Brussels and Bruges in a Weekend

We are not generally spontaneous people, especially when it comes to travel. So when Dave called from the office on Thursday and said he was looking at driving to Brussels, a three-hour car ride away, I worked my magic, found a great deal and within the hour we were booked for a weekend in Brussels. (Leaving the next day!)

The thing about being spontaneous is I can't do the level of research I usually do when we travel. I researched the Italy trip for three months. I had about a day for Brussels. Less for Bruges, which we added to the trip in the car. So, yeah. I was flying a bit blind here.

I found two very "us" things to do in Brussels on Saturday. We started our day at Mini Europe, a little park north of the city with these cute, miniature buildings from cities around Europe. Hysterical. And, just nearby, Star Wars: Identities Expo -- a traveling exhibit of Star Wars props and behind-the-scenes stories. Total geek out. 

Everything else we did was by sheer luck or quick googling. (Travel details below.)

Mini Europe and the Atomium Behind

The Girls at the Star Wars Exhibit. Yeah, We're Geeks 

By the time we finished the Expo and got into the main hub of Brussels, the Gay Pride Parade was in full swing, so our city navigating was a bit hampered (though, great soundtrack and plenty of spontaneous dancing).

Brussels is filled with beautiful buildings and fantastic little shops and bars. Chocolate shops are everywhere. The central Place is amazing. A gorgeous mix of gothic, baroque and neo-classical architecture. You really need about an hour to take it all in.

You Could Stare At This Building For Hours and Not See All the Details

We didn't get into any museums and missed a bunch of sights, so a return trip might be necessary. With a bit more lead-time. Thanks.

The next morning we headed to Bruges, which is only an hour north of Brussels. Again, with no research I was flying blind but made it to the big sights. The city is much smaller than Brussels, reminding us of a Newport, or even Venice because of the canals.

We loved Bruges. It was clean, with delicate architecture and smaller brick buildings. And I geeked out over the horse-drawn carriages that, if you closed your eyes, could transport you to the city two-hundred years ago. Sigh. And the medieval castle, with tower, in the center of town - Squeeeeal!

The Courtyard of the Tower

Overall, it was a delight to see these cities -- even in one day, we felt like we saw much of them. They're so walkable and easy to map. Plus, everyone either spoke French, Dutch or English -- most could speak all three. It was pretty awesome.  

And the shopping was excellent. Chocolate and beer shops are pretty much everywhere. The Belgium beer is supposed to be the best, so Dave had a field day buying up a bunch of bottles. And the girls ate all the waffles and chocolate they could handle.

We headed home Sunday night, to have a chill Monday (it was Whit Monday, a French holiday) before the girls headed back to school. 

Here Are All the Travel Details:
Brussels
- We stayed at the Radisson RED hotel, a cool (dare I say hip?), very modern hotel within walking distance to the center of town.
- We had waffles at Maison Dandoy, crowded but with yummy and authentic waffles.
- We ate dinner at Ginette Bar near the hotel. Organic beers and ciders. And the fries were glorious (served with mayo). Super yum!

Bruges
- We bought lots of beer at the Bottle Shop.
- We ate yummy burgers at Jilles just south of the Markt.
- We picked up chocolate from just about everywhere.
- Next time we visit, I want to get a tour of the Belfry, and walk through the Historium.