Brussels & Bruges, Belgium

Brussels

Meandering cobblestoned streets, this is much more our pace. The architecture protected and honored in its original or near original state welcomed us into an accepting and happy environment. After a quick nap we headed out to The Grand Place, the most popular destination in Brussels. Breathtaking. We sat here for well over an hour. Just sat, soaking it in. Not even the sweet scent of freshly made waffles or world famous chocolate could pull us away.

Bruges

Stunning. Delicious. Free chocolate samples. World famous beers. Friendly, genuine people. Bruges seems like a weekend get away for many Europeans. We came across a half dozen or so bachelor parties from England, being its only a 3 hour train ride away, and they like to drink, boisterously.

Most of the people however, seem to be there to enjoy the architecture and chocolates as they wander on the centuries old streets. There are Belgian waffles being sold on every corner, nook and cranny. These weren't exactly as we had expected, with a sort of candied glaze protecting a cake like center, or are these just toasted preservatives. Nonetheless this was devoured, under a mound of fresh chocolate sauce, strawberries and whipped cream. Waffles, available anytime of day. Our appetite was more suited for Belgian beer which was delightfully quenched with a 5 beer sampler platter...and one more for good measure. Proost!

Chocolate. My ever present companion in life. The calmer of stress and bringer of joy, bliss and joiner of thighs (more on this later). We have embraced you on this journey and invited you into our back packs, mouths and belly's. You dark temptress of delight. A piece here, a bar there we are now on the hunt for Belgian chocolate everywhere we go. Or something better...I doubt this exists. But possibly in Switzerland.

Belgian Chocolate: We are on a budget. This is disheartening when surrounded by chocolatiers and having an insatiable need for it. Good for us, most provided free samples. Plates of coco dusted mounds of delight, broken truffles and even whole truffles...free! We splurged at two chocolate shops, one being one of only four remaining chocolate makers in the country. This was sad information to digest...okay, we'll take four more pieces to assist with the suppression of this news. The difference between the mass produced chocolate and this centuries old labor of love was difficult to taste. All of it was remarkably delicious. Smooth. Delicate. Melt on your fingertips, lips, tongue. You must choose: chew and swallow quicly so that you can get more on those engorged tastebuds. Or roll it around slowly. Letting it melt and linger. We are the lingering types. Grinning, eyes closed, hands clapping with every burst of flavor and slight moans, this is how we eat our Belgian chocolate.

Swiss Chocolate: Horrifically overpriced. Lacking flavor. Dry. Possibly stale? Disclaimer: we were high in the mountains, in a tourist town. One thing for certain, this chocolate was not handmade in the back of the store. Beautifully displayed we surrendered to the dark temptress of delight and filled two bags (two large truffles, two small truffles and eight pre packaged niblets...$16.00). We could have had all of this, freshly made for a third of the price in Belgium. We eat this rapidly. Hopeful that the next piece is better, more flavorful. The pre packaged chocolate wins this taste comparison. I wish we had the $16.00 back.

Now in Spain, chocolate is commonly spelled Nestle. A bottle of wine is cheaper.

**Fittingly, we chose our picture of a chocolate Manneken Pis (the famous bronze sculpture in Brussels) and like to think of him as literally pissing all over his competition.