Travel Bug

I love, love, love to travel. I am always planning somewhere new to go. It’s doesn’t really matter if my trip is stateside or abroad or If I am by myself, with someone I care about or a large group of people. If it involves a new change of pace, I’m there. I love road-trips, not a fan of buses but I’ll still hop on one, I love boat rides, plane rides and everything in between. (I’m a fan of butterflies in my tummy from turbulence.)

I haven’t updated on my some of my past trips. I surely meant to, I just haven’t had the time. So here is a quick entry on Brussels. I love Brussels because of the architecture, history and the food. While visiting Brussels you will notice that everything is in two different languages, Dutch and French. This is a bit controversial, as the native people of Belgium are not too keen on the invasion from France. When I spoke French in Brussels I wasn't ostracized. The city has adapted and is bilingual. Although, I was warned to not speak French and to use my native English tongue when traveling through the countryside.

In Brussels, the French culture is very prominent. If you're looking for French Cusine without the price tag, then Brussels is a great choice. Brussels is less expensive than Paris, another favorite city of mine. When it comes to cuisine, if you love food in general, then Brussels is superb and will not disappoint. The quality of food and wine are outstanding. This city has great history and wonderful stories told by the locals. The buildings are quite beautiful and breath-taking. I was able to stay with a friend, in her stunning apartment. Imagine high ceilings, doors that a giant could fit through and little extra features only Old World designers could come up with. Everything was gorgeous, from the oversized tub to the door-handles. Plus, my hostess was incredible, I didn’t want to leave her. I would spend all day exploring the city and then come home and we would talk for hours, over wonderful wine and something delicious she would whip up from her daily market findings. In short, I was in travel heaven!

Here are some photos to inspire you to travel more. Travel is always life changing.


This photo is of an underground Roman city that they found while building the new Grand Palace. It was outstanding and since I was there during the winter months, I had the whole place to myself. It was quite sensational to walk through history.
I love tasting menus. You are able to try a little bit of everything. This was my lunch one day. I found this incredible, little bistro just hiding in an alley. It included some local and French favorites, like, French Onion Soup, Crusted Goat Cheese Salad and a Croquette. I washed this all down with a beautiful French Burgundy.
Back at the apartment, with my fantastic hostess, she introduced me to Raclette. It is a type of cheese and Swiss and French dish. You have a Raclette machine, which is a little grill. Before you start make sure to boil small potatoes. Then place a slice of cheese in a small pan, under the grill. While the cheese is melting, place vegetables or meats on top of the grill. Cut up a few of the potatoes and pour the cheese off of the pan. Enjoy with a nice bottle of wine. She taught me to never have water and melted cheese together. Always drink wine, the acidity helps to break down the cheese. She didn't have to explain this to me. She had me at drink wine...

Brussels has some of the most incredible architecture in the world. A favorite Architect and Designer is Victor Horta. He was famous for Art Nouveau designs. This is a photo of the outside of Victor Horta's Home. To me, it felt like being inside of a Dr. Seuss book. The painstaking details were incredible. Brass handles were molded by hand. There was a stained glass ceiling. Multiple passageways and secret doors.
There is much to see in Brussels, you'll just have to travel there to see it for yourself!

PS. Brussels is known as the dog poop capital of the world. I found this out the hard way and was constantly dodging poop piles on the sidewalks. Just be prepared.