The Land of Chocolate! (Er, Chocolat!)

Brussels, baby! I had a feeling I would love this city, and I was right. It's reputation is for gorgeous architecture & amazing food. What's not to love?? The minute we stepped off the train it smelled like waffles (no joke) and it was sunny, and easy to navigate. Especially after Amsterdam this city is way easier to move through, even though the subway system is a little depressing looking and has poor graphic design. [side note: I can't help but notice the trash bin/recycling systems in every city, particularly at the train stations. I'm also That Person who can't leave their job at home, and I've been taking pictures of them all.)

Our hostel was right by the botanic gardens, le botanique. Oh, also everyhing here is bilingual: French and Dutch. Great for Tristan, who gets to practice his French. Not so great for practicing my Spanish/Danish knowledge, but it feels like were really in Europe now. I've been eased into mainland Europe, from Danish to Dutch, to Dutch/French, and now on to Paris. Anyway, this hostel was much older than the stayokay in Amsterdam, amd was way more "hostel-y" with no lockers in the rooms, and community bathrooms on each floor. Tris and I were lucky enough to recieve a room with only 4 beds, instead of 6, and the hostel I guess was underbooked because we had the room to ourselves the whole night. It was quiet, no clog-unwrapping, stumbling-in-drunk rookies this time!

Since our hostel was at the top of the city, and it was a gorgeous day, when we got there we walked through the gardens down to the comic strip museum. Tristan was all about it, and turned into a child the minute we entered the doors. It was all in French and Dutch, and although I had a packet with the info in English, I was more content just to wander the building which was all glass and gorgeousness, a little like the Stacks at pratt, but lighter and not in disrepair. We didn't have enough time to go to the Magritte museum afterwards (my only regret thus far, but then I didn't really have any specific expectations for Brussels other than food, and there's never time for everyhing)

We walked down past the royal palace and through the park there, where we sat by the fountain for a while and admired the day. The city is on a hill, so everywhere you look is a breathtaking view of gothic & regency castles, churches and spires, it's incredibly beautiful.  While we were by the fountain there was a 2-person crew filming something, and Tristan goes, NEWS FLASH: this was the best day... EVER! And the weather WAS really perfect, especially after the almost nonstop rain in Amsterdam.

We also found this little chocolate shop off one of the cute little squares with a million restaurants and lovely buildings. It was family run, and the man who ran it was very nice, and helpful, and gave us tastes of lots of the truffles and things we looked at. We got a box of 30 (I know, I know, but I'm sharing it!) for 18€, which is an amazing deal since the dollar to euro ratio is like 1.2:1 or something like that.  Amazing! We went back to the hostel after that for a nap, and then went out for dinner, which we splurged a little bit on since the restaurants there were all a little bit (or a lot, for many of them) above student prices. We got Italian food and a glass of wine, and it was SOO good, and not just because we were starving. We meandered aroundthe city looking for a bar where we could get Belgian beer (it's really cheap here, by the way) and comtemplating how content we were. It may have been partially to the credit of the wine at dinner, but I was more happy & content than I ever remember being, and that's saying a lot since I'm generally a pretty happy person. Amd then we passed a store with (fake but realistic) baby bunnies in the window, and all was well with the world, at least in Belgium. We had our beer, and watched the Uruguay-France world cup game, and then went in searh of waffles. The map we got at the hostel had lots of suggestions from local students on it, which was awesome, except that they said almost all the waffle places are the same. Now, I don't mean to undermine the culinary expertise of Belgians, but I find that hard to believe. But since I'm not a waffle connoseur, but I do love a good waffle, I made it my goal just to find one that was fresh offthe press. That's exactly what we found, and the lone street-front shop attendant relied to my request of a waffle with vanilla ice cream (no Belgian spice flavor for me this time) with strawberries amd chocolate with an enthusiastic "of course!". Let me tell you, this thing looked fantastic, and I think I fell head over heels in love the instant he put it on the counter and our eyes met (me & the food, not the server, duh!).  I got into exitement-mode where I have tunnel vision, and had eyes only for my one true love (the waffle). We managed to stop cramming in tiny bites with the tiny fork long enough to find a on which to sit amd devour this baby. Which we did with great relish, you can bet! The sugar rush hit me just before what I am now going to start calling a happy brussles coma. I was SO. HAPPY. If you're reading this then you probably know how happy good food & chocolate can make me, and this effect was 100 times better than any other series of eating events in recent memory. In short: I. LOVE. BRUSSELS. I am definitely, DEFINITELY going to come back here for longer some day, and hopefully they won't have to roll me home like the blueberry girl from Willy Wonka.

We're on the train to Paris now, which I guess I should be excited for, but I'm still have a chocolatey afterglow from Brussels, not to mention a whole box of Belgian chocolates peering up at me out of my new marimekko bag. Paris should be fun, but what I'm really looking forward to is the south of France, when I can spread out (and wash my clothes) and really relax.  What a life I lead that I can enjoy a box of Belgian chocolates in the sun on the french riviera!