Beer. Mussels. Waffles.
We spent the past weekend in Brussels and Bruges. Most of the attractions in Brussels are located around the Grand Palace and within easy walking distance (never took the Metro). We ate frites with mayonnaise (not as good as the ones we had in Amsterdam), waffles (fluffy, light and tasty), mussels (delicious) and very chocolate-y hot chocolate (wonderful with the waffles!).
Of course, we also found a few quintessential Belgian cafes where we sampled some local beer.
We didn't find Brussels to be too exciting, but we walked around and saw the Bourse (Stock Exchange building), churches, Royal Palace and Park, Galeries St. Hubert (Europe's first shopping arcade) and last but not least, the 3 "peeing" statues - the Mannekin Pis, which is the famous one, plus a little girl (Jeanneke) and now there's a dog too (Zinneke). Ah, those Belgians and their silly humor!
The highlight of the weekend was our day trip to Bruges (one-hour via train). It was like stepping into a postcard, the city was filled with cobblestone streets, old churches, little canals, and medieval homes. It was gorgeous! We enjoyed wandering around on foot with the throngs of other tourists (it was very crowded to say the least).
There's a very old brewery in town, De Halve Mann (Half Moon) where we took a tour in English (other tours were offered in Dutch and French) - suffice it to say, the place was very popular! They are known for their killer "Straffe Hendrick" which translates to "strong Henry", and is 9% alcohol! Wow. It's been an active brewery since 1546, so they know what they're doing! The guide was very informative and it was a great tour, ending with a pint of their traditional Zot beer.
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