It was our last day in Belgium and it dawned VERY cold and foggy. We had wanted to get out into nature in the Ardennes as there are tons of hiking and biking trails. We’d learned of a hike – more of a walk really – from the tourist information shop when we arrived. It started right from our hotel so after a hearty breakfast of – yes, more bread – we were on our way.

The views weren’t phenomenal because of the fog but what a lovely and peaceful walk. It started through the town of Dinant and past some wonderful old, well-kept houses, some of which were decorated for Halloween. Then we found ourselves in more of a forest surrounded on either side by trees. Eventually we made our way along some open fields and quite near to a motorway. We ended up right back at our sweet hotel where the sun was beginning to shine and the skies beginning to clear. It was a great way to begin our last day.

Here goes….I consider myself a pretty savvy traveler. I do a ton of research on places before we even book and then I do more research before we travel. To that end, I knew that while we were in Dinant I wanted to travel to the nearby town of Durbuy. Legend has it that Durbuy is the smallest town in the world – not true – but it was supposed to be lovely with cobblestone streets and stone houses and cafes and boutiques. Also, the town was hosting a light and sound show for Halloween and I thought it would be a great way to see the small town in a unique way. Well, come to find out, Durbuy is not so easy to get to from Dinant by train. In fact, the town that is 30 minutes away by car is over 4 hours away by train! In my defense, I had researched whether or not we needed a car and had convinced myself we did not. So…no Durbuy or Halloween show for me. Note to readers…do your research! I have learned my lesson on this one. I’m not going to say I wasn’t disappointed but – with John’s help – I’d make the best of it.

Instead we decided to take a quick trip to the capital of the Wallonia region – Namur. This city had been on my list as a potential place to stay so it was intriguing. Also, it was a quick 30 minute train ride. We could literally go in for lunch! Which is kind of what we did.

It’s worth noting that the train ride from Dinant to Namur is lovely. The train winds down the Meuse river and you’ll see all of the cute little towns and larger cities along the way. On a beautiful sunny day, it was a nice way to spend 30 minutes.

Namur – well, I felt a bit like I was back in Antwerp but with a little bit more of a personality. This was definitely another big city. And tourism is big here. We made our way directly to the tourist information office as we really had no idea about the city. It is such a tourist destination – and a day trip really – that for 1 euro you can buy a city map that will walk you through the city’s famous sites. So we bought the map and began the walking tour.

I still don’t know much about Namur but I now know that if you want to shop – for clothing or shoes – go to this city! Almost immediately upon leaving the train station, on Rue de Fer, you’ll be hit with store upon store – from jewelry to lingerie to all types of shoes. Your mainstream European chain stores are also on this street – H&M, Zara, you get the gist.

Considering the way we pack for our European travels, we really couldn’t buy much but I did get some sweet boots! According to the French shop keeper, they were in the style of Louis Vuitton. I felt tres chic! And the sweet shop keeper’s son recommended a nice spot for lunch where we had a wonderful Croque Monsieur – my favorite….

We did end up walking around the city and it was nice – especially the river – but we weren’t too into it and headed back to Dinant after just a couple of hours.

Back in sleepy little Dinant we spent some time lounging and then headed our for our last beers – I mean meal of course! A little bar-hopping was in order on our last night. We started at Le Cafe Ardennais which is a cafe across from the train station and right on the river Muese. John and I both really knew which beer we wanted that night – for me Leffe Ruby and for John Cornet which is the beer we had in Ghent. So we walked up to the bar and John asked for a beer list. Well, the sulky bartender looked at him like he had three heads! And he waved his arms around like….there’s beer everywhere….ok then. No Cornet for John. He settled on the Leffe Blonde which was an easy choice because it was on tap. Note to readers here…in Belgium bartenders and waiters make a living wage. Meaning they do not rely on tips. This is both a good and bad thing right? 🙂

We wandered the town in search of more beer – I mean food of course! We finally settled on Le Saxophone. Sounds so touristy, right? And it really was touristy and right in the middle of the small town square. But it was also really nice. We had a waiter who spoke broken English but was able to describe the food and beer. I stuck with my Leffe Ruby but John went all in – trying 2 different beers! One was a Chimay Blonde and the other was a local Dinant beer called Le Croisette de Dinant.

It was a very nice way to end our wonderful trip to Belgium. If you’re still reading (please tell me who you are!!!) then I will write another post about an amateur’s guide to Belgian beer. Then, more on our next trip in the spring. Off to Bilbao spain. I’ll be starting my research now 🙂

Antwerp hadn’t treated us well so far but we were determined to change our perspective. To that end we signed up to do another free tour – this one called the Legends of Antwerp tour. It began at the famous Grote Markt. The Grote Markt is a famous square in the middle of the town center. It is where the famous city hall sits and boasts countless cafes, waffle shops, chocolate shops, gift shops…you get my drift. And it is impressive – the architecture is super cool. But – the city hall – which would be the most picturesque part of the square – is under construction and you can’t see one single part of it! I mean, it’s completely covered by a temporary facade. So sad…

The facade of the city hall, however, is flanked on both sides by old guild houses and they are quite a sight! In the middle of the square is an enormous statue of the mythical Roman soldier Silvius Brabo throwing the severed hand of a slain giant – Antigoon – at his feet.

We met up with our tour guide, Bart Simpson minus the Simpson. He began the tour with the legend of the soldier mentioned above. And the origin of the name Antwerp. Per the legend, Antigoon was a giant who lived on the river in Antwerp and charged obscenely high tolls for anyone using the (very important) port. If someone didn’t pay he chopped his hand off and threw it into the river. Obviously this wasn’t good for business and Brabo saved the day (and the city?) by slaying Antigoon. As another measure, he cut off his large hand and also tossed it into the river. A guess as to why the city is called Antwerp? The combination of the Dutch words for hand throwing – “hand werpen“. Per Bart, however, this is the first legend. No one really knows how the city came into it’s name.

The tour was really nice. Bart was an excellent tour guide – knowledgeable, passionate about his city, funny and engaging. We walked through the Groenplaats Square – or Green Place. This is another famous city square but this is the touristy one. There is actually a Hilton hotel with an 18th century facade here. Per Bart, we should stay away from this place. He said that not much of Antwerp is a tourist trap but this is one of the few areas that were. Well, it was a gorgeous day so it was a nice place to stand and listen to Bart but I could see what he meant. A Hilton? Surrounded by cafes charging lots of money for beer!

The other cool part of this square is the statue of Peter Paul Rubens – the famous artist who came from Antwerp. He is considered one of the most influential Baroque artists of all time and he is very, very highly regarded in Antwerp.

Bart took us through the fashion district (YAY!) and to the Plantin-Moretus Museum – a museum dedicated to the founders of the printing press. We were able to check out the garden there which was just lovely.

The tour ended at the well known Cathedral of our Lady. The cathedral towers over the center of Antwerp but – as with the City Hall – is under construction and it’s complete spire is covered. Sad again…

At the end of the tour Bart gave us his recommendations for restaurants and chocolatiers. Well, we hadn’t had a Belgian waffle yet and there was one of his favorites. So off we went. What is wrong with a lunch consisting of waffles and chocolate anyway?

There are a couple of things to know about waffles if you’re traveling to Belgium. First, do not call them Belgian waffles! There are two types here and you will stand out like the tourist you are if you ask for a Belgian waffle. First there is the Brussels waffle. These are rectangular in shape and are larger than the Liege waffle. They are typically sprinkled with powdered sugar and served hot. Leige waffles, on the other hand, are smaller and thicker with rounder edges and contain clumps of sugar. Both are served with your choice of very yummy toppings.

I’m embarrassed to say that I didn’t note the name of the waffle shop because it was so good. But it was very near the entrance of the Cathedral of our Lady. And it was a sit-down waffle shop – not just one where you take your waffle away. And it was wonderful. Neither me or John are huge fans of waffles but we both enjoyed it. The waiter told us right away it would take a little time as they made the waffle fresh. It was served hot with a bowl of warm cherries next to it. John and I both proceeded to pour the cherries over the waffle – they fit so nicely into the little squares – and went to town! It was a very nice lunch. And we followed it up with, of course, Belgian chocolates! This time from Nello chocolate shop – also near the entrance to the cathedral – where the sweet woman who helped us said her mother made the chocolate.

After the tour I wanted to meander through the fashion district of course. Antwerp, like Bruges, was very crowded. Of course it was a gorgeous Saturday so perhaps that was to be expected. But post-shopping we needed a nap. Back to our dump…

Our evening in Antwerp started back at Grote Markt where there was a bar that looked over the statue of Bravo. It was a pretty nice night so we started by sitting outside at Den Engel which had a pretty happening crowd – both inside and outside. And they had the beer we wanted to try – another local beer called Bolleke. This was a beer mentioned by Bart Simpson, minus the Simpson, during our walking tour. A beer brewed right in Antwerp and without a ton of alcohol in it. It was actually pretty nice. But here’s something to note. Smoking is not allowed inside Antwerp’s bars (since 2011) so all of the smokers either sit outside or come outside to smoke. So much for the nice night outdoors. We headed inside for another taste of the bar.

Time for another feeding. In our dump there were a few guidebooks on Antwerp. I found what one said were the 5 best places to eat like a local. One was Chez Fred. Sounded good to us so we headed there.

But we made a pit stop first. A trip to Belgium wouldn’t be complete without trying the famous Belgian fries – or Belgian frites as they’re called. First fries in Belgium are different from anywhere else in the world. And they’re considered a delicacy here. They’re simply made differently here. First they’re fried twice! Yes twice. And they’re fried in animal fat. Yes animal fat. And then they’re served with your choice of sauces. Not just your average ketchup here. For the most part they’re eaten with a small plastic fork and with a vat of thick, creamy mayonnaise! The verdict – yes they were delicious and definitely worth trying. John loved the mayonnaise; I did not. But even without the sauces they were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. And served piping hot and fresh…. yum!

Onward, this time we finally got out of central Antwerp and into another neighborhood. It was much quieter and more peaceful – even just a few short minutes from Grote Markt. However, Chez Fred was completely booked. I asked the bartender for a recommendation and she said Dansing Chocola – just a few minutes walk – would be quite similar. It was really nice! It was also very crowded but one of the waiters took care of us until a table was ready. An eclectic little restaurant with tons of outdoor seating and quaint little nooks – one of which we sat in. If it helps the reader to picture it, there were figurines of Tweety Bird, Speedy Gonzalos, Jeppeto, etc. Nice! Glasses of wine for both of us – again enough with the beer! – and the waitress tried to translate the specials. I went for the traditional Flemish beef stew again because I knew I’d love it. But John ventured out and went for a stew of “pork cheeks” – at least that’s how the waitress translated it. Either way, our meal was great. Comforting and filling. The people watching was also great there. A good end to our day in Antwerp.

If you’re still reading this post it goes without saying that I was a bit disappointed in Antwerp. But part of that is on me…I didn’t do the research to make the most of this city. But I will say – it is a big city, not a small town, and it has the things that I don’t necessarily like about a big city – it’s dirty, crowded, not very friendly. Try it for yourself but…Antwerp, I’m disappointed.

After a hearty breakfast at Con Ampare B&B – everyone needs a breakfast of a small loaf of bread with butter and jam right? – we headed out to check out Bruges.

Our first stop was Sint-Janshospitaal. The hospital was constructed during the mid 12th century! It served as a place where sick pilgrims and travelers could go to be cared for by nuns and monks. This medieval building served as a hospital until 1977 – over 800 years! The architecture in this place is amazing! You are given a free audio tour which explains artwork in the hospital as well as instruments used by doctors to heal the sick and perform bloodletting rituals. Bloodletting is the withdrawal of blood from a patient to prevent or cure illness and disease. During the Middle Ages some believed that blood and other bodily fluids were “humours” that had to remain in proper balance to maintain health. Yeah…creepy.

This place was fascinating. John said he got a spiritual vibe being there. It was incredible to be in such an old amazing building and try to picture what went on inside – including caring for patients with the plague.

Another thing John really wanted to do was see the relic of the blood of Jesus Christ. But on our way we got distracted – by tourists and canals and chocolate shops and BEER! Being the savvy travels we are we managed to get in the shortest queue for a boat trip along the lovely canals of Bruges. This is such a cool, alternative way to see the city that I recommend it for everyone. Although our driver did provide a little bit of information about the buildings we passed, it was really more about admiring the scenery from a different perspective. It’s a lovely way to see the city and for just $8 euro per person, totally worth it!

The Basilica of the Holy Blood was closed for lunch (huh?) and it was really time for us to try a Belgian beer so we headed to our host’s favorite local pub to try “angel pee-pee”. The pub is called De Garre and it’s accessed via a “hidden” street between the Burg and the Belfry tower. We had to turn around once because we missed it the first time! But it is a cozy little pub and of course we ordered the house beer – Tripel van De Garre. It is served with fanfare in a huge brandy-like glass with a ton of head (hehe) and a small bowl of cheese. The bar will also only serve you two of these beers as they have 11% alcohol! Perhaps needless to say, I found it to be less than angel pee-pee. John, however, loved it. But the combo of cheese and beer was really nice and the coziness of the bar was totally worth it. And I swear after only a few sips of this beer I was a little buzzed!

Finally we were off to the Basilica of the Holy Blood. This is interesting…every day this relic is brought out and put on display so that a wave of tourists and religious folks can come to admire it and also give the basilica money. The relic is an ornate vial filled with a bit of fabric that is said to hold the blood of Jesus Christ. You literally walk to the alter (and no pictures!) one-by-one (or with your spouse/partner) to place your hands on the glass box that houses the relic and say a prayer. You are given some information and then go on your marry way. I’m not going to lie – it was moving – but experts are still trying to prove the authenticity of the relic itself.

All right – it had been almost 24 hours and we hadn’t dipped into one of the scores of chocolate shops in Bruges! I know…ridiculous! It was time…literally in the city of Bruges I think there is a chocolate shop (or three) every single block! It’s actually overwhelming – in a good way – because how do you choose? Well, we’d asked Filip and Annemieke so we at least had some direction. We headed to Depla Chocolatier in the center of Bruges. This particular chocolate shop has been in business since 1968. The chocolates are laid out and named for the customer to choose. Since we don’t read Flemish it was a bit confusing because everything looked delicious! We ended up choosing a little box of 5 different chocolates. Well, we didn’t even get a city block before they were all gone! They ranged from butterscotch filling to marshmallow to a ganache. And this chocolate is definitely different from the states – rich and thick and oh so good!

We had sustenance and we’d literally seen all of the things on our list so we wandered – just wandered through this gorgeous little town. All of the medieval buildings are brick and well-kept and none is over 3 stories tall. The canals run through the center of town and seem to always be filled with tourists in boats. The banks of the canals are lush and green with areas blooming with flowers (I can’t imagine how gorgeous spring is here!). We headed toward the Lake of Love and Lovers Bridge.

The Lake of Love is in the middle of Minnewater Park and is named for a legend of a pretty girl named Minna who was in love with a man who her father didn’t approve of – Stromberg. Her father arranged for her to marry another man and she ran away. When Stromberg found her, she died in his arms of exhaustion. The lake was named after Minna. It is also said if you walk over the bridge and kiss your loved one, it will be eternal love. So sweet…and the lake is lovely – there are swans all over the place and you can sit and hear the clip-clop of horses as they transport lovers around the park.

There is always shopping to do in Bruges so of course we had to get a bit of that in. But on the way we happened upon the Begijnhof (Beguinage). This area was once the home of beguines, emancipated lay woman who lead lives without men. They still adhere to a strict code of silence. It was so peaceful and beautiful in there.

And then back to our B&B for a much needed nap!

Yes we were in Bruges but yes John and I love wine. We’d heard about a great wine bar from both our B&B and from our dinner hosts – a place called, appropriately, Blend. Just a couple short blocks from our hotel, it was a sweet, trendy spot with a pretty decent wine list! Considering we were in THE country of beer! In fact, when we expressed our delight at finding a wine bar in Bruges, he stated, “yeah, we hate beer here”! Blasphemy!

We had a couple of yummy wines and a gorgeous charcuterie board. We also had the kind of conversation that makes a vacation. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, this is why I travel. To learn, to grow, to relax and fall in love all over again!