Au Revoir, Belgium!

Although it was sad to leave, we were still able to enjoy our last few days in Belgium. It was a blessing to experience the several snowfalls that blanketed the city (which by the way, is not common in Belgium!)...

In between taking care of last minute details in preparation for our move, here are a few of the things we did during our last week in Brussels.

A snow stop to Parc du Cinquanteniere...

Hanging out at the Grand Place (pre-snow)

And post-snow...

Meals at old favorites like Chez Leon...

And new ones such as La Kahbaz, where we enjoyed an excellent Moroccan meal...

Browsing the Brussels Christmas Markets...

PS & DS riding the Le Manege Magique and La Manege d'Andrea Carousels...

The Shinozaki Girls enjoying another round of ice skating (even after it started snowing)...

Posing in front of the Bourse (directly across the street from the Marriott)...

Enjoying yummy Liege Waffles at Elisabeth and LaFunambule...

And one last visit to "Santa" Manneken Pis (until we visit again, that is!)

We even managed to squeeze in a visit to Musée de la Ville. Here the girls got a kick out of seeing all of Manneken Pis' outfits which have been donated by several different countries. Amazingly, he is said to have more than 800!

Au Revoir, Belgium! We are definitely going to miss you!!

Now onwards to London for the holidays!!

A "Going-Away-Do" in Brussels...

On Wednesday night, some of my girlie friends got together for a night out on the town! It was not only a chance to spend time with a great bunch of gals, but also a chance to experience some of the local hang-outs here in Brussels...

First stop was at L'Archiduc, a trendy watering hole where we enjoyed a cocktail and lots of fun chat...

Rasika, Jane, Jo, Amy, Tracy & Tori at L'Archiduc

Then, after a brief stroll through the Grand Place, we stopped at the Delirium Cafe Bar, which boasts a beer menu over an inch thick and holds the Guiness Book of World Records as the most beers sold at an establishment -- the count: 2004!

Tor, Jo, Jane, Rasika, Amy & Tracy at Delirium Cafe...

Exterior of Delirium Cafe -- Brussels, Belgium

The impressive and lengthly beer menu...

Our yummy fruit beers...

Later, we stopped at a local frites shop for some yummy frites before saying good-bye to most of the group. But, since Tor and I were staying at the Brussels Marriott for the evening, we made one more stop to Le Corbeau before calling it a night.

Tori insisted that I try a Belgium Kwak before I left. What is this, you ask?! The Kwak is a beer of a deep bright amber color, a fruity and malty aroma, a slightly spicy character with hints of caramelized bananas, and a pleasant bitterness to it. (I didn't come up with that on my own, of course!). Interestingly, during Napoleon's time, Belgium brewer Paul Kwak owned the De Hoorn Inn in Dendermonde. Mail coaches stopped there every day but were not allowed to leave their coaches while the passengers enjoyed some brew. As such, Mr. Kwak invented a glass which could be easily hung on the coach! In fact, you can see actual footage on the link above!

Jo & Tor enjoying a nice chat and Belgium Kwak's at Le Corbeau...

The historic glass invented by Pauwel Kwak


It was a fun, FAB evening with good friends and loads of laughs. And a little history lesson, to boot!

Casino Night in Belgium!

Ray and I recently spent a Saturday night out with friends and checked out the Grand Casino of Brussels, right in the heart of town...

Walking to the Grand Casino Brussels...

To get into the casino was quite strict. First we had to go through the formality of checking in at the front desk, present our identification, take a picture, and sign a form stating we understood the rules of the gaming establishment (including no camera, drats!). Then, we had to check in our coats (mandatory) before passing security where we showed our new membership cards to pass through the doors to the actual casino!

After browsing the casino to see what it had to offer (no worries, Vegas!), we enjoyed some nice conversation at one of the bars before trying out our luck.

But as luck would have it, Ray and I unfortunately didn't have any! However, we were pleased that we were "good luck charms" as the others did very well at the Roulette and card tables! And we were glad to finally see what a European Casino was like.

Pete, Anne, Dirk, Tor & Jo (Ray's taking the picture!)

After the others cashed in their winnings, we took a stroll through town and stopped for some yummy frites, or shall we say chips (since a few of us were visiting from the UK) before heading over to the Grand Place. The Grand Place is such an awesome place, no matter how many times you go there -- especially on a cool clear night like this!

The Town Hall at the Grand Place...

It's still one of my favorites spots in Belgium!!

Day trips with GM and GP...

Here are just a few of the things we did with GM and GP during their recent visit here...

A trip to Namur, here in Belgium, where we took a walking tour through the old city. After a nice lunch in an outdoor cafe overlooking the Royal Theatre of Namur, we drove up to its Citadel. There we walked around and took a little train tour where we enjoyed spectacular birds-eye views of the city and the River Meuse.

A day trip to Tongeren, the oldest city in Belgium (founded in 15BC as a base and supply station for the Roman troops in the Rhine Region). After a walking tour through the city, we drove to Maastrict in the Netherlands, which was only 20 minutes away.

Ambiorix, leader of a Belgic tribe famous for his resistance against Julius Caesar (Tongeren)

Maastrict, Netherlands

A visit to Mechelen, also in Belgium. The girls and I have been here several times, but only to Technopolis (a children's science museum) located near the off-ramp. I was amazed when my parents and I visited the actual town. It was a beautiful city with great shops and restaurants to browse through!

A visit to the European Commission (EU) when they opened its door to the public. The girls had a great time collecting all the "freebies" and playing various childrens' games. We also enjoyed hanging out in the meeting rooms and watching the various entertainment provided during the day.

Aquatopia in Antwerp, an indoor aquarium with a great design and theme...

And of course, a trip to the Grand Place and restaurant Chez Leon for a lunch of "mussels in Brussels". This time, the Grand Place was hosting an interesting event -- a "scarecrow festival" where several different organizations built their version of a scarecrow which were subjected to a public vote during its display during the day.

Lastly, my mom and I visited the National Botanic Garden in Meise on the day of GP's departure. A 92 hectare park filled with flowers, plants, herb gardens, medicinal gardens, a castle, lakes, and an endless array of pathways to explore.

Reminded me of my grandma's coffee farm in Kona...

GP saying bye-bye to PS on departure day...