It's a Beautiful Day In Belgium

Ahhhhhhh. It truly is Spring in beautiful Belgium. Today, the sun was shining, the skies were blue, and the temp got up to a balmy 67 degrees. Well, not exactly balmy, but warm enough for me. Winter is over. It's enough to make you open the windows wide, take in a deep cleaning breath and ...... oh, dear. It's Spring in Belgium. You might want to hold off on that cleansing breath. Just remember that when you want to make a sweet, delicious cake, you need to add a little salt. In Belgium, to have all of those fresh, delicious veggies, you need to add a little, um, fertilizer. All the bovines in the country have have been putting a lot of effort into providing fresh fertilizer for the farmers to plow into the soil. This is the time of the year that all of that aromatic fertilizer (that Bessie has lovingly provided) is dumped out into the fields. Did I mention that Belgium is mostly farm country? There are fields of corn and other crops just about everywhere. I'm not kidding. In residential neighborhoods, if there is one little plot of land between houses that is not being used, they will plow it up and put corn on it. Right now, there just isn't any escaping the smell of...well...cow poop. It's OK, though. Cow poop means Spring. And Spring makes me smile. It's like someone turned on a switch here. Bicycles are everywhere. You see more tractors on the roads than cars right now. Everyone wants to be out, enjoying the beautiful sunshine. At restaurants and pubs, all of the outdoor tables and chairs that were stored for the winter have been drug back outside again. People sit, eating lunch and laughing, waving at friends walking by. And there are flowers. In each town, there is a florist, and they are spreading their blossoming bounty out for everyone to enjoy. Just enough to tempt you. It's still a little too chilly at night to really start planting, but any day now...the time will be right. Until then, you can pick up a dozen roses for about 5 euro. It's a bargain you can't resist. Oh, and the best part of Spring? Leonidas cranked up their soft serve ice cream machine. There is nothing better than walking around town, nibbling on a fresh waffle cone filled with creamy goodness from Leonidas. THAT is how you know the warm weather is here to stay. Leonidas wouldn't lie. So, in short, I am wishing you Happy Spring. Get outside and enjoy it. And if you happen to see Bessie, thank her for her contribution. Thanks to her, the flowers bloom brighter and the veggies are plumper. Bessie rocks.

My Kind Of Monday

I think I might have hurt Stanley's feelings just a little bit. I asked him if he was ready to go home, and he sadly told me that there were still a few things that he'd like to experience in Belgium. I insisted that I was not trying to get rid of him. I just thought he might be a little home sick for his friends in Crestview, Florida. While he does miss them terribly, he said he couldn't leave this country without trying a couple of things that it's famous for. Never let it be said that I sent poor Stanley home disappointed. Today, I took him out to lunch with friends, so he could try some of the local food. No, I didn't let him drink my cappuccino. He did keep eyeing my little heart shaped waffle that came with it, though. Erika had to hold him back from grabbing it right off my plate! After a little discussion about good manners, we ordered lunch. It turns out that Stanley had been looking forward to eating one of our famous Belgian waffles. They aren't like the kind of waffles that are served in the US. They are very light and fluffy, and have a vanilla taste to them. As an added treat, they had fresh pineapples and whipped cream on top of them. You can get lots of great things on top of your waffles here. One of the most popular toppings is chocolate sauce! Stanley had the nice lady at the cafe add vanilla ice cream to his waffle. Just ignore that healthy salad in the background. Today was all about experiencing the treats that Belgium has to offer. (This might explain the lack of weight loss we've been experiencing at the gym lately, though. This also might not have been what that health magazine was talking about when they said to eat more fruit.) After we left the cafe, we drove over to Peer so that Stanley could visit Leonidas Chocolate Shop. He asked me to take his picture with this giant chocolate egg. He said he had never seen one this big before! It was big enough for Stanley to sleep in! After our lunch, we decided that we had eaten enough sweets for today, so we picked up a small bag of chocolate eggs for Stanley to try at another time, and headed on back home. Stanley can check two more things off of his list of things to see and do in Belgium. He mentioned one more thing that he'd like to see, so I'm going to do my best to take him there later this week. Hopefully it will work out. The place I am planning on taking him has a very special surprise inside. I have a feeling Stanley is going to be one very happy little boy when he sees it...

Someone's Getting Coal For Christmas

Yesterday, I bought a lovely bag of chocolates from Leonidas. It was filled with an assortment of Christmas figures...everything from Santa to ornaments. Very cute, I must say. Today, I noticed something a little odd about the chocolates.

On closer inspection, this is what I found. Just so you know, the kids cracked...immediately. I didn't even have to ask. Neither of them wanted to take the heat. We all know who did this. And he is getting coal for Christmas! I'm just saying...

A Day In Brussels

Today was....WOW! There really isn't any other way to describe it. I've been to Brussels on two other occasions. The first was when I flew into Belgium when we moved here. I don't think that really counts, because I was going on over two days with no sleep, and was essentially a walking zombie. The second time was when the kids and I went to Mini Europe and the Atomium with friends. That was a blast, but we didn't really see anything of the city. When our original plans for today were changed, I jumped at the chance to head over to Brussels and explore. This is the entrance to the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert.

The Galleries were essentially the first indoor "mall" in Europe. It's very popular. The glass ceiling was fantastic. It was raining when we first reached Brussels, so the roof was much appreciated. Next, we headed down lots of tiny little streets toward the center of the city. This area is called the I'llot Sacre. We stopped at this lovely little restaurant called The Lobster House for lunch. No, we didn't get the lobster. I think this was a good decision, because Brandon later informed me that he's pretty sure that the lobster on the neighboring table was waving at him and whispering "please help me...."
Due to the cold temperatures and rain, the fire that we sat beside was very welcomed. Here's me and my better half. You'd almost think we were on a romantic date for two. If you ever find yourself at the Lobster House, I recommend the pizza. It's some of the best we've had so far. (In fact, all the food there was excellent. Two thumbs up!)

After a delicious lunch, we were off again. The hubby was letting me be in charge of this operation, and my map reading skills are not my strong point. My job was to find our way to The Grand-Place. His job was to keep track of where we were so we could actually find our way back to the car. (His job was a lot harder than mine.) A few more turns and... The clouds parted, the sun came out and (cue the music and choir)....Wow! The Grand-Place. That's the name for this whole square. This is the heart of the oldest part of Brussels. This building is the Hotel de Ville (Town Hall). It was built in the early 1400's in the Gothic style, and was simply beautiful. This is the Maison du Roi (House of the King). It was originally a bread market, but now is the City Museum of Brussels. On the second floor of this museum you will find around 600 costumes for the famous Manneken-Pis. More on that later on...It got it's name because the Duke of Brabant used it for quite frequently for "administrative purposes." The details on this building were fantastic. This building dates back to the early 1500's. Before that, it was a much smaller wooden structure.
This building is La Cygne (The Swan). It because the butcher's guild house in 1720. It's now a restaurant. This is the Residence of the Dukes of Brabant, nos. 13-19 of Grand Place. The houses are named after the busts of the 19 Dukes of Brabant that decorate the facade. No dukes actually lived there. Yes, those are two little cherubs pulling the chariot. Apparently there were no Child Labor laws here. That's a Mom who knew how to keep the kids in line! Hmmmmm.....
This is another restaurant called La Chaloupe d'Or. Awwww. Aren't they cute? It's no wonder I take them with me everywhere I go! OK, they have relaxed enough. We are off again, and the hubby is really not thrilled with this quest. I was to see the infamous Manneken-Pis. (He rolls his eyes when I mention this.) Down more narrow streets we go.

I suspect this might be a sign that we are getting close. You will be happy to know that I resisted all temptation and did not buy any tiny, chocolate, naked, peeing boys. (Wow, that didn't sound that bad when I first typed it.) Somehow, it was not that appetizing. I'm just saying.As we neared this corner, I knew that success was mine. Just look at that crowd. There he is in all his blue-suited glory. The Manneken-Pis. That's Dutch for "little man urinating", in case you were wondering. There are lots of legends surrounding this statute. One is that a wealthy man lost his son in the city, only to later find him happily "watering" the plants in a small garden. Another is that a little boy came upon some explosives that were planted by enemies at the city walls. He peed on it to put the fuse out, therefore saving the entire city. There are more, but I'll spare you the rest. I'm sure you get the drift. People from all over the world send him costumes. They change his periodically. The rest are housed in a local museum where you can admire them at your leisure. He is a favorite among tourists, and tolerated by the locals. They just don't seem to understand why people flock to him and take his picture. It seems strange. My hubby agrees with them.

Et tu, Leonidas? I thought you were above such things. OK, I admit, it's funny. Again, not very appetizing. But this is something we can sink our teeth into. While I am taking pictures of a little naked statute, the family has moved on to greater issues of importance. The waffle stand. It was VERY popular. Maybe this will explain why. Don't you wish the computer was scratch and sniff?

Nice to see that we have gotten on a health kick since moving here, huh? No, they don't ship well, so don't even bother asking.

Heading back toward the car lead us to the Cathedrale Saints Michel et Gudule. It's twin towers are 69 meters high. This is a clock at the Palais de la Dynastie.This is the Eglise Saint-Jacques sur Coudenberg (Church of Saint-Jacque sur Coudenberg). It was built between 1776 and 1787. The statute is of Godefroid de Bouillion, the first King of Jerusalem. These gardens are on the Mont-des Arts. I'm sure they are beautiful in the summer. It also gives you a great view of the city and the spire of the Town Hall.
Finally, this is the Palais Royal (the Royal Palace). It's now the official residence of the Belgian sovereigns. Whew. It was a great day packed with lots of adventures. And a lot of walking. I don't know about you, but I'm tired. I'm off to dream of waffles and palaces and not...definitely not...little naked statutes.

Happy Halloween!

The great thing about an American holiday in a foreign country is that you can celebrate Halloween whenever you like. We did most of our celebrating last night.

Our pumpkin, however, didn't make it to the party. He decided to turn BAD! I guess that's what happens to cannibalistic pumpkins. They grow a thick, furry coat of mold and start to smell a little "ripe". Due to his poor behavior, he was banished to the trash.

His chocolate counterpart, however, was on his best behavior and got to have all kinds of fun. He was invited to a Halloween party in the Netherlands with the teenager! Jess went to a neighboring country for a Halloween party (how crazy does that sound??), and then a sleep-over at a friends house. As a "thank you" gift to the friends parents for putting up with sugar induced teenagers for the night, we sent along this chocolate pumpkin from Leonidas. It's actually hollow, so we had it filled with an assortment of chocolates (pralines) as well. Now the parents are buzzing on a sugar high along with the kids. That's what Halloween is all about!While Jess was off partying in the Netherlands Friday night, we headed off to Russ' work. Everyone decorated the main buildings, and the kids got to trick or treating through all of the offices. After collecting lots of candy, they headed to the Club and had a big party with fun and games. It was a huge success! The big hit of the night was the Haunted House, put on by all of the cops. They had grown men screaming like little girls! (I'm not naming any names, but you know who you are!)This fellow on our hall was a big hit, as well. He was sitting in the dark, and the kids thought the bowl of candy was sitting on a black chair. When they reached for it, he moved and they screamed!

The kids had a blast, and we gave away a ton of candy. We have a lot left, too. We're going to be eating snickers and twizzlers for months to come. There are going to be a lot of busy Belgian dentists near the base! Happy Halloween!

B Diddy & The Princess

Yes, that would be a great title for a movie, but for now, it's just the kids. Thanks to Tim, Brandon's new nickname is "B Diddy", and along with a new nickname, comes a new pose. The UFC pose is out for now and the B Diddy pose is in. Times, they are a changing. Today was Brandon's first day of school, and he headed out pretty early this morning. Jess gets to relax until Monday, and then it's her turn. Jess is a little harder to get pictures of lately, because she's been doing her own thing with friends in the area. (How quickly they dump you for younger and cooler people to hang out with.) We've been continuing our bike rides along the canal, taking advantage of the nice summer weather while we can. It won't be long now til fall. We are still settling into the area, and learning more each day. The kids and I took a nice LONG drive yesterday. It entertains us to try to pronounce the names of the towns that we travel to. We've found it's easier to give them nick names, so Bocholt is now "the Bah", Opglabbeek is "the Op", Gruitrode is "the Grrr",... well, you get the idea. You can't imagine the stories we made up about the town of As.

I will share a little tidbit I recently learned about Leonidas chocolate. (They are the BEST, by the way! We got addicted to them when we were living in Peer.) Did you know that they didn't originate in Belgium? In 1910, a Greek fellow names Leonidas Kestekides got a Bronze Medal for his chocolates at the Brussels Universal Exhibition, and the Gold Medal at the International Exhibition in Ghent in 1913. This (and the fact that he fell in love with a young lady from Belgium) made him decide to settle permanently in Belgium and open a few tearooms. It was very successful, and has been a family run operation ever since. So when you dig into a box of those famous Belgium chocolates, give a nod to the Greeks as well. It was a team effort!

Chocodrama!

Note to self: Never mail a delightful assortment of Leonidas chocolate....to Louisiana......in the summer.