Belgium

Grand Place, Brussels

Sorry for the delay everyone...

We had the opportunity to visit Belgium February 19-23. I say we got to visit Belgium but it is all relative. Unfortunately Matt spent most of that time in workshops. Actually, all of his travels are for business and the only enjoyment he may get out of them is dining out in local restaurants - although I'm sure most of the table discussion is centered around work.

Atomium, Brussels

Triumphal Arch, Brussels

Anyway, back to the trip. We knew a couple of weeks beforehand that he may have to go to Belgium for these workshops. We talked about me joining him, but did not make any definite plans. In fact, the week before Matt booked his travel for Germany as usual. That Monday the 18th he left for Germany. That evening he called me after dinner as usual and asked if I thought I could arrange to meet him in Brussels the next day. Talk about short notice! Luckily, I had previously asked a friend if she was available to watch Cheyenne during that week so I called her up to confirm if she was still willing and able to dogsit. Thankfully she was! I managed to book a flight and rearrange my appointments already scheduled that week.

Canal, Bruges

Town Centre, Bruges

On Tuesday Matt arranged for a car to pick me up at 5:00pm to take me to the airport. I had the early part of that day to pack and to search online to figure out how I was going to get to the hotel. Matt would be riding with a colleague from Germany. I got into Brussels Charleroi airport that evening, caught an hour-long shuttle ride into one of the city's train stations, and then took a taxi to the hotel - arriving at midnight! Matt was waiting in the bar with a couple of colleagues.

So, with the long story being the lead up to arrival, highlights of the trip are listed below.

• Evening meals with Matt and his coworkers. One guy was originally from Denver, however he and his family (Fowlers) are currently living in Germany. His wife and young children were visiting as well and were able to join us in the evenings.
• City Walking and Bus Tour (Brussels). I was on my own during the day on Wednesday and Thursday. I had a guide book and map with me, which I used to explore the city. I also did one of the bus tours to get acquainted with the area. I did not go into any museums or attractions, but just enjoyed seeing the sites.
• Speaking the language. I like to learn a few phrases of the local language of where I will be visiting. For the most part, Brussels is french-speaking. I wasn't entirely sure if I was pronouncing things correctly, but I sure had fun trying.
• Day Trip to Bruges. Matt was able to take Friday off and we headed to Bruges by train. It was about an hour train ride from Brussels. I would say that the main language is more Flemish (Dutch) than French. I am not familiar with that language at all, even having the guidebook, so luckily I didn't have to attempt to speak it. This town is much smaller and delightfully quaint compared to Brussels. It is very easy to navigate on foot. I braved a boat cruise around the canals while Matt was on a business call. While in town, we saw the Fowler family pass by in a horse-drawn carriage! We returned to Brussels late in the afternoon for dinner and to pack for our early morning flight home.
• Belgian Chocolate and Waffles. Enough said.

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