Brussels, Belgium

We have visited many countries during our time here and I have to say...without a doubt.....Belgium is our favorite.  Cool brick homes with unique architecture, beautiful countryside, and of course amazing food.  How amazing?  If I could survive on nothing but Belgium Waffles alone I would do it.

We are almost ashamed to admit that we have lived in Europe for well over 2 years now and we have not made it to the wonderful city of Brussels...until this past weekend.  Brussels, with a population of approximately 2 million, is known for many things: it is the capital of Belgium, the unofficial capital of the European Union, and the headquarters of NATO.  And it is all located less than 2 hours from where we live. Again, shameful.

So with no real agenda, as usual, we found the first parking garage we came to and headed out to explore the city.

One of the first sights we decided to check out was the Grand Place that is located in the heart of the downtown area.  Navigating Brussels is quite easy thanks to the many helpful signs.  Finding the Grand Place is also very easy thanks to the very tall tower on top of the Town Hall seen below......

...and here the Town Hall up close and personal.  

The Grand Place is filled with unique 17th century architecture, making it a very popular meeting spot.

With waffles on the mind we set out to find a mid-afternoon snack....until we walked past this chocolate shop.  The temptation to dip my finger in the chocolate for a quick taste was nearly overwhelming...so we had to move on.

Did you know that our beloved French Fries originated from Belgium?  Of course they don't call them Fries and they certainly don't utter the word 'French' when speaking of these tasty potato creations.  They are called 'Frites' and they are normally served with a mayonnaise dipping sauce....which you can elect to skip (I usually do).  I have to say....the Frites were good, but I don't think I would fly over from the states just to give them a try.

A little more wandering around and we found this group of people smiling and taking pictures of this tiny little statue.  Huh.....I should move closer for a better look.....

Oh....it's dressed up in a graduation cap and gown.  How cute.  But wait.....the statue is a small boy and is he.....

...yes, he is fact "relieving himself".  This infamous statue is called Manneken Pis and is considered a great representation for the spirit and humor of Brussels.  Nobody knows the true origin of the statue (there are some unique stories out there) but the city has come to embrace this lil' fella as their unofficial mascot.  And that is no joke: you can buy stickers, magnets, bottle openers....almost everything you can imagine bearing this humorous image.

Back to the exploring.  The architecture found throughout the downtown area is impressive and these pictures certainly don't do it justice.....

We noticed the streets were filled with people and later learned (the hard way) that our visit coincided with the official kick-off celebration for the Carolus V Festival.....which begins with a parade filled with crazy, bizarre creations.  We always seem to have good timing for finding a festival......I like it!

After a few hours of exploring we sought out the popular Delirium Cafe to quench our thirst.  The place is sort of hard to find in the narrow alleys of "food alley", but you'll know it when you find it (as seen below).

The old school signs and copper kettles welcome you as you enter the cafe'.....

The downstairs room is quick a sight.  The ceiling is covered with hundreds of server trays from all over the world....

With the thirst quenched and feet rested, we set out to resume our exploration.  It didn't take long for us to remember the one key task that had not yet been completed: finding the ultimate waffle.  Of course this display found in the Royal Saint Hubert Galleries was a good reminder......

I am happy to report that we did in fact complete our last task.  It was decided to include Nutella and bananas for a topping because EVERYTHING tastes better with Nutella!  And even though it has been a few days since that tasty treat, I can still remember how good it tasted.....now THAT is worth flying over for!!

And just like that the afternoon was gone and we made our way home.  There is SO much more to see and explore in Brussels that we have already begun to make plans for returning sometime in June.  It will be a hard choice on where to go.  Spend the day at the Atomium, once the sight for 1958 World's Fair and the Mini Europe park nearby, or visit a few of the great museums like the Magritte?  Of course there is the Comic Strip museum which they say is fun to see....I think we may have to schedule more than one trip to see it all....which is fine by us.  As long as they serve up fresh waffles, I'm quite certain we will be happy to visit as many times as it takes to see it all.

A New BMW and the Autobahn: A Perfect Match

What could be better than four happy people standing around a new, beautiful BMW 328?  Driving it on the roads it was designed for!

Not to give away the story here, but I think it is appropriate to begin with my discovery: driving a German-made vehicle on the roads it was designed for (the Autobahn with its sometimes no speed limit) makes me feel a little bad for all those BMW/Audi/Mercedes Benz owners in America that are limited to lower speeds. They have no idea what they are missing........  But, I digress.  Onto the entry.

One happy new car owner.......

So exactly how did we arrive at the BMW world headquarters standing with our friends next to a brand new BMW?  Earlier this spring I received a random email from my friend announcing he had purchased a new 328 and selected the European Delivery Option.  The process involves flying to Munich, Germany, receiving the car, and enjoying the roads of Europe before dropping the car off to be shipped back to the states.  Sounds like a great time!

The fun for us began with a late Friday afternoon speed train ride from Wittlich to Munich.......

After a short night of fun and laughter with our friends Mike and Barb in Munich....along with a few hours sleep.....we met our friends at the Munich airport on an amazing Saturday morning.   We had a few hours before the appointment to "meet the car", so we wandered around the infamous Mariel Platz of downtown Munich and enjoyed the hot spring weather.

OK...enough waiting.  Time to head out to the BMW world headquarters.  The 4 "pistons" that make up the tall office buildings of BMW are one of the first sights you will see when you depart the nearby train station.

After a quick check-in at the Welt, we are led to the Lounge to begin "the introduction".  

If you are in the area, stop by the Welt....the exhibits are interesting and there are many great cars on display to drool over.

Once in the Lounge we enjoyed a full buffet of deserts, tasty meat and cheese platters, and of course, sparkling mineral water (note: we converted ANOTHER guest to the magical wonders of "bubbly water").

Before long we met our guide who led us down the stairs and made the formal introduction........
Yes the spotlight on the spinning car was a bit over the top.....but it was still pretty cool.

Our friend enjoying the first moments of being behind the wheel........

....that includes a few victory laps around the inside of the Welt. 

Down the ramp, open the doors to the outside, and we were off!  Our plans included driving from Munich to the Bodensee, a wonderful vacation spot that borders Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.  Driving this car on the Autobahn was flat out fun.  With the 8-speed transmission you never felt the car shift...it was one constant acceleration (fast) until you let off the gas.  It was nothing to reach over 120mph.....which happened more than once.  As I mentioned before, this car was designed for the high speeds that are possible on the Autobahn.  More, you always felt safe and never out of control....which probably explained the large ear-to-ear grin on my face the entire time I was driving.

We arrived at our destination in just about 1.5 hours....significantly less time than what Google maps estimated.  It helps when you are going double the presumed speed for a majority of the time.....  Suddenly road trips don't seem all that bad.  6+hours to drive to Berlin?  Bring it on!  10+ hours to Madrid, Spain?  I KNOW I can shave that down a few hours!  Unfortunately we didn't go to either...but we did enjoy the Bodensee.

On the shores of the Bodensee and looking towards Austria (left) and Switzerland (straight and right).

The next day we headed out to the Black Forest (or Schwarzwald).  We heard the roads are perfect in the summertime and there are several cool villages to stop at to enjoy a quick coffee and cake.  Along the way we passed this coaster of sorts and decided it was worthy of checking out.  Yes, the ride is designed for and  typically enjoyed by young children.....but my philosophy is that every once in a while, you have to embrace your inner child to keep things in perspective.

Another great stop was the village of Triberg, home to Germany's tallest waterfall.  No, we didn't hike up the trail to the top...time was short and there was driving to do!  I will say that stopping at Triberg for a lunch and look around is worth your time.  It is located in the heart of the Black Forest and you can find yourself a nice homemade cuckoo clock!

The next day we set out for Luxembourg, specifically Vianden.  This little village is home to the impressive castle (below) and offers many great places to enjoy a drink and treat while taking in the scenery along the river.

Looking down on Vianden....

Walking around Vianden....just love these narrow streets.

Our next stop was Belgium...because after all, the goal (unofficially) was to see how many countries we could see in just a few days with the new BMW.

A favorite destination in Belgium is of course Bastogne.  Not only do they offer some great food options in the town, it is the site of the American Memorial that pays tribute to the thousands of soldiers who fought and lost their lives during one of the most important battles of WWII.

The monument....

Looking down upon the city of Bastogne.....

Not far from the monument is the forest where you can still find the many foxholes that were dug and used during the historical battle.  It is impressive that these have survived the years.  Walking around the forest and observing the positions has this effect that is hard to describe.  Extreme appreciation for the sacrifices made?  Yeah.....to say the least.

There were other adventures that unfortunately did not get captured with the camera.  The first time golfing in Europe, watching the thunder and heavy rain storm chase us down off the golf course, and of course, enjoying an ice cream cone from McDonald's just to see if it tasted the same.  The adventures lasted only a few days, but we managed to pack each day with cool events and wonderful sights.  For me, driving on the Autobahn in a new BMW checked off Bucket Wish List item # 5.  Never in my life, before we moved here, did I think I would have the opportunity to do such a thing.  And now that I have, I only have two words to describe the experience: highly recommended.