Hi all! I just finished my paper that was due today, and now have time to update you about the second part of my trip- Brussels! I really did not know much about the city before I left, besides that it was the seat of the EU, but in the end, I loved it! A lot of groups who went said they did not enjoy it or find much to do, but my friends and I were really busy and got to see a lot of beautiful things!

After Bruges, the bus dropped us off at the central train station and we had to get to our hostel. Using our map, and the metro system, we managed to get there quickly and easily. We checked in, and when we got to our room, realized that we would be sharing a 4 person bedroom with a stranger. After studying the contents of the suitcase that was on the bed (cologne was the giveaway), we deduced he was likely a male. But we left shortly after (after locking our valuables up don't worry) and figured we would meet him later. This hostel was a lot nicer than our one from the night before, and in a great location about 5 minutes from the center of the city.

It was raining, but we set out walking and made our way to Grand Place, the gorgeous city square in the heart of Brussels. I had read it was beautiful, but I was not expecting it to be so gorgeous and huge (I think the name grand is very appropriate). It was neat to see it all lit up at night, and the rain kept most people away, so we had a great view to ourselves. All around the square are tons of windy streets full of shops and restaurants, and we wandered around for several hours. We stopped in a bunch of stores, including a candy and chocolate shop where we got a pre dinner "snack" of cookies that included the best chocolate cookie I have ever tasted (it was crumbly, and rich, and sort of like a brownie but not). We walked about 3 blocks over to the symbol of Brussels, the statue Mannekin Pis of a little boy peeing, and it was pretty strange. I can see why my fake uncle chip said it was not worth visiting. It was really small (the chocolate statues of it in nearby stores were bigger) and anti-climatic, but at least we saw it! Finally, the sugar high from our cookies and waffles ran out, and we decided to get dinner. We found a tiny street packed with restaurants, each offer a similar deal which men in tuxedos tried to sell to you as you walked by. After being hounded for a few minutes, we choose one where the man literally wouldn't let us say no and we couldn't argue with his suggestion we sit by the warm fireplace! We got champagne, soup, dessert, and salmon all for only 12 euro! It was really delicious and relaxing.

After dinner, we decided to try to find a bar that looked like it had young people in it, and we randomly stopped in one when we saw a big group of people our age sitting inside. We were so lucky, it was a great choice! A live singer and guitar player were just setting up and they were great. The girl sang a lot of American songs- including Norah Jones, the Police etc- and we enjoyed some more Belgian beer while listening. We also met a local guy named Max, who sat near us and was sketching a portrait of his friend the singer. When we asked how he could tell we were American, he joked we had an "American smell." He also advised us that like him, we should drop out of school and just live since it didnt really matter. We didnt take that advice, but decided to take his other suggestion to visit a bar called Delirium. It was huge, with several floors, and served over 2,000 kinds of beer! We got the one called Delirium itself that was close to 10% alcohol, and needless to say quite strong. We met some American students who were studying abroad in Brussels and compared experiences so far.

When we headed back to the hostel, we were anxious to meet our roommate and were hoping he was not sketchy. But in the end, we never did- we actually never saw his face! When we got home, he was sleeping and completely cacooned in his sheets, obscuring himself completely from view. Then he woke up at 5 am and quietly packed and left. What a mystery!

The next day, despite our late night, we woke up early and headed out on foot again and got waffles covered in chocolate and fruit for breakfast (even though true Belgians don' eat waffles for breakfast, we decided to embrace our tourist status and do it). We saw Grand Place in the light, and then walked across town to the big art museum. We wandered through for a few hours and saw their ancient and modern collections as well as the big Magritte exhibit- he is a famous early 20th century Belgian surrealist. I didn't know much about him, but my friend, and art major, educated us about what we were seeing. We were lucky to get the early, because as we were leaving, it was getting very crowded. It was really interesting!

After the museum, we had a few hours to spare and wandered through the nearby hip neighborhood of Sablon. We browsed a flea market, and ate lunch in a great cafe. The whole area felt more authentic and less touristy than the area around Grand Place, and was very nice. Finally, we headed back to our hostel- stopping to get famed Belgian frites with mayo like sauch on the way- and caught a train back to Luxembourg. I really loved Brussels, and felt like we got a really great feel for it despite being there for a short time. The food was great, the people relatively friendly, and the beer strong. The two girls I went with and I really bonded and we are planning to travel together for most of the other weekends! We just hit it off and laugh a lot!

I hope this is not too long and boring! Glad I got to share!