I'm Only Here For the Chocolate...and Waffles... and Maybe a Little Sightseeing

One of the first trips we planned when we got to Germany was a four-day trip to Brussels, Belgium for Chocolate Week in November. All the chocolate shops participate in a week-long celebration of their world-famous Belgian chocolate and we just couldn't wait to sample it all. As our trip approached, Brian double-checked the website and realized with horror that the site was advertising last year's Chocolate Week and there were no dates for this year. Turns out we had planned our trip around year-old dates. Oops. Feeling deflated yet still determined, we decided to go anyway and make our own chocolate week. I mean, how hard can it really be? We found a list of chocolatiers that were close to the hotel we were staying in as well as a few other sights we wanted to see and we were set to go!

The day before we left I started packing for Ellie and myself. I set an open, empty suitcase on the floor in her room with the intent of packing it when I had finished with mine. Fifteen minutes later I came in to to find Ellie had packed it herself. Only the essentials of course -- but hey, at least she remembered to pack the diapers.

We took the train to Brussels and it's really become our favorite way to travel -- we can pick up the local S-Bahn train that's a ten minute walk from our house directly to the main train station. Of course we don't have a car at our destination, but since most sights are within walking distance, it's not too much of a hassle. Our train route took us up the Rhine River, and it seemed around every corner there was a castle to see!

And kids under six travel for free with their parents! With their own seat! Score!

After arriving in Brussels in the early afternoon we stood outside the train station, map in hand, attempting to get our bearings so we could find our hotel. Almost immediately an elderly woman shuffled up to us and asked (in French) what we were looking for. I told her in broken French that we were looking for our hotel and as soon as she heard the name, motioned us to follow her. After getting over my initial split-second suspicion that she was leading us into some tourist pick-pocketing trap, we followed her as she puffed away on her cigarette. She wasn't overly-friendly, but sure enough within a few minutes we were standing in front of our hotel.

The hotel Brian picked out was in a great location. We were able to walk everywhere and in a daring move we intentionally didn't bring the stroller. Ellie was a trooper!

It was COLD in Brussels while we were there so we made sure we were bundled up the entire time. After getting settled into our hotel we walked over to the Grand Place, the town square that is made up of old guild hall buildings. It's breathtaking!

They were just starting the set-up for their Christmas market and testing the lights for their nighttime light/music show. We caught the show two nights in a row and was certainly was worth pushing bedtime for.

Also a Brussels must-see attraction: The Manneken Pis.

"He's peeing mom!"

Lots and lots of walking.

Belgian waffles for breakfast. Ellie had them topped with fruit for two out of the three breakfasts we ate in Brussels.

"These are seriously good!"

My favorite was the Liege waffle. It's crispier and has bigger sugar crystals in the batter which makes it deliciously crunchy. I had one smothered in milk chocolate on our last night and thought I'd gone to heaven. Speaking of chocolate, we visited several shops, buying a box of chocolate at each one. We took no time to sample them. The anticipation was killing Ellie.

Finally a taste!

It's always a good bet you'll see a few churches in whatever town/city you visit.

(The Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula)

(Notre Dame du Sablon)

Ellie seeking sanctuary from her parents.

Other Brussels highlights:

The Smurfs!

Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert -- all decorated for the holidays!

Eating mussels in Brussels at Chez Leon down this street consisting of all restaurants.

Small gardens nestled among old buildings.

Brian and I both saw this sign at the same time and agreed that something was definitely lost in translation. Thanks, but we'll pass.

Beautiful architecture around every turn!

How I got Ellie to sit still enough to have her hair done each morning.

A not-so-spectacular moment of our trip: Ellie waking up an hour after we put her to bed the first night and working herself up so much (for reasons that still confound us) that she got sick all over the hotel room floor. Let me be the first to say how awesome it was to go down to the lobby to ask for new sheets and towels in pajama pants and flip flops at a time when most other, far more polished, people are just heading out for the night. The most important thing was that Ellie calmed down surprisingly quickly after a bath and watching a few minutes of Finding Nemo.

The train ride back to Stuttgart felt longer than the ride to Brussels but, despite showing some obvious signs of tiredness, Ellie was really good and content to read or watch a movie.

Since it was so cold during both our weekend trip to Spang and this trip to Brussels, it's left Brian and I wondering how to travel without freezing every time for the next few months until it starts warming up again. I'm not sure there's a good answer to that but we still plan to take some day trips in the very near future. Brian and I keep commenting to each other how nice everything will be in the spring and summer. I think it's time to start tuning our attention to the south!