Bonjour Belgium!

I hated waking up before my alarm, but surprisingly I felt very well rested this morning. I was very excited to see what brand new adventures awaited for me in Belgium. After a classic French breakfast, a few of the girls and I went for a “power walk” to burn off last night’s filling dinner. We discovered one small problem during our purposeful walk through the city streets: we were like hungry children strolling through Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory trying to stay away from enticing treats. There were tons of bakeries with windows full of sweet pastries, chocolates, and ice cream. First we were lured into a small market, and each of us purchased a small container of Lotus cookie butter spread. When we stepped into a Godiva store, Pupae fell prey to a rich, creamy Godiva chocolate ice cream cone. We were not only surrounded by scrumptious desserts, but also by many clothing stores. My credit card rejoiced since many of the stores were closed due to a special Catholic holiday, called the “Assumption of Mary”.

I had a wonderful lunch at EXKI, which is an all-natural, fresh café. My favorite part about the café’ is that it’s vegetarian friendly! After lunch, a few of us were determined to find the popular chocolate museum in Brussels called the Musee Du Cacao Et Du Chocolat. Inside the museum I learned about the history of chocolate, and watched it being made live. The best part about the tour was free chocolate sampling. I made the mistake of trying unsweetened cocoa, it was very bitter! Next we went to Brussels Grand Plaza and devoured warm, fluffy Belgian waffles topped with ice cream and powdered sugar. I loved looking at the handmade Belgium lace sold at many of the plaza stores. From tablecloths to clothing, everything was made out of the beautiful intricate fabric designs. We decided that our first day in Brussels would not be complete without a purchase of Belgian chocolate and French fries.

Dinner was delicious! We had kuss-kuss and pasta with fried vegetables. After dinner, I had a wonderful time playing the French game, Mille Bornes, in the backyard. In the middle of the game, I heard a startling firecracker sound. Each of us jumped out of our seats, as a huge tree branch came crashing to the ground. I was in shock at what just happened, but I was thankful no one was a hurt victim. After all of the excitement, we finished our game. Before closing the evening, Barbara, Ashley, and I gathered around the piano to play and sing songs. A piano is one of my favorite instruments because it warms a home, and brings everyone together in fellowship. I wonder what new adventures await for us tomorrow!