Bouyant Bruxelles

With the EUPS program, we were lucky enough to have the opportunity to visit Brussels for a second time. Unlike our first time in the capital city, the sun shined brilliantly. The weather that we encountered was absolutely fabulous (apparently some of the best springtime weather the city had experienced in years) and gave Brussels the glow of a golden wheat beer.


This extraordinary weather allowed me to drink in many new sights the city had to offer and reflect on this melting pot. Brussels is a French speaking island in a Flemish sea; a meeting point for so many different cultures through out Europe. In turn this has created a city with a rich and complex texture, that I believe is overlooked by many.


It is as elegant city while still also being an eclectic mix of groups, truly the capital of Europe in many ways. Sadly one can sometimes miss that in a haze of rain, beer and waffles. But in feverish sunshine or the glow of a Spring night, Brussels burns brightly in technicolor and allows you to experience the city known as Bruxelles (French) or Brussel (Dutch) in all of its glory.


Don't pass up such a luminous city. You will regret it!

Tanti Baci,
Lauren

PS:
I though I should share about this little fellow, Manneken Pis which translates to "Little Man Pee." Although the fountain may seem crude to some, the story behind Manneken Pis is deeply rooted in the city's folklore and seen to represent the spirit of Brussels. According to one legend, the statue was created to honor a little boy who, while hiding in a tree, drove away invading troops by peeing on them. Another says the little boy saved the city during a siege by peeing on a burning fuse that would have set Brussels blaze. Whatever the legend, Manneken Pis is certainly a landmark with close connections to the culture of the city and should not be forgotten (especially since sometimes the fountain has beer flowing instead of water!)

Look at these mussels- I'm No Twerp!

My time in Antwerp all started with a hobo fight. That's right, a hobo fight. One evening before our academic trip, my friends Matt and Sam invited me to come to Antwerp with them after Brussels. I politely declined, since I wanted to come back after the trip and catch up on some work. Shortly after I declined this offer, the insanity that is living in San Spirito caught up with me. While on my way to Mr. Drink I witnessed two hobos fighting each other in the piazza.

At that moment things just got way to regional for me, so I went back inside and took Sam and Matt up on their offer. Va bene!



Antwerp is a really great place with a very different vibe from Brussels. While Brussels in both quaint and cosmopolitan, Antwerp is an interesting combination of port city and polished diamond capital with an appropriate dash of Flemish flare.





I highly recommend taking some time to check out the Rubens House and the Diamond Museum is a must (it was so sparkly but they wouldn't let me take photos!) Oh and as I alluded to above, the mussels are incredible and all around it was a great food experience (we ate at a restaurant that had only been open for 6 days and it was some of the best food I have had while in Europe.)



All and all it was a solid trip- I had a ton of fun with my two dads aka my pet name for Matt and Sam (I don't remember exactly how they got the nickname, probably because they were calling me a baby who needed to buy a backpack.)

Tanti Baci,
Lauren

PS: I felt like I should also take this opportunity to showcase my two Dads at work. Matt and Sam take traveling VERY seriously.

For instance, no stone can be left unturned:



Nor can any artsy fartsy photo opt be wasted:



Let me just say, it is certainly an experience with my two dads, va bene :-)

It's Raining Waffles

Brussels is a city that is very near and dear to my heart. It is a city where my parents traveled to as newlyweds on their first real trip together. That is why finally getting to go to the city with such special memories for them was extremely important to me. I truly enjoyed Brussels, Belgium. It is an extremely cosmopolitan city; however, it has a type of quaint charm that harks back to times long since past. The rain was it's one flaw for me; I would have liked to have gotten some shots of the city in another color other than gray (good thing I will be back in April!)








Even though it was a busy academic trip, I found that it fulfilled by intellectual side by allowing me to be total EU nerd while there (This EU thing, it just has so...so many abbreviations...eh...eh....just google it!) However, it did not disappoint my inner wander lusting gypsy with all of the interesting sights.



(Observe Above: EU nerding)



(Observe Above: Gypsying/Wander lusting about the Grand Platz)


And who can forget the waffles- AMAZING. Trust me, I ate two in a row!*



Tanti Baci,
Lauren


*It must be noted that some toppings on my first waffle fell off mid-bite. EPIC FAIL.