Traveling brings me joy, discovery, education, surprise, anxiety and challenge. This trip did not disappoint. Many tourists / travelers give Belgium a miss. Except Brussels and Bruges. Even my Dutch friend, Hendrik, wondered why we made Belgium a destination. Belgium doesn’t market itself well, nor does it have that singular big draw, like the Eiffel Tower, Riviera or the Louvre in France. Spain has the Alhambra, Gaudi, the Prado. Even tiny Netherlands brands itself with Amsterdam. But having now scratched the surface, I’d say there is much to discover and uncover in this country. There is the French vibe in places like Brussels and a more Germanic / Dutch feel in places like Antwerp. There is a diverse population which brings so many “villages” to each city. From the grittier Liege to the slicked up over touristed Bruges.
As a bonus, we got to visit old friends in the Netherlands. Those beautifully warm and cherished connections.
Today, our last day in Brussels and in Belgium, I wanted to discover a little more. This morning Grubb said “I have a suggestion. Let’s go to this Parc du Chambre”. This led to some negotiating. I picked out a couple neighborhoods. Saint-Gilles (bohemian, Art Nouveau) and Matonge (Congolese). Compromise position…there is a park bordering Saint Gilles with a nice view.
Above: Congolese fabric shop and a bit of street art
The long and short of it was we wandered and explored. Stopped at a Michelin rated restaurant (Mamy Louise) for an elegant late lunch. I had risotto with scallops. Grubb had blackened salmon with white asparagus. For dessert, ice cream at Pepe’s. A sweet treat before becoming suspended in the surreal world of airplane and airports for 18 hours tomorrow.
Above: Cappuccino in a record shop
Above: Flourishes everywhere
Thanks to both of you for sharing your Brussels experience. May you have a smooth trip home!
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The last day of a trip usually feels bittersweet to me. From the look and sound, seems like a rich vacation. Makes me want to visit myself one day. Thanks for sharing!
I am always sad on the last day. Never really ready to go home. Belgium was an interesting place to be.
Welcome home! How was your travel day home? How’s the jet lag?
Thanks!. The travel day was a little challenging. Brussels to IAD was wonderful. IAD to ABQ had some issues but we got home. Jet lag – it will take a few more days to iron out the sleep schedule but getting there.
It often seems that the USA portion of our flights have issues as well. Our flight from Madrid to Dallas was delayed an hour and a half, causing them to reschedule our connection in Dallas to several hours later. But the reason our Madrid flight was delayed was because the plane was late coming in from Dallas. US air travel is a mess.