Europe ’24 Trifecta: Belgium
Just the quickest glimpse of but a single corner of one of the few countries I’d somehow missed in my earlier Western European travels: Bruges, Belgium. I don’t usually favor such a short dash (just 3 nts) into a new country (well o.k. save for Brunei whilst I happened to be exploring the surrounding isle of Malaysian Borneo in 2013), but I had not one, but two incentives for this Belgium dash:
- My dear doc here in Cuenca (who patched me up swiftly from a dangerous DVT in order to travel at all) is from Belgium (and speaks no less than 5 languages), and…
- Belgium is little more than a 2 hr. Eurostar whiz from central London so… why not at least take a peek before heading to Ireland (and coincidentally make this a sweet “Trifecta”)?
And I’m so glad I did. Not only was my abbreviated visit a delight, but I’m now eager to return for a much longer spell. I’d originally planned on spending 2 nts. in Bruges and 1 nt. in the capital (Brussels). But given the discomfort of a lame left arm (thanks to a previous stumble in London) plus a week’s whirlwind of fabulous activities shared with my chum Chuck in London, suffice – I opted to slow things down a bit, and spend all 3 of my precious Belgium nights amid the tranquil splendor of Bruges.
While I’m used to being immersed in the babble of a foreign language (Spanish) here in South America, following a week of being surrounded by my native tongue in England, I must say – the sudden mix of French and Dutch/Flemish came as a bit of a shock in Belgium. But happily, my rusty French (from my ’79 stint as a student in Avignon, France) came in quite handy.
Thank goodness for language pictures!
With barely a couple of days in Bruges I was of course eager to see the main sights and (more importantly) sample the local cuisine that Belgium is famous for: chocolate, waffles, “frites”/fries, and beer.
But first… I had a chore to do: LAUNDRY! Tis the downside of traveling light/carry-on only – after a week in London, pretty much my entire wardrobe needed a good sudsing. But happily, there was a “laverie libre-service” (self-serve laundromat) right across the street from my hotel. Just a matter of – um, deciphering the Dutch instructions…
Chores done, I ambled through Bruges cobbled lanes to the stunningly picturesque “Markt” (the central plaza). Unlike the frenetic (self-imposed but still…) pace of my week with chum Chuck in London – I deliberately didn’t have any pre-arranged activities scheduled for my short stay in Bruges. Indeed, while I adored each and every one of the many eclectic activities we managed to squeeze into a week in London – I was most happy to return to my customary “free spirit” style of travel for my remaining 2 weeks in Belgium and Ireland.
Besides, my lame arm pretty much ruled out most anything strenuous – like the bicycle spree I’d initially planned to explore the string of windmills in the Bruges countryside. So I instead focused on simply gawking at the bucolic charm of Bruges’ unique architecture and web of watery canals, plus of course – eating (and drinking) my way through Belgium’s uniquely renowned taste treats.
And oh my – the wee town of Bruges (pop. little more than 100,000) surely must have indeed invented the word “bucolic”. Strolling through the central plaza and wandering down ever more charming side lanes easily filled my short stay.
As none of my feeble attempts to capture the scene could possibly do it justice – I present you instead with a (Creative Commons licensed) panorama photographed by “Cavalier JY” (clearly snapped on a less busy day in some far earlier pre-covid/tourist-explosion time frame). Nonetheless, it truly does look pretty much like this:
© Cavalier JY
Belgian Beer…
As I said – I was determined to taste the legendary Belgium eats/drinks, so my first stop was the much touted “Beer Wall” at the “2be bar” – w/ no less than *1250* different ales displayed in the foyer of a 15rh century manor house and a handy patio overlooking one of Bruges stunning canals.
Needless to say, (though I’ve never been much of a “drinker” and I surely don’t know my “ipa”s from my “DO”s – nonetheless “When in Belgium…”) trust that I settled in on said seductive patio w/ my own “flight” of four tastings (€12):
- Coconut – just a delightful hint of it.
- Bruges White – brewed with wheat; aromas of hops, orange zest and coriander.
- KRIEK BOON – a fruit beer aged in oak barrels; brewed with 240g of cherries per liter.
- La Corne Blond – citrus and rose aromas – yum!
Belgian Waffles…
Later, I also (foolishly) sampled my first ever (allegedly) “true” Belgian “leige” waffle – alas from a wee street cart in the central plaza and… it was TERRIBLE! Doughy, tasteless – ugh!
Ah but happily – the following day I found the “Otto” waffle shop that I’d researched – serving fresh crispy waffles made with oats and “coconut blossom” sugar – in a unique “lace” design. Goodness, what a difference! Pure HEAVEN with a scoop of coconut ice cream (again, overlooking those serene Bruges canals).
Belgian beer – ☑
Belgian waffle – ☑
Only two traditional Belgian gotta-taste’s left on my list…
Belgian Chocolate…
Next up: Why Belgium’s renowned CHOCOLATE of course!
Indeed, one couldn’t walk more than 10 feet in Bruges without bumping into yet another “Chocolatier” shop with every imaginable eye-popping chocolate bonbon displayed in the window for maximum drool. Smooth, creamy, crunchy, milk, dark, white, ruby, younameit. Each filled with all manner of sweet concoctions – praline or buttercream or hazelnut or ganache, et al.
Where’s a lass s’posed to start?
But I’d done my chocolate homework and knew exactly where to head for some of the very best chocolate in the country: The Chocolate Line, a contemporary Belgian company noted for its avant-garde chocolate creations and imaginative praline flavors, along with its support of wildlife around the globe.
Still… once I’d arrived at the shop, there was the small (but oh so sublime!) problem of choosing among the astounding assortment of chocolaty treats on offer. As I couldn’t buy a bucketful – how was I to choose from among dainty morsels like:
- “Havana” (w/ a portrait of Che on the top, “Bitter ganache – distillate of Havana leaves”);
- “Cabernet” (Caramel – pine nut praliné, Cabernet Sauvignon vinegar);
- “Chill Pill” (grass, yuzu and green apple);
- “SAKURA” (caramel of Japanese cherry blossoms, puffed rice and crunchy hazelnut praliné);
- “Tart Citron” (“Italian meringue w/ a cream of kalamansi and pâté sablée”);
- “Peas and Mint” (chocolate ganache, mint, and… PEAS!);
- “Gingerbread” (ginger, gingerbread, hazelnuts and cinnamon);
- “Sake” (bitter ganache, Japanese rice wine and seaweed);
- “Tiger Mango” (white chocolate, mango, yoghurt and cardamom).
Ah but I *finally* managed to narrow my choices down to but a luscious trio of yummy chocolate treats:
“MISS PIGGY” (hazelnut praliné, crunchy bacon and caramelized “ciccioli” – pressed fatty pork, labeled w/ a “contains meat” alert!)
“MOAI” (a gold-dusted chocolate replica of the majestic statues that I so well remember from my spectacular sunrise excursion one morning on Easter Island – filled w/ coffee ganache)
“YUZU” (raspberry, caramel, and yuzu – an East Asian citrus fruit)
Belgian Fries…
And finally – those Belgian FRITES! Though they may look like any ordinary fries in my pics – trust that they really, really, REALLY are – better than ANY “French fry” I’ve ever tasted (this – from a life-long wanton lover of the ol’ fashioned, skinny, crispy/wrinkled/limp McD’s fries).
| The secret to Belgian frites is double-frying them in 100% beef tallow. The first fry is at a somewhat low temp – about 300°F (150°C) to tenderize the potato and make it fluffy. Then drain the potato sticks and allow them to cool completely. Finally, refry them a 2nd time at 350°F (180°C) until crispy and golden. |
Much like chocolate shops, there were likewise “fritekot” shops on every corner of Bruges. And the one I chose (‘t Brugsch Friethuys) swiftly rustled me up a generous serving of THE most fluffy-yet-uber-crispy (“French” NOT!) fries – with a creamy side of “truffle mayo” dipping sauce (ketchup? NEVER!) Seriously. A unique taste sensation well worth a 9,000 km flight to Belgium!
Stray Bruges Serendipity…
AIS, w/ no set schedule, when not stuffing my face in Bruges, I was free to wander aimlessly. No climbing of the (366 step) Gothic belfry, no “Musée de la Torture”, no “Mini-harp” nor “Friet” nor “Diamond” museums. No windmills nor the Basilica of the Holy Blood (w/ a scrap of cloth allegedly splashed w/ Christ’s blood), nor even a leisurely glide down Bruges “Venice of the North” canals (crammed into a small boat packed with tourist-sardines, um… didn’t seem appealing).
Instead, I simply enjoyed a lazy wander and discovered my own unique eclectic mix of Bruges’ serendipity: A stumble upon a single golden “scallop shell” from the famous “El Camino de Santiago” trail (does this mean I earned the 800 km pilgrimage certificate?)
I’d also forgotten that Belgium is noted for another famous craft: Belgian lace. So I stepped into a small lace shop and purchased a little handmade lace doily to frame on the wall of my home in Ecuador.
And even better – on my 2nd day in Bruges I discovered one of my absolute favorites in my travels: a THRIFT SHOP! And happily, I found a beautiful Amélie & Amélie (“Born in Belgium, Made in Italy”) warm, fuzzy wool sweater – the perfect souvenir of Bruges!
All in all… I’d say my barely 2 days on the ground in Bruges proved the perfect introduction to Belgium. A languid glimpse chock full of tasty new eats and beautiful scenery. A most delightful interlude between London and… my final destination in this near month-long trifecta: IRELAND.
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About the Author
Dyanne Off-the-beaten-path travel is my passion,and I’ve always lived life “like-a-kid-in-a-candy-store” – eager to sample as many flavors as I can. Indeed, my life motto has long been: This ain’t a dress rehearsal, folks!
Off-the-beaten-path travel is my passion, and I’ve always lived life “like a kid in a candy store” – eager to sample as many flavors as I can. Indeed, my life motto has long been:
Those fries do look good. Pity we didn’t get the chance to meet up while you were in London. I look forward to reading about Ireland. Off to Agadir next week.
Yes indeed Ted – a pity we missed each other in London. That Full English Breakfast at Nora’s was excellent!
So off/back again to Morocco? Seems you really like it there. I have another wanderlust chum who’s considering moving there (from Cairo). Do you have permanent residency there?