Belgium: Beer, Fries and Chocolate

Thanksgiving has come and gone and we spent it in the wonderful country of Belgium. This is not the first time we have been to this small but influential country. We spent some time in Brussels and Bruges. It was a great time and a wonderful break.

We arrived in the small town of Charleroi late on Wednesday night. The next morning we explored the small town with a few friends and found the St. Christopher Cathedral. Chris was pretty excited. That afternoon we took a train to Brussels where we spent the majority of our time during the holiday weekend. After we settled in to our place, we went out to explore the downtown area of Brussels. The city was a magical place at night.

The next day we took a trip to the adorable town of Bruges. This small town located near the cost is probably what we would think most of Europe looks like during Christmas. We were there on "Black Friday" so the main shopping district was dressed to impress in their Christmas gear. After winding our way through the narrow streets we found our first confectionery shop of the day. After a quick snack on an amazing raspberry macaroon, we wandered through the main shopping district and found the Christmas market. It was quite the sight to take in. After some quick shopping for gifts, we found ourselves lunch. The large sausage was about a foot and a half long and fit in a third of a loaf of french bread. It was a tasty meal that warmed us up and prepared us for the shops.

Because of the cool weather and the nearness of Christmas, we stopped in plenty of chocolate shops where we found treats for our families as well as ourselves. However, after our sweet shopping spree we decided to take in the European town. We found some tall and gorgeous churches, may with gilded frescoes and ebony and ivory pieces. Of course we did find some yummy waffles. As it got dark out we met up with some friends and enjoyed some delightful mulled wine and then found the Christmas market again. This time it was all lit up and looked like a winter fairy tale. Although we could have stayed in Bruges for much longer, we had to get back to Brussles.

Our final day in Brussels was a bit dreary due to the amount of rain. Our morning started with a trip to the European Union Parliament. We spent most of our morning learning about the formation of the EU and how it operates. We also enjoyed the interactive exhibits and learning about what it is doing in its member states. After a quick bite to eat we continued on to the Musical Instruments Museum were we saw all sorts of different musical instruments. We finished our day by enjoying an amazing hearty Belgian meal with some excellent Belgian beer. Our final day in Brussels was dreary, but we still had a blast exploring the capital city.

Although our visit was a while ago, the charming atmosphere of the Belgian cites made the perfect transition into the holiday season. Recently we made the trek back to Wisconsin where we saw some beloved family and wonderful friends. Even though our visit was brief, it was nice to feel the familiarity and warmth of our friends and families. Yet, we are safely back in Sofia and are (im)patiently waiting to see what adventure our next break will bring!