Belgium

It was a bit last minute but I went to Belgium last weekend, Friday morning through Monday afternoon. Everyone I met there said I had perfect timing since the sun was out almost the entire time I was there! Leaving at 6am on the train to Brussels meant that it was still dark outside and going through the Chunnel didn't seem as momentous. I actually didn't even pay attention to went we "went under". I had arranged with friends of my parents to meet them upon my arrival, having never met them though, I was banking on my childhood recollection of their photo on my fridge. Thankfully we spotted each other; otherwise the weekend would have been quite different! In Harrow, I am used to hearing Gujerati, Hindi, and Polish which was a contrast from the French, Flemish and Dutch I heard in Belgium.
We enjoyed a full breakfast with lots of bread, which I loved. They showed me around a bit of center city giving a summary of its history and recent changes in demographics with immigration and Brussels' position in the EU. It is always nice to be shown around by locals. We went back into town that night, ate at a Greek restaurant and walked to the Grand Place to see the magnificent medieval constructions. I loved the atmosphere given by having only foot traffic, small shops and a cool clear night.


Saturday I woke up early and played tennis with two guys and had coffee afterwards. It was on clay, which was definitely different than I was used to but I am so bad anyways it did not legitimately mess with "my game". We decided to go to Bruges, known as the Venice of the North. It was another beautiful day and we decided to explore the canals. The architecture is amazing! I went up the immense 13th c. belfry with over 45 bells constructed to play various songs (view photos of the weird, massive wheel). The Beguinage was exceptionally attractive with their flowers in bloom and the stream running through the main square.



The next day they introduced me to some friends in Ghent. The city has a rich history like Bruges but unlike Bruges it has a local community which gives it more life and present cultural colour. We were blessed with sunshine again but the wind was still chilly. It was in Ghent that I bought my first Belgian waffle. We were passing by on the street and I could smell it, hmm. They put small bits of sugar in with the batter so that it crystalized when heated. I lack the vocabulary to describe what a large, warm, and sweet Belgian waffle tastes like so use your imagination. The last highlight of the day was having drinks together on a terrace looking out towards a cobblestone square between two cathedrals. The sun went down and it got cold quickly.










My last day, I had breakfast at the Cafe Metropole in the most famous hotel in Brussels. It was expensive but worth it, plus I got to explore the hotel without paying. After two busy days, i enjoyed slowing down. I went to a local grocery store, bought some waffles to take home and chocolate-Cote d'Or. Knowing that I love bread, when I saw a shop selling varieties of olive oil from around the world I couldn't resist going in. After several different tastes, it turns out that I like Moulin Des Penitents-Andre Pinatel from AOC Haute-Provence, France the best. I couldn't afford their smallest quantity but it is good to know. As for beer, there were over 250 to choose from in one shop, most of them mixing in fruit of some kind. I grabbed a few of the non-fruit kind-Chiray, Leffe and Duval. I normally don't treat myself to these kind of luxuries, but "when in Belgium" (an abuse of a "when in Rome" I admit, which my brother at least will catch a reference to something else). I explored some chocolate shops but was rather selective with my purchases. I found the most famous statue in Brussels dedicated to the boy who according to legend put out a fire that threatened to burn down the palace. Every time a foreign diplomat comes to Brussels, they need to dress him in new clothes. The old outfits have been kept to be viewed, the most valued second hand clothing I know of in the world! I had a pint of Krab, the local Belgian beer of the month at a pub across from the statue-evidently every beer has its own distinct glass.
I know I've skimmed through the weekend and probably focused on things that others would not have but I enjoyed the weekend. The main highlight was meeting and making friends with my parents' friends there, hearing and sharing stories over the last 24 yrs. It was well worth the trip and we hope to see each other again. Well, that was my fully loaded weekend!