Mussels in Brussels and all that is Belgian

Charlotte, Kaitlin, and I took our final trip of our study abroad experience. We spent the past weekend in Brussels, experiencing all that is Belgian and meeting some great people in the process.

Day 1: Saturday

Our trip started not so early Saturday morning, and at this point the trip to the train station (and then on to London) has become so routine that there is very little stress involved. We left Nottingham at 10:30, grabbed lunch at London St. Pancras (at the same place we usually do, we have become creatures of habit), and after a new stamp in our passport books we were on our way to Belgium travelling via the Eurostar.

Chatting on the train...Charlotte felt left out

3 hours, a Chunnel trip, a metro journey, and a tram ride later, we arrived at our home for the weekend. We stayed with the nicest couple, their names were Elf and Garrett. They had so many interesting stories and the sweetest dog, Mambo. They both spoke nearly perfect English, and had spent some time in America (Elf actually lived in New York for 13 years). Mambo did not speak fluent English, as most dogs don't, instead he responded to French and Flemish as well as a little English. He was 10 but had only been part of the family for a month and was the happiest dog.

Mambo

So after settling in, freshening up, and receiving directions from Garrett, we were off riding the tram in hopes of eventually getting to Grand Place. At this point it was dark and very chilly, but it was so enjoyable nonetheless. We walked around the city, window shopping and smelling all of the good food. We wandered all the way to Grand Place, just in time to see a Christmas Tree lighting done in a very modern way.

A few videos of the Christmas Tree "Lighting"

Take note of the lady singing in the background, she was standing beside us and getting very into the Christmas spirit

And in this one you can just hear Charlotte talking

After seeing the Christmas Tree, we wandered some more, and ended up in a restaurant that Elf had suggested, excited to eat mussels in Brussels. In the packed restaurant with everyone seemingly speaking a foreign language, we got quite confused and ended up accidentally following a group from Poland up to a private dining area (once upstairs we realized that unlike everybody else we were not Polish and not supposed to be there). A few laughs later, we had been seated and ordered. Before we knew it we were all eating our mussels.

Mussels in Brussels

Chez Leon, where we ate dinner

Belgian Waffles covered in whipped cream
and belgian chocolate....yes please

Charlotte would be the one to get whipped cream
on her scarf

There was more wandering after dinner (and a stop for Belgian waffles), but soon enough we were back at our temporary home. We bonded with Mambo, and I had a very nice chat with Elf. When Charlotte and Kaitlin joined the conversation, and Charlotte asked about her adoption that she had earlier mentioned, she began telling us the most inspirational story about her already two year endeavor to adopt a 10 year old she had met while in Africa.

LOVE

I walk by the kitchen and I see this...

Then they pose for a picture

Day 2: Sunday

Sunday started with snow falling from the sky and a lovely breakfast provided for by our hosts--it was just a little something but it was so sweet of them! Soon enough very were trudging through the melting snow on the ground (hoping our feet would not get wet!).

Snow!!

Our first stop of the day was the Atomium. For those of you who do not know what it is, it is a model of a crystallized iron atom that is 165 million times the actual size. It was originally built for the World Expo in 1958, and is still a popular tourist attraction today. Visitors get to go to the very top, and venture around the atom. The view from the top is very impressive and it was so much fun to walk around--how many people can say they have been inside of a massive atom?

The Atomium from afar

View from the top!

View of Little Europe

Inside one of the arms

Venturing through the Atomium

And then there is a light show in one...

After the Atomium we spent the day at the Brussels Christmas Market with more wandering around the city. The market had just opened that weekend, and it had anything you could have wanted from yummy food and warm hats to russian souvenirs and handmade soap.

Bratwurst for lunch

Best picture!

Grand Place

Grand Place

Grand Place

Grand Place

Me and Kaitlin keeping warm!

Charlotte felt left out because she wasn't in the picture

The market was so massive that we did not tackle it all at once, we broke it up with a trip to the Chocolate Museum (chocolate making demonstration and tasting included) and a break for tea.

Clothes made of Chocolate

Yum!

Chocolate making demonstration

A break to warm up and drink tea

But then we were back outside in the cold and rain, but at that point it didn't bother us at all--we have finally gotten a little used to the weather. We paroozed around the market a little more, and had a little snack before heading back to Elf & Garrett's to dry off and warm up before dinner.

Such a pretty sky

But after a little time warming up (all laying in the king bed Charlotte and Kaitlin were sharing for the weekend), Elf came in and asked if we would like some snacks. Evidentially Garrett wanted to make us some Belgian food. It turns out his idea of snacks, was our idea of a meal. We sampled so many different things with different sauces for each. Garrett told us about how is was thinking about moving them back to New York, where he wanted to open up a Belgian Restaurant and a food truck as well. We ended up chatting for an hour about our families, homes (we told Elf and Garrett all about Charleston), and our dogs.

Charlotte resting/invading my personal space

After our meal, the three of us went out for a nice chat and glass of wine. It was a nice way to end the night, and our trip.

Day 3: Monday

Monday was a short day in Brussels, but a long travel back. After a quick breakfast and goodbyes, we headed back to London on the Eurostar, grabbed lunch at St. Pancras, and ended up back in Nottingham at five.

It was such a lovely trip, with such wonderful hosts, Brussels definitely ranks as one of my favorite cities!

Sunsets at Nottingham

Now that I am back in Nottingham, I only have 2 weeks left, so between writing essays I am going to make the most of my time that I have left.