Trip to Belgium - November 2002

Around Thanksgiving, Michelle and I visited Belgium. Why Belgium, you ask? Why not? We spent most of our time in Brussels with a day trip to Bruges. Don't want to read my notes? Skip straight to the pictures.

There are just a few words you need to know about Belgium:

• Beer - The world's best. Hundreds are brewed here in an incredible variety of styles. While bars are not as common as you might think, it is still more than possible to drink your way through Belgium for several days and still have many beers left over to try.
• Chocolate - Godiva and much more, it is all right here.
• Waffles - Not as good as the beer or chocolate, but the waffles sold hot at streetside stands are an excellent snack.
• Frites - There's nothing like a messy, greasy cone of French Fries smothered in mayo.
• Buildings - Belgium is loaded with exactly the type of old, historic architecture American tourists love, in a variety of styles.

We were there 4 days, which I see as an ideal length of time to be in the country. Some highlights and recommendations:

• Hotel Amigo (****) - Right next to Grand Place in the center of Belgium, this is where we stayed. Recent renovated with smart, modern, if not overly spacious rooms, what puts this hotel over the top is the fantasic service of the staff. Make friends with the concierge and the bartender, and you will be rewarded.
• Bruneau (*****) - A restaurant that deserves three Michelin stars if anyone does. Every single element of our dining experience here was perfect. One of the handful of finest meals I've ever eaten. The food was deceptive in its simplicity, such as the unadored turbot that simply exploded with flavor in your mouth. I'm still stunned as to how anyone makes plain whitefish taste so damn good. Again, the staff here sets this place apart. They were perfectly attentive while adapting to our American desire to stay away from stuffiness. They even gave us a nice hardcover guide to fine restaurants as a gift.
• Comme Chez Soi (***) - Rated the top restaurant in Belgium, this one was a bit of a disappointment. I mean, it was clearly an above average meal, but my expecations where sky high. Additionally, it also suffered from comparison with Bruneau, which outclassed it in every way. I can see the "old school" appeal, but this one just wasn't quite to the elite league in our opinion.
• Chimay (****), Orval (****), Kwak (***), Bush Blonde (unrated) - Four of our favorite beers. Michelle was particularly partial to the Bush Blonde. I preferred the Trappist Chimay (available in several varieties - all good as far as I can tell) and Orval.
• Bruges (***) - A daytrip to this quaint town, with many buildings preserved since the 15th century, is definitely worth it. The hour train trip from Brussels is like a commuter rail ride, and trains depart twice an hour to and from.
• Bru (*****) - A local Belgian sparkling water, this is by far the best I've ever tasted. Crisp and refreshing. I truly wish this were available in the United States (I've never seen it).
• Toone (***) - A bar with a moderate collection of Belgian beers, and a massive amount of character. See a picture below.
• Du Fosse (***) - A very nice modern furniture store in Bruges with some lines that don't have US distribution. Michelle and I bought a CD rack here. www.dufosse.be
• Dandoy (***) - A shop (chain?) next to our hotel that sells these mini toasted breads with sugar baked on them. Awesome

Michelle and I sampling some beers at the famous bar at the Theatre Royal de Toone.

Michelle standing next to the rolling death trap more commonly referred to in Europe as the "Smart" car.

Me standing on an overlook next to the Palais de Justice.

No trip to Brussels is complete without a picture of Manneken Pis. The statue is only about 2 1/2 feet tall.

Brussels is filled with interesting (and amusing) cartoon murals on the sides of buildings. They are a delight to stumble across.

Lastly, the bizarre atomium, a 300 ft. replica of an iron atom built for the 1958 World's Fair.