Belgium is famous for its chocolate, fries (don’t call them French), waffles, and beer. We enjoyed a fast and wonderful three days in this charming land. We settled into our hotel in Brussels, the capital of the European Union. Kathy and I had been upgraded to a suite at the Marriott and we tried to give it to our friends, Randy and Melisa. They caught onto the scheme and were adamant in refusing to take the room. Such is life.

It was sprinkling as we walked to the Grand Place, an absolutely stunning city square. In my mind, it is the most beautiful in Europe. Gold-leafed buildings with statuary and facade peaks line the square. The buildings were once home to the various trade guilds that controlled European trade through much of the medieval period. Truly spectacular! We could not pass up Belgium Frites (Fries). They are double fried and tasty–crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.

The next morning, May 5, was a bright and beautiful day to spend in Bruges and Ghent. The train ride from Brussels is direct and quick. Bruges is a city time forgot, all for the good. Today it is just as it was hundreds of years ago. Atmospheric, charming, cozy and quaint are descriptive words for this city of canals and cobblestone. Picturesque buildings filled with restaurants, shops, chocolatiers and outdoor cafes line the narrow and winding lanes. Beautiful tree-lined walks pass along rivers.

We had a delightful late lunch after we had explored the city. We also ate Belgian Waffles. Light and airy, they are filled with fruit of one’s choosing and adorned with Chantilly (whipped cream) and warm Belgium chocolate poured over the top.

Amazingly, this was the day of the “Tour of Flanders” annual bicycle race, the most important cycling race in Flanders held every spring. It came through the main city square and along the narrow streets. We were able to get a wonderful view along with thousands of enthusiasts. The bicyclists whizzed by followed by cars topped with each contestant’s extra bikes and then emergency and police vehicles. Fun!

We arrived in Ghent around 5 PM. We rushed to the famous St. Bavo Cathedral before it closed for the day. Beautiful, it has an amazing huge bronze pulpit. Unfortunately, we were too late to see the 15th century Ghent Altar Piece, the famous “Adoration of the Mystic Lamb,” painted by brothers Jan and Hubert van Eyck. One of the great works of Renaissance art, this massive oil painting on panels was the subject of the movie, “The Monument’s Men.” Kathy and I had viewed it on a previous visit, but we were sad Randy and Melisa did not get to see it. We walked around the city amongst the medieval buildings and viewed the many tall towers (for that day) that made Ghent the “Manhattan of the Middle Ages.” We trained back to Brussels for a good night’s sleep–well, our friends, Randy and Melisa, slipped out for “snacks.”

Today we loafed around Brussels. Kathy and I stayed in the hotel for the morning, while Randy and Melisa shopped on wonderful shopping streets. In the early afternoon, they encouraged us to join them on a walk to some of the beautiful areas of the city. We did! Eventually, we found an excellent restaurant that specialized in homemade pasta. It was outstanding. We had crepes for dessert–more chocolate, chantilly, and fruit. At this point, we cannot help ourselves. After all, we rationalize, we may not pass this way again.

As for the waffles, fries, chocolate and beer? We had our share! Tomorrow we train to Amsterdam for the night and fly home Wednesday. We have had a delightful month of travel.