Today we landed in Bruges, Belgium. Located just a few miles south of the North Sea, its many canals have earned it the nickname “Venice of the North”. Five hundred years ago it was one of the largest cities in the world, working as a middleman in the sea trade between Northern and Southern Europe. Since those days the harbor has silted up, and you’re left with a quaint little town with a relaxed pace. One thing that is obvious when you get to Belgium is their love for the foods they're best known. On literally every street it's easy to find waffles, french fries, mussels, and chocolate shops. The waffles are prepared in two very different styles and eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Leige waffles (our favorite) are dense and sweet and usually eaten plain. The Brussels-style is lighter, usually served warm, and often topped with powdered sugar or fruit. French fries are served in all kinds of to-go stands and usually with mayonnaise instead of ketchup. They’re fried once to cook them and then left in huge piles. When someone orders a batch they deep-fry them a second time to get just the right crispiness. The chocolate shops are everywhere and one store window is more tempting than the next. You can often catch them making the chocolate in the store and taste testing is a must! At the other end of the spectrum are mussels. Big steaming buckets, able to feed at least two, are the specialty at every restaurant in town. And last but not least is the beer. With around 600 different brands to choose from, Belgium is to beer as France is to wine. Belgian beers are a lot higher in alcohol than other countries as well, typically between 6% and 8%. They consider American beer, “table beer for children”. We visited a brewery in town called Straffe Hendrik for a fun and entertaining tour. Our tour guide was quick to point out how the Belgians feel that beer is a vital necessity for longevity and lifelong equilibrium. “It helps stimulate nerves and muscles while promoting healthy skin.” As you can see, strolling the canals and snacking on Belgian treats certainly makes for a very satisfying day.
