A group of some of the most amazing people and I decided that we wanted to go to Belgium for the weekend as a study break before classes got too hard.
Here is how we spent 35 hours in Belgium and our walking tour route.
I think that the modern transport system is absolutely amazing here in Europe.
We booked a bus ticket through FlixBus, spending a total of €4.99, and all met up Friday morning at the Sloterdijk Train station. It was dark and cold, and the car ride to the station did nothing to help me fight my complete and utter exhaustion. Because, like the smart kid I am, I did not go to bed early. Instead, I stayed up late scrambling to pack the last minute.
Our Hostel, 2GO4 Quality Hostel City Center, was actually the coolest. If I come back, I will for sure try to stay again. It was about a 15-minute walk from the bus station, which was nice for us that were traveling on a budget. We dropped off our bags and walked 10 minutes into the city's center!
 |
| Kristense and Kate |
The first day we mainly stayed in the city center, exploring the area around the Grand-Place. It was stunning. Words cannot describe what it was like. The sun shone down and hit the golden facades of the buildings and bathed the whole square in light. People milled about, and street vendors sold flowers and other various things that attracted tourists. One thing that we fell victim too was the chocolate.
 |
| The lavender chocolate |
Of course, we passed a few shops, and I tried to restrain myself. However, after the 6th one, I had to go in and buy some tasters. Oh, man. I’m glad that I did because it was absolutely amazing.
I’m a sucker for anything floral, and the second I walked into this store, this block of lavender chocolate caught my eye.
One thing for people interested in Belgium chocolate that I found so interesting was that they don't usually sell it in individual squares. No, instead, you ask for a certain kind and give them a rough amount. The seller will then draw out a massive hammer and viciously set into the chocolate block until that has several large pieces that are roughly around how much you asked for. Oh, you also typically pay by the weight, so you get to mix and match all the different flavors and just pay for the weight, which is so cool!!
From there, we continued to walk around the bustling city center, down the narrow little allies, finding hidden gems like a 12-century church that was open to the public and dead as the grave. Hehe. We came across the Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert in one of these winding streets and walked along, looking at all the architecture and stores that were protected from the weather by the glass roof.
A quick stop to eat some lunch at a skatepark outside another gothic cathedral helped restored our energy and gave us the needed boost to continue our walk.
 |
| sum cool sk8te park |
We walked through so many beautiful parks and saw some pretty cool street art.
The boys left us at one point to go watch the footy game that was being shown at some local pubs, and we started our long trek back.
The next day started out the same we went on a “walk,” which eventually turned into a several mile trek to get everything seen before our bus departed that night. Today was the day primarily dedicated to the culinary experience. Of course, being in Belgium, there were several things that we needed to try. Waffles from any of the various stores around Maken Pis satisfy our sweet tooth. They were loaded with enough sugar that one split between 3 filled us with enough sugar to last several days. Frites from Maison Antoine were the perfect snack for a walk-in Parc Léopold. To end the day, some very classic and delicious mussels soaked in a white wine sauce back in the Grand-Place were perfected by the soft light from the setting sun.
Basically, these past 35 hours in Belgium have genuinely been the best. Good food, check. Good people, double-check. Beautiful city, check check check.
I won't be surprised if I come back a few more times. See ya soon, Brussels!
 |
| The Grand-Place |
 |
| the gang :) |
 |
| St Gudula Cathedral |
 |
| waffles |
 |
| more waffles |
 |
| Lara and her frites |
 |
| best things I've ever tasted... get them with the house sauce |
Leave a comment:
Post a Comment