Bruges

My first stop in Belgium, my 37th country, was Bruges. I had about a week in Belgium and based on recommendations, Bruges was at the top of the list, so I went there first. I arrived pretty late due to the delay of my car share driver in Luxembourg City, but good thing for the bar in the hostel. I dropped my things off in my room, where fortunately my roommates were still awake, got settled a bit, and went back downstairs to enjoy my first Belgian beer in Belgium. And it was delicious. 

Belgian beer.

The following morning, after breakfast, I went to check out the city. But before I left the hostel, I signed up for a walking tour for later in the day. Because of this, I tried to avoid some of the main touristy stops. But some places I couldn't help but see.

Grote Markt Square.

Belfry Tower.

For lunch, I had my first real taste of Belgium, frites. Just as a heads up, I was planning on eating and drinking my way through Belgium. I had to get mayo and curry sauce since apparently that is the thing to do. I can now say that I tried it. But I will stick with regular ketchup for now. I'm not a fan of mayo to begin with, let alone having it with fries. I really only like it when it's mixed in egg salad.

Frites.

I walked further out of the center of town to explore a bit and see the windmills along the Gent-Bruges Canal.

Bruges doors.

Bonne Chiere. 

After seeing the 4 windmills along the canal, I hurried back to the hostel for the walking tour. I met the group and we spent the next few hours walking around the city. We saw various scenes from the movie Bruges (which is on my to-watch list), beautiful architecture, cool canals, and medieval churches. Bruges really is a pretty city and I can see what all the fuss is about. During the tour, I met an American from Hawaii, who lives in New Mexico. She was traveling on her own for the first time and was have a great time. We ended up spending the next few days together.

Belgian architecture.

Scenes from Bruges.

Beautiful canals.

Our last stop on the tour was the Beer Museum, where Bri and I shared a beer tasting. We had a good time chatting with our new friends from Brazil. Afterwards, we wandered for a bit, and made our way to the Beer Wall, where we tried some more Belgian beer.

The Beer Museum.

The Beer Wall. 

The next morning, I got a run in. Mostly because I love running. But also to fully enjoy all the beer, chocolate, waffles, frites, and other Belgian goodness I was planning on consuming. The run was really enjoyable, and reminds me of why I love running paths along water. 

Beautiful run along the canal.

My next food item to try were waffles. Now waffles is not at the top of my list for breakfast food (I'm more of a French toast girl). But true Belgian waffles, with chocolate sauce and whipped cream, that's another story. So good. I could eat them for dessert all the time. The next one I get will have ice cream on it.

Belgian waffles.

After a few errands, Bri and I hit up some new places as we walked around town, and revisited a few places from our tour so I could get better pictures.

Leaves falling on canals.

One of the prettiest spots in Bruges.

Houses on the canal.

After we saw everything we wanted to see, we went looking for chocolate and beer.

Chocolate.

Beer.

Brouwerij De Halve Maan.

We eventually headed back to the hostel to spend the rest of the evening. We met a local girl who works at the hostel, who shared her stash of beer with us. Which was amazing. She had so many different kinds that she opened up. It was a true Belgian tasting.

So much beer.

Even after all that beer, and unwarranted warnings from some guy at the hostel, we got up with no issue. I checked out, met up with Bri, and we headed to Antwerp. 

Luxembourg City

After my slight delay in Èpernay, I made it to my 36th country, Luxembourg. I caught my car share in Reims and enjoyed a few hours on the road with the driver. I got dropped off in a small town in France and then took the train into Luxembourg City. It was a pretty uneventful trip, and went by relatively quick. 

I had booked another Airbnb since it was my cheapest option. Luxembourg, like Lichtenstein, is a small but expensive country. I only booked a couple of nights, but I figured it would be enough time to see the city (and country). Also, my trip was ending, and I wanted to allow enough time in Belgium before leaving Europe.

My host was planning to meet me at the train station, but I didn't hear back from her. Fortunately I'm capable of following directions, and walking. I was just hoping she would be there since it was pretty cold out. Like in the 30s cold. I made my way to the apartment, but didn't have the apartment number. And there were no names on the ringers. After a few minutes of waiting, fortunately someone came along and let me in. It actually ended up being someone that was staying in the same apartment. I questioned following a strange guy into an apartment, but I decided to trust him. It worked out, and I ended up in the right place. I got settled in, and my current roommate, Stefan, and I went to grab dinner in town. We didn't stay out too late, and I was ready to relax and get to bed so I can spend the next day checking out the city. 

From what I read, Luxembourg City sounded pretty hilly. And I wasn't entirely sure by how much. When I went for my run the following morning, I found out. I ran to the casemates, and found that I was at the top of the gorges. I managed to stay up there and not go down any of the hills. I didn't intend on running back up them. I had better views from up there anyway.

Running along the gorges.

After my run, and a little bit of planning for the next few days, I went out to explore. And this time I went up and down the casemates. I spent a couple of hours admiring the beautiful landscape.

Luxembourg gorges.

Pont Viaduc.

Skate park down below.

Landscaped gardens.

I made my way to the Old Town and wandered around for a bit. I, of course, came across another Christmas market. Which wasn't open yet. I kept coming across them on my travels, and it looked like I may miss them all. They won't open until after I return home. Typically I don't think about Christmas until after Thanksgiving, but given Europe doesn't have Thanksgiving, I was getting into the Christmas spirit.

Another Christmas market not open.

I continued walking around the Old Town and strolled around the small streets.

The Old City.

Windy lanes. 

I came across the Palais Grand Ducal and Cathédral Notre-Dame de Luxembourg. And a bookstore to get warm in for a bit.

Grand-Ducal Palace.

Notre Dame Cathedral.

Truth.

After all my wanderings, I needed to get inside for a while to warm up. I found a cute spot to enjoy a local beer and read for a bit. I then headed out to meet my new friend Stefan and have dinner. He actually had just moved out into his own place since he lives in Luxembourg and had me over for some food. We had a nice time and I was able to learn a little bit more about Romania, where he was from. I'll be reaching out to him when I eventually visit his country. 

Of course US politics came up. With people who speak good English, it's always a little surprising how much they pay attention to our country. It shouldn't be after all this time, but the depth of the conversations do still surprise me a bit. And makes me a little sad. There are people who are not from the US that pay more attention to what's going on in our country, than our own citizens.

The following day, I got to spend most of the day in Luxembourg City before my next stop, so I spent it in some other parts of the city. Which involved more hills. 

Hillside homes. 

Alzette River. 

Finding fun passageways.

Reflections.

Melusina statue.

I felt that I had seen enough of the city before leaving, so went to find a place to chill out for a while. I had walked by the Chocolate House the day before, and decided to stop in and get a hot chocolate.

Whisky hot chocolate.

After finishing my hot chocolate, I headed back to the Airbnb to finish packing. My host let me keep my stuff there since no one was checking in. I had a little bit of time before meeting my car share to Bruges. That actually ended up taking a bit longer than anticipated. I was a little unclear on what was going on, but he was waiting for someone for some reason. Finally it was time to meet him at the train station. I was easy going about the situation, but I was getting a little frustrated the later it got. I didn't want to miss my check-in at the hostel that night. But we finally were on the road and we made good time to Bruges. The driver was a nice guy who spoke pretty good English, so we were able to chat for most of the ride. More about US politics of course. He dropped me off really close to my hostel, which was very convenient. It was now time to see what Belgium was all about. 

Èpernay

From Strasbourg to Reims I took a car share, and then a train to Èpernay, the champagne capital of the world. I was still in shock from the election results and was a little out of it. I had to try hard to not cry at various points. I talked a little bit about the election with my fellow carpoolers, but it was more humorous than sad to them. There was a news update at the rest stop, but since it was in French, I didn't quite get their side of it. But seeing the President-elect's face was enough to put a look of distaste on my face, and a feeling of being sick in my stomach.

On the train from Reims to Èpernay, there was some excitement to distract me though. I'm pretty sure some kid got busted with drugs. The police and their dogs went through the train sniffing away, and stopped a few rows from me. Turns out the teenager had something on him, since it warranted more police officers. After a few stops, they got off the train. I presume that is where the kid lived, and they got off to deal with him. 

After a short ride, I arrived in Èpernay, where my Airbnb host picked me from the train station. Since it was raining, I was grateful for the ride. She gave me a quick tour of town, which included L'Avenue de Champagne. I was excited to try some champagne in the coming days. We arrived at her home and she got me settled in her daughter's room, who lives in Paris. We had some tea, she made me an appointment at Möet & Chandon for the next morning, and I got some groceries for the next few days.

Avenue de Champagne.

My host, Marie Helene, invited me to go dancing with her that evening. I was feeling pretty down and wanted to drink champagne to drown my sorrows, but I decided to tag along. I figured it could make me feel a bit a little bit better. I don't know if it really helped, but it got me out at the very least. We drove back towards Reims and made our way to a bowling alley, where I learned that we were at a salsa class. I didn't realize it was a class. I don't know any salsa. I can barely understand French. And there was an odd person out. But I went along with it. I probably  made a complete fool of myself and probably was concentrating too hard, but I went out and tried. The teachers and all my partners were all very patient with me. Of course when it was apparent I was American, the election came up. But fortunately I wasn't paired off for too long, so all conversations were kept short. I danced a little, and I think I felt a little better after. I was getting tired though. Eventually it was time to get some sleep. I needed some rest for the champagne houses the next day.

Salsa lesson.

The next morning I headed out for a run to make myself feel better. I was doing everything I could to get past the election results. You would think the trifecta of traveling, running, and drinking would cure me of my woes. It did not, but the views of the vineyards did help a little. They were very beautiful, and I wish I had time to run longer.  

Running in the vineyards.

Soon I was off to the next step in feeling better. I walked to Möet & Chandon for my appointment. At first they couldn't find my name, but it was probably put in incorrectly. Even if they couldn't find it, I was going to get a tour. So that was good. Since it was an English tour, there was only 2 of us at the beginning. Once we found out we were both from the USA, we asked each other how we were feeling. And it was mutual. As we got a tour of the champagne house, we got to vent to each other. Neither one of us really had anyone to talk to about the results. Until now. 

Just stay calm.

Dom Perignon.

After watching an intro video, a group of friends joined us. Our group got a bit larger, but the two of us stuck together. We headed down to the cellar to learn the process of making champagne. I hadn't realized (and I feel like I should've know this, but didn't) that champagne is made from pinot noir grapes, a red grape. Pinot meunier and chardonnay are also used to make champagne. To make it sparkling wine instead of regular wine, a secondary fermentation needs to take place. And voilà, bubbles are made. 

The Cellar.

Bottles biding their time.

After the tour concluded, and after I upgraded my ticket, we enjoyed our champagne. I had a glass of  the Imperial and Rose Imperial. Both were quite tasty. I'm definitely a fan of champagne. So it was great to taste the real stuff. 

Time to drink.

After our tour, my new friend, Lauren, and I grabbed some lunch, and more champagne of course. Champagne is definitely cheaper in Champagne. My new friend was headed out of town, so I was back on my own later that afternoon. She made some recommendations of other places to visit, and I just spent the rest of the day hopping around to various champagne houses.

First up was Champagne Janisson Baradon. The woman who worked there was very friendly and offered me a ton of different tastes from their vineyard. She gave me a discount, which was also very nice. 

So much champagne.

Up next was a spot down the avenue a little ways, Champagne A. Bergere. I just relaxed, tried a few different champagnes, and talked to a few different customers. There was one who supported the election outcome. He wasn't even American. That conversation was short. However I was able to have a reasonable conversation with a couple from Sweden. 

After a few different tastes, I headed to the final stop on my champagne tour, Lafine Bulle. I was able to pick and choose a variety of tastes from the region. The woman working there was nice, even though some people were hassling her. I did meet an American couple. They were pretty nice, but we didn't get into the election conversation. A part of me wondered if they were happy with the outcome. But who knows. I wasn't ready to speak to anyone who supported the results, so I treaded lightly. 

Last stop on my champagne tour.

After I finished my tastes, I grabbed a bottle of champagne to go and headed back to my Airbnb to eat, do laundry, and drink my new purchase. After all the bubbly and lack of sleep, I was ready to pass out. But first I had to cry a little while I watched Hillary Clinton's thank you speech. I intended to get as much as sleep as I could that night since I hadn't slept much in the previous few days.

The next morning, before heading into town to catch my train, I took a short walk up the hill to get my last view of the French vineyards. I grabbed my bags and ran a few errands in town before catching my train. Except it was a French holiday. The train I planned on was on a holiday schedule and wasn't running. Well I turned grapes into champagne, and had a glass. I did have to run around to find wifi in order to get in contact with my car share, but fortunately he was understanding and would wait for me in Reims.

Goodbye France.

So I enjoyed my last glass of champagne in Champagne before heading off to Luxembourg.

Strasbourg

After a short train ride, I was in Strasbourg, one of the cities that was at the top of my list when I started my trip. I finally made it. I walked to the hostel along the canal and tried to check in. It was a little early, so I couldn't do that yet, so I left my bags, and headed to the Grande Île to explore the area around the cathedral. Just like with Colmar, there is a heavy German influence throughout the city. 

Strasbourg Cathedral.

It was November 6th, not the 24th. But I know what was planned for Thanksgiving (and my birthday).

A working, astrological clock.

Soon it was time to stream the NYC marathon. I was sad to be missing this race again, but good thing for technology. I headed to a nearby cafe and planted myself there for a few hours to get updates on my sisters, my friends, and the elites. Everyone did pretty well, and I was excited for Molly Huddle, who made her marathon debut and got 3rd place. Due to the time difference, I went to find dinner and relax for the evening, as opposed to all the runners and spectators who were all now celebrating. 

Watching the NYC Marathon. 

The next morning I headed out to explore more of the city. The weather was much nicer than it had been, so I took advantage of walking further to explore Petite France. There were some really great viewpoints of the city and canals all over the area.

Canal side buldings.

View from Passage Georges Frankhauser.

Spectacular views.

After a while, my camera battery was running low, and I had to eat something. I'm usually good about making sure my battery is charged up before a day of exploring, but not that day. So I headed back to the hostel with a pit stop for a crepe on my way.

Yummy crepes.

Since the day was still nice, I wanted to make sure I went up the cathedral, and had enough battery life to take photos. Once I had enough power, I headed back to the cathedral, paid for my ticket, and climbed the 332 steps to the top. The views were pretty impressive. And the lighting on the cathedral with the setting sun was even more so. 

Strasbourg down below.

Église Saint-Pierre-le-Jeune.

Climbing back down.

After the sun went down, and a little bit of shopping, I headed back to the hostel. My next plan was to try to find a place to watch the upcoming election. I had been checking to see if my ballot had arrived, but with no luck. I was confident in New York's outcome, but it's always nice to know that my vote counted. I checked the status again the next morning, and my ballot arrived. Just in time, as it was Election Day. 

After seeing that my ballot arrived, I went for a cold and snowy (nothing stuck) run to check out the European Parliament and Parc de l'Orangerie.

Parc de l'Orangerie.

European Parliament.

After my run, I warmed up and then walked around the city some more but it was a bit rainy. I found a cute place to enjoy some tea for a while. I then revisited a few spots from the day before, but in different lighting. I wanted to see the city all lit up, but the upper level of the passage was closed for the evening. 

Passage Georges Frankhauser.

Cathedral at night.

After the sun went down, it got colder and I decided I needed to warm up again, but with some wine this time. I relaxed for a bit at a cafe, went to a creperie for dinner, and then headed back to the hostel to stream the election results. The hostel was trying to get it on their big screen for me, but nothing was working. Instead I just streamed from my tablet, when it was working of course. Because of the time difference, I really didn't see too much. At that point, it was all just speculation. I stayed up until around 2am CET (8pm EST) but not before the internet quit on me for good. I guess it was a sign to go to bed.

The next morning, I woke up pretty early. I was tired and wanted to stay in bed, but since I couldn't get internet in my room, I had to make my way downstairs in order to confirm my hopes. Once I was connected, things started going downhill. Texts were coming in from my sisters and friends, and they were not good. I got connected and saw how terrible things had gone in the 4.5 hours I slept. I could not believe that Hillary Clinton was losing to this sexist, racist bully. I had to hold myself together to not cry. Once Clinton conceded, I took a shower and packed my things. I couldn't believe it. I was devastated. Most people wouldn't even know until later in the day since people had gone to bed on the East Coast. I was sad for them, for me, and for my country. I was definitely in a state of shock for the remainder of the day.

But I had to keep moving, so I met my car share later that morning, and made my way to Èpernay to drown my sorrows in champagne.