Our first stop on our Mini European Vacation was to Brussels, Belgium. Belgium specializes in beer, chocolate, waffles, and frites (french fries), making it an absolute paradise for Ted. Belgians are the biggest consumers of french fries in Europe, and most stores sell at least 2 or 3 dozen brands of Belgian brewed beers. We skimmed through a Beers of Belgium book that was about 300 pages long!

Thanks to AirBNB and lots of research by Nada, we rented a bedroom in a house owned by a friendly young couple living just outside the city. She (Matilda) was from Belgium and he (Elie) was from Rwanda, and just like most people living in Belgium, they both spoke at least three languages. They generously provided with us maps of the area, bus/train cards, and lots of great information. Another great thing about having local hosts is they provide a personal look into the culture. For example, most Belgians seldom trouble themselves with politics, or as Elie explained, everything else is a distant second to family.

During our first day we strolled through the Grand Place, a 1,000 year old outdoor square in the City Centre lined with sidewalk cafes, breweries, and in the evenings, live entertainment. After lunch we toured the Museum of Musical Instruments. The unique thing about this museum is it houses instruments from around the world, and visitors can hear each instrument being played thanks to a trusty hand held device.
Many instruments on display, such as the hurdy gurdy, were totally new to both of us.

 

Our second day began with a stop at the Atomium, a futuristic looking Belgian landmark consisting of nine stainless steel spheres. Each ball has a viewing area, and the balls are connected by escalators and stairwells. The Atomium was built for the 1958 World Fair.

Next door to the Atomium is Mini Europe, which has miniature replicas of national landmarks belonging to every country in the European Union. Each exhibit included the country’s national anthem, and in some cases miniature protestors (depending on current events). The only downside to Mini Europe was its BIG entrance fee (still worth every Euro though).

After three days in Brussels, we took a train to Amsterdam in The Netherlands (and it’s from that very train we are writing this post). More to come from The Netherlands. Slaap well (“sleep well” in Dutch).