belgium

back from belgium! i had an amazing time. i guess i'll start at the beginning: after getting out of class on friday at noon, i rushed to the bus stop to meet lindsey and get to the train station. we made our train with two minutes to spare, and spent about an hour and 40 minutes on the train to victoria station, where we got on the tube to heathrow and that took about another 40 minutes. we arrived at the airport SO early. thankfully, heathrow practically has its own mall inside with shops selling beer, clothing, perfume, and sunglasses, so lindsey and i stayed entertained until our plane took off.

toon and his friend matthias met us at the airport and drove us to our bed and breakfast, which turned out to be in a worse part of brussels. we got there and found the door locked, and a sign indicating that reception closed at 10 pm. we called the help-line number and it ended up going to the reception at another hotel across town. whaaaaaaaat? so toon offered to let us stay at his place. what a saint!!! we headed over to toon's place to drop off our stuff, and he happens to live right next to the the grand place, the center of brussels! we walked around the grand place and saw mannequin pis at night, then headed straight for the delirium cafe.

i can't tell you how long i've wanted to visit this cafe. i first tried delirium tremens when jessica brought it back from her studies abroad, and i fell in love with it the first time i layed eyes on that painted bottle with the pink elephant. so you can imagine my excitement at finally getting to try it on tap. it was everything i had hoped for! the cafe was packed with people, noisy, and full of smoke. we found a table at the very back corner and crowded some stools around it and smushed in. i ended up drinking delirium tremens, delirium nocturnum, and gulden draak (a new favorite). lindsey, matthias, toon, and i ended up staying in the bar until they kicked us out to close, and we headed back to toon's apartment for some well-needed rest.

the next morning, we dropped toon off at the train station and matthias drove lindsey and me to our bed and breakfast, where we finally were able to get in our room. it was pretty nice, with two double beds pushed together, a small television, a closet, a sink, and a mini fridge. we didn't stick around though - it was time for brugge! we walked to the train station, past windows containing scantily-clad women sitting on chairs. creepy! the train to brugge took only one hour, and the minute we stepped outside lindsey and i were just amazed. brugge is a fairy-tale town. cobblestone streets, houses lined up one right next to the other, all with red roofs and doors painted all sorts of colors. the town is surrounded by a canal that also runs through it at parts. in the center is a big square with restaurants, shops, pubs, and a large bell tower. the square was bustling with tourists, horse-drawn carriages, and locals walking their dogs. lindsey and i climbed a very narrow spiral staircase to get to the top of the bell tower, and enjoyed the panoramic views of the city while listening to the bells. after wandering around the town some more, we headed back on the train to brussels.

once back in brussels, we got lost while walking back to the b&b, but ended up finding it after backtracking to the train station and asking for directions. we grabbed dinner at a small but very nice restaurant, where the waiter was friendly and spoke very good english. i massacred a family of baby squid, and lindsey devoured an entire fish with its head still on. it was simultaneously delicious and traumatizing. we then got some belgian beer at a night shop and headed back to the b&b, since we were wary of heading to the grand place at night and not certain of how we would get back once buses stopped running. back at our room, we relaxed, drank our duvels, and watched the simpsons. then, glorious sleep.

sunday morning, we go downstairs for some breakfast - after all, we are staying at a bed and breakfast. the guy at reception was nowhere to be found, and there was no sign of any food. i should have known. so we pack up and head to the train station to the center of brussels. again, we get lost, but i stop in a restaurant to ask a local where mannequin pis is. he speaks french a little bit of english, but i can understand most of what he says and we get pointed in the right direction. hooray! we find mannequin pis and the amazing waffle stand right next to him. lindsey and i, who hadn't eaten since our traumatizing seafood dinner, had the best waffles of our lives. if you're ever in brussels, go to the waffle stand by mannequin pis. it was recommended to me by both lyle and jessica, and now i add in my own recommendation. after the waffles, we happily walk up and down the streets, peeking in shops. i notice that the shops in brussels can be divided into a few categories: souvenirs, toy shops, waffle stands, chocolatiers, lace shops, and places that sell beer. for lunch we walked up and down this one street that contains all the seafood restaurants with beautiful displays of shellfish outside. lindsey and i both got mussels and drank our last westmalle beers. i don't think the mussels sat well with me, since i felt queasy all the rest of the day. then, very satisfied with our tour of the city, we headed to the airport.

after hours of waiting for the plane, narrowly missing it, and more hours of travelling on the tube and train, i finally arrived home at 11:40 PM. it is safe to say that this trip was a total success, i had a great time, and i have very high standards for beer now.

me, lindsey, and our delirium tremens

matthias and toon, our wonderful hosts

the view of brugge from the bell tower

mannequin pis

the best waffle of my life