in time.  It is almost fairy tale like with it's swans wading through the canals, houses that from a distance look like gingerbread, and horse drawn carriages. Unlike many European cities this Medieval city remains much intact.

 

The tour started with lunch, and our tour guide lead us to a charming little restaurant, however my partner in crime and I decided to stray from the group and found an even better place at a square right around the corner. Bruges has its own brewery so of course we had to try the local brew, along with Fries, and Cheese Croquettes, it was an amazing lunch, as was every meal I ate in Belgium.  

 

After lunch we met back up with the group where our guide was now taking us on a walking tour of this enchanting city, with a brief history lesson.  One interesting fact was that at one time Bruges was the "Chief Commercial City of the World", and was once one of the wealthiest cities during the Middle Ages.  No wonder it is the second most visited city in Belgium.

About a half hour into our tour our guide led us to a small dock where we had the option to pay  4 Euros to take a boat tour of the canals.  How could I pass it up?  Although the weather has behaved so far today, as soon as we left the dock, the skies opened up and it started to rain.  No problem, the captain passed out umbrellas and away we went.  The rain only lasted about 5 minutes, but remained on and off the rest of the day.  Although the canal ride was nothing like the gondolas of Venice, it was worth the time and money.

 

We continued with our walking tour and ended up in the main square.  Here is where our guided tour ended and were given time  to explore and shop on our own.My new friend and I decided to forgo the shopping and found a cafe to have a hot chocolate and what else but a Waffle. It was the perfect ending to an amazing day before heading back to the bus, and to Brussels.

 

Once back in Brussels, I headed straight to the hotel.  I was exhausted, and since it was once again raining outside actually had pizza and a beer at the hotel bar and called it a night.

Belgium - Day 3 (Part 1) GHENT

Today I decided to venture outside of Brussels.  I booked an excursion that would take me to Ghent and Brugges (www.viator.com). The bus was leaving at 9:00 am, so I set the alarm to get up making sure I had time to devour the awesome hotel breakfast, then packed my backpack, bought a bottle of water, and headed out to find where the tour meets.  Lucky for me the tour company was actually right around the corner from the hotel so I arrived early.  Once it was time to board the buses, I was happy to see that the tour was not completely full and I was able to get an entire row to myself.

Our fist stop was Ghent. Here's a little history. . .

Ghent's historic centre was originally built during the 13th and 14th centuries when the city prospered as a result of the cloth trade.  The Count of Flanders, built a castle (which is still standing and still contains the original torture chamber) to protect two abbeys from Viking raids.  Ghent continued to flourish until 1648 when the Dutch sealed and closed vital canal links leading to the decline of the city.  Then in the 19th century it became revitalized due in part to a boom in cotton spinning.

The tour I was on was only making a quick stop in Ghent, about an hour, to tour St. Baafakathedral (St. Bavo's Cathedral.) This particular Cathedral was built in several stages, and represents every phase of the Gothic style.   The Emporer Charles was baptised in this church while it was still incompleted, and in 1550 granted a sum of money to the church to fill the arched windows with stained glass.  The most interesting piece of furniture is the pulpit which was completed in 1745. In a small side chapel is one of Europe's most remarkable paintings (Jan van Eyck's "Adoration of the Lamb")  To see the painting cost 4 Euro, and the line was quite long, so I opted to pass.  I was so glad I did this, because as I was walking around the Church I ran into a lady from my tour, and found out in conversation that she was a United Flight Attendant on her overnight.  We became fast friends.  And I was greatful to hang out with her for the day, not only for companionship, but to have someone to take pictures of me.  As we boarded the bus I was a little disappointed that we were not able to tour the Count of Flanders Castle.  We did pass by it, and I was able to get some pictures from the window of the bus, but it was not quite the same.  The town itself looked cute and would have liked some time to explore, but when on a tour, you don't always get that option.  I decided to shut my eyes and rest a little on the way to Brugges.  I was still having trouble with jet lag, and was already tired.   So far the day amazing and couldn't wait for more. . .

 

 

 

Belgium - Day 2

After a restless night of sleep, I couldn't wait to start exploring.  First thing first though, Breakfast.  The hotel I was staying at included breakfast in the price, and what a spread it was, not your typical European breakfast.  There were fresh baked goods, meats, cheese, fruits, fish, eggs, bacon, etc. etc.  A great way to start the day.


My first stop today was the Chocolate Museum.  Just a little FYI Belgium produces 172,000 tons of chocolate per year, and has over 2,000 chocolate shops.  I was in Love.  The museum was an old home located in the Grand Place, and every 15 minutes had a demonstration along with a tasting.  Although the history of chocolate was interesting, I was most amazed by the fact that there was actual clothing made out of chocolate, that looked as real and wearable as anything you would find at a department store.   There were also sculptures of all sizes with such detail, it appeared to be art. 




These dresses and hats are 100% chocolate!

After the chocolate museum I headed back to the Grand Place area.  It seems that every European city has a square, and the Grand Place did not disappoint, with it's guild houses, and Hotel de Ville, it is Flemish Renaissance at perfection. Even though this is a definite tourist spot, where you might pay a little more for a beer or snack then you would at the cafe around the corner, I just couldn't get enough.  I found myself on several occasions imagining what life would have been like in this Medieval and Baroque square 400 hundred years ago.  " Who stood where I'm standing?", and "Who walked these same cobblestone streets I'm walking?"  

As I was walking around I started to notice how many Greek restaurants there were.  Then as I turned the corner I couldn't believe my eyes.  Greek Town in Brussels.  An entire street of Greek restaurants, about 20 or so.  I literally burst out laughing, and started taking pictures.  My husband is not going to believe this.  Since he had no desire to see Brussels, he decided to skip this trip, I bet he would have liked it now.

 



 

I decided at this point to head towards the Palais Royal (the Palace.)  While the Royal family is on Summer Holiday they open up the formal rooms to the public, and it is FREE!  I am a sucker for Palaces and Castles, and although it was not the most grand of Palaces that I have seen, It was still breathtaking.  It amazes me that people actually lived, and still live like this.  The most beautiful thing about this place was the chandeliers.  They were gorgeous, and they were everywhere.  Every door that I would pass through seemed to lead to an even more impressive room than the last.  As with every palace though, the most impressive room is always the ballroom.  I stood there just taking it all in, imagining the costumes, and the dances that had taken place in this grand space.  Honestly, standing there in my sundress and sandals, I felt completely under dressed.  Time to move on. 

One thing that a lot of people don't know is that the SMURFS originated in Belgium.  Oh, and they are not called Smurfs, their real name is SCHTROUMPFS.  I grew up watching these blue creatures, and to this day they are still my favorite cartoon.  So I could not pass up a visit to the comic strip museum to see how it all started.  I am not really into comics, but took the time to walk around, and have to say the museum was quite charming with a lovely gift shop, and of course a bar in case you need a beer break.  It was time to find the SCHTROMPFS.  It was interesting to see some origianl drawings and comics, and to see that not much has changed since the beginning.
 



 

After the comic museum I decided to head back to the hotel to freshen up.  Tomorrow I booked a day excursion, and I had to be up early.  So after a quick shower, and relaxing for about an hour, I headed out for dinner.  I headed back to the Grand Place, and treated myself to my staple dish - Beer (actually 2) , Fries, and Carbonnade Flamande.  DELICIOUS!!!

Country 3 - BELGIUM (Day 1)

Country 3 - BELGIUM (Day 1)

When I started planning my next adventure I can honestly say that Belgium was not at the top of my list.  It actually wasn't on my list at all.  I knew I wanted to go somewhere in Europe, and I was debating between Budapest and Bucharest.  How I ended up in Belgium was quite simple, the flights looked good.  Since there are no direct flights from the USA to either of my top choices, I started looking at where I could fly.  After days of checking loads (since I was flying stand-by and not actually purchasing a ticket), and connection options, my plans were taking my to Brussels. Not knowing a whole lot about this city, I started to do a little research, and decided to put Hungary and Romania on the back burner for now.  After all how could a country that is known for Chocolate and Beer be that bad?

The one thing with flying stand-by (as many of my fellow airline friends know) is that you have to be flexible.  By the time the day came for me to leave, the flight to Brussels was oversold.  No Problem, the flight to Dusseldorf, Germany was pretty much empty.  Once arriving in Dusseldorf, I bought a train ticket to Brussels, and waited for my train (I was lucky that there was an actual train station at the airport.)  I got on what I thought was the right train, and settled in.  According to my ticket, I had 2 stops before changing trains, but when we arrived at the first stop the conductor told me this was the end of the line for this train and everyone had to get off.  Hmmm, I'm by myself, in one country trying to get to another, haven't slept, and basically not off to a good start.  After a little investigating I figure out that since I got on the wrong train I now have to buy another ticket for a different train, but it doesn't leave for a couple of hours.  The only thing in the train station is a McDonald's, so I am quite embarrassed to say that my first meal of my trip was french fries and a coke.  

My train finally arrived, but when I boarded I noticed that it was full.  Not a seat to be found.  I saw a girl sitting on her suitcase on the floor, and she asked me to join her.  What the hell, not the most comfortable option, but it will work.  After talking to her, we realized that we were on the same flight together to Dusseldorf from the States, and we were both heading to Brussels.  What a small world!  The train took about an hour, and since I could barely keep my eyes open at this point, made an executive decision to take a taxi to my hotel. 

I stayed at the Scandic Grand Hotel, and after checking in, the first thing I did was take a long hot bath, and an even longer 5 hour nap.  Normally when I travel to Europe, I try to get my body adjusted to local time, and try not to sleep a lot the first day.  I just couldn't help it, what should have taken just over 2 hours to get to Brussels took me 7,

After waking up, I decided to do a little exploring.  I was staying a block away from "The Grand Place", which is an amazing square in Brussels.  I explored Grand Place a Little, and then started searching for a place to eat.  I was starving!  As I was walking through one of the many streets filled with restaurants, and bars, when a  gentleman offered me free Champagne if I ate at his restaurant.  What the hell, I was sold.  Since I am not a huge fan of Champagne, I was actually able to change it for Beer (which turned into 3).  I ordered Carbonnade or Flemish Stew (which is basically Beef braised in Beer), French Fries (everything comes with french fries), and for dessert, a Belgium Waffle (my very first waffle of my life.)  I was in Love.  Everything was amazingly delicious. 

I decided to walk back to the hotel, and call it a night. It has been such a long day, but amazing day, and I couldn't wait to go exploring tomorrow