The roads in to Belgium were jammed with traffic. When we finally reached the Atomium I was overjoyed to have reached our destination after an hour of traffic delay. My friend was patiently waiting to pick me up and it was such a delight to see her again. Marie studied for half a semester in NZ and we lived together. Her family live on the french side of Belgium so we quickly got in the car and headed to Waals-Brabant; a quaint countryside area with a small township nearby. It was great to see Marie's parents again who had visited us in NZ. We caught up over a beer before jumping in the car and racing off for some dinner in Brussels. Before our arrival in the big city, we did a tour of the major sites: The Grand-Place (Grote Markt), Manneken Pis, and watched the summer fireworks from a perfect viewpoint. The family and I went to devour a delicious dinner with the best meatballs I've had in my travels - Authentic Belgian Meatballs at Ballekes.
Saturday morning started with the freshest pastries and the finest cheese any person could ask for. This has been the most terrible part of travelling - delicious food. The food I have eaten has been incredibly tasty and I will be sad knowing NZ does not have such great access to fresh European goods. Especially the cheese. After fueling our bodies, we marched out to Brussels again for a walking tour of the city. Marie and I had a game plan to get a feel of the city through shopping and a taste of more Belgium delicacies. We arrived in time to make the most of the Saturday Place du Jeu de Balle (Flea Market). This was a chaotic shambles of a market. All sorts of clothes, antiques, jewellery and odd-sorts were chucked out on tables and on the ground. We moved on to a few vintage shops that had a magnitude of thrifty gems for bargain; Brussels was an epic spot for vintage shopping. As we wandered from markets to vintage stores we had a pit stop for the famous Liege waffle. It was warm, sweet and best eaten plain accompanied by the musical talents of local Buskers. We made our way back to the touristy city centre for Belgium Frites before heading home for dinner with the family. It was a great evening spent in fantastic company. The weekend was not long enough to see all of Belgium but I was lucky enough to spend time with my favourite Belgium family. That Saturday night, Marie and I went out to Waterloo for some quiet drinks with her friends. Since it has been summer the nightlife has been quieter in some places due to people going away on vacation.
Early Sunday began with more fresh pastries before the Belgium family and I went and explored Brugge. It was such a sweet place to be. Historically rich buildings, horse-driven carriages, and streets alive with music. It was a quick 3 hours around the town but it was long enough for me to be charmed. I also was fortunate enough to have such knowledgeable people with me to provide a full account of Belgian history. Our last moments in town was wandering the famous female monastery and grabbing a quick lunch. I then met friends for a ride back to The Netherlands. I luckily had the chance to grab another waffle. This time it was the Brussels waffle. I did prefer the sugary sweet Liege waffle more. Overall, I felt satisfied with the food experiences I had in Belgium. Good chocolate, great beer, and delicious waffles. Pure bliss.
Next Stop --> Switzerland
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