Castles and Castles... Oh, and chocolate too!

Would you believe that there are approximately 3,000 castles, farm-castles, citadels, manors and palaces in Belgium? It's true! In fact, Belgium has one of the highest density of castles per square kilometer in the world! With over 400 castles that are open to the public, I couldn't let my mom and dad go home without checking out at least one...



So, off we went to Gaasbeek Castle, located not too far from Brussels. This was not my first visit here - I had taken DS to see this castle during our first few months here, but we happened to visit on a day that the castle was closed - Mondays. This time, I made sure it was open, before we departed...



The original castle was erected around 1240 to defend the Duchy of Brabant against the County of Flanders, but was later destroyed. The castle was re-built in brick during the 1500's. Its last inhabitants, the Marquess d'Arconati Visconti and his widow Marie Peyrat, made several renovations before it was donated to the Belgian State.

Today, Gaasbeek castle and the adjacent 124 acre park are open to the public. And, although the tour was in Flemish, we were able to buy an English souvenir book that helped us understand what we saw.

During our visit, various pieces of modern art were displayed throughout the castle, as part of an art exhibition. You can see some pictures of these pieces displayed in our slide show. You will find them quite interesting (and disturbing too!).



After our visit to Gaasbeek Castle, we made sure to stop at the Neuhaus Factory store located just 5 minutes away. After getting full from eating too many chocolate samples, we bought several boxes of chocolates and biscuits for mom and dad to take home.


Poor little DS was very disappointed when she found out we went there without her...

Safari time at Monde Savauge

What a nice surprise it was, when I found out that I had won some free tickets to Monde Sauvage Safari Parc, located about an hour's drive from Tervuren. This safari/zoo turned out to be the perfect outing for our family.

Ray and I were not really expecting too much, having both visited the old Lion Country Safari in California, as children. We both remembered the disappointment of seeing "wild" animals lazily lounging in the warm Orange County sun, as carloads of families drove by, wondering "is this what Africa is really like?"

However, the safari at Monde Sauvage was definitely something different. The morning was crisp and cool and the animals were all quite active! In fact, the park attendant warned us to stay clear of some of the active young bucks, that were wrestling with each other and could, quite possibly, "ram" our car with full force! (hmm, how would I explain this to Toyota? "No, it really is a door ding!" - Ray)





During our drive-thru safari, we saw giraffes, deer, hippos, a rhino, some elephants (in an enclosure), ostriches, and zebras, just to name a few.



In fact, the zebras were quite entertaining as they tried to steal some of the snacks the girls were eating. (Jo's shaking of the snack bag and calling the Zebras over didn't help - Ray



Ray quickly rolled up the car windows as they got too close -- a pretty close call! The girls' excitement from the back seats was enough satisfaction to make this trip worthwhile for us all. So satisfying that we made a sharp turn at the exit and drove back in for a second tour!

After our 2nd drive-thru, we parked our car and walked through the zoo area. Monde Sauvage has quite an extensive collection of big cats, ranging from lions, black leopards, panthers, pumas, tigers and cheetahs. They also have such animals as brown bears, polar bears, white wolves, chimpanzees, etc...

After lunch in the cafeteria/restaurant, we checked out the adjoining playground, which all four of us enjoyed. There was quite an entertaining swing, where 5 of the swings face each other, in a pentagon-like shape. Imagine the fun while trying to swing and not kick the feet of the opposing swingers! Like we have said, Belgium has some really entertaining playgrounds...



We spent the day watching 3 live-animal shows -- the parrot show, the seal show and the birds-of-prey show, which, incidentally, was the highlight of them all. Seeing these large and beautiful birds fly a mere inches above your head puts you in the middle of all the action! It really didn't matter that the shows were all in French!



What a great day it was -- the best part being the big smiles on the girls' faces. Not bad for free tickets!

The Pursuit of Belgium Chocolates...

Just yesterday, for our 13th anniversary, Ray came home with a beautiful bouquet of white roses and a box of Pierre Marcolini chocolates. For those of you who know him, Ray has never failed to do something special for a birthday, holiday or anniversary. And even after 13-years of marriage (gosh, where did all the time go?!), he still surprises me with these sweet gestures.

We spent the evening watching "Somewhere in Time" while I enjoyed the delicious chocolates. After opening the box, I realized I failed to post a blog I had written a while back. And since I was experiencing a "piece of heaven" consuming PM's "Pave De Tours Fondant" -- a blend of chocolate with sugared almonds, hazelnuts and puff pastry cake, coated with dark chocolate -- I realized I should share this post...

Before we moved here, my idea of good chocolate was a Nestle's Crunch Bar. I was never into fancy chocolates wrapped in pretty boxes and didn't think twice about the Godiva Chocolates received during the holidays.

Oh my, have things changed! Now just the thought of Belgium chocolate will make my mouth salivate. Some well-known chocolatiers here in Belgium are Leonidas, Neuhaus and Pierre Marcolini. The chocolates are not cheap (ranging anywhere from 5 to 17 euros per 250 grams -- meaning $8-$23 for a small box of chocolates), but hey -- some things are worth spending money for. And, these chocolates are SOO delish.

The fun part about going to the chocolatier is that there always seems to be a new and different type of chocolate to try. And I make sure to have it wrapped up in a nice pretty box even if it's only for my consumption...

Imagine my delight when I discovered that there was a Neuhaus factory store open to the public here in Belgium. From what I understand, not many people know about this place. So, DS and I went to check this place out and what a score we found! This shop had several samples of chocolate which we were encouraged to try. We were literally two kids in a candy store tasting several yummy chocolates.

DS especially enjoyed this trip since she had just finished reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Needless to say, we left after buying several boxes of chocolates (at excellent prices, I must add). Good thing this place is 1/2 hour away, otherwise Ray would have to sign me up for the gym!

"PS, don't touch the chocolates"

"Mommy, I'm not touching, I'm just looking...!!!"

In addition to the well-known chocolatiers mentioned above, there are numerous other chocolatiers that are very good. The girls and I went to Centho Chocolatier, recommended by my neighbor, Iza. Located off the beaten track in Duisburg Tervuren, Belgian Master Confectioner, Geert Decoster, takes much pride in his home-made chocolates. All of his chocolates are made on a base of "Origin Chocolate" made only from premium fresh butter and whipped cream blended to create flavors including chocolates w/lemon, lavender, cinnamon, honey, coffee, and nuts just to name a few. All the chocolates are made daily in the small factory connected adjacent to the shop. Chocolates here are 10 euros per 250 grams. I enjoyed the warm hospitality of Geert and learning a little more about chocolate. Although it didn't compare to Pierre Marcolini, the chocolates here were delightful!

The only sad thing about the discovery of fine chocolate, is that Nestle Crunch Bars will never be the same.

Wandering through Antwerp

A few weeks ago during my parents' visit to Brussels, we spent some time exploring the town of Antwerp, the 2nd largest city in Belgium. We decided to get our first taste of this city by exploring its old town. Upon exiting the parking structure, we found ourselves in the center of Groenplaats, a popular meeting place, and greeted by a statue of Peter Paul Reubens (no, not Pee-Wee Herman as Ray had thought!), the famous painter who lived here in the early 17th century.

Close by and dominating the Antwerp skyline was our first stop - the beautiful Our Lady Cathedral.

A short walk later, we found ourselves in the heart of the splendid Grote Markt and surrounded by the Town Hall, houses of the Guild, shops and outdoor cafes. In the center of the square was Brabo fountain, created by sculptor Jef Lambeaux in 1887. If you look closely at its' picture, you will notice the water of the fountain is not caught in a basin, but simply disappears through the stones of the monument, where it enters a closed water circuit.

Continuing on our walking tour, we stumbled across the Steen (meaning "stone" in Dutch). This small castle can be seen at the entrance of the city center, on the border of the river Scheldt. It was one of the earliest buildings in Antwerp constructed with stones and was probably built to fortify the city in the 13th century.

At its entrance, the statue of a man with "spread out legs" can be seen. Interestingly, this statue used to be "very well endowed" and was therefore visited by numerous women looking for a cure against infertility. Found to be too obscene for the 17th century, his "manhood" was removed off the statue -- poor guy! (In a country where the iconic symbol is the Mannekin Pis, what was wrong with this guy?) Since then, the Steen was used as a prison, an archeological museum and now currently houses the National Maritime Museum.

On our way back to the city centre, we passed the Vleeshuis or Butcher's Hall, one of the oldest buildings in the city (built between 1501 and 1503). It was once the only place where you could buy meat in the city.

We walked by St. James Church before stopping off for lunch near the entrance to Grote Markt. As my Dad was really hungry and needed a break, we stopped at the first restaurant we came across -- Chinese food at the bargain deal of 7 euros for a 3-course lunch.

We strolled through the Vlaeykensgang -- an alleyway which dates back to 1591 -- before heading back home to pick up the kiddo's. In this alley, we read that "time has stood still and you can see how the people of Antwerp lived in the 16th century". After walking through the alley, we thought "was that it?" It took us all but 5 minutes to walk through! (perhaps we missed something???)

Our last intended stop was to drive to the diamond area of the city, however the "crazy" Antwerp traffic just didn't allow it. So, I guess those diamonds will just have to wait for another day.

Maybe Ray and I can visit sometime in December!

Experiencing a "Real" Autumn

There's an old joke that says "The four seasons in California are Drought, Fire, Floods and Earthquakes..."

So, it has been a real treat for us California natives to experience a "real" Autumn, where the temperatures start to cool down, the nights get longer and the leaves actually change colors...

Our family has been taking advantage of time in the outdoors, before the cold of the long Belgian winter arrives. We have been biking in the park, having picnics at the playgrounds and just enjoying the many outdoor activities held here in Brussels.



Another reminder of how fast this year is flying by - Tonight we attended the Halloween Walk in Tervuren. This is an annual activity where the local "witch" gives guided walking tours through the various haunted and ghoulish areas of Tervuren Park, complete with mummies, scary pirates, ghouls and the un-dead.



I guess it won't be long before the Christmas trees start appearing...

A Day at Mondial de l'Automobile

The "Big Boss" said he wanted me take advantage of every opportunity to experience European auto culture, so I figured he wouldn't mind if I took a day off to attend Mondial de l'Automobile, or the Paris Motor Show. This show only occurs every other year, so it would be the only time I could attend during my assignment.

As mentioned in a previous post, Paris is but a short 1 hour train ride from Brussels. Since we were just here a couple of weeks ago, I had an easy time getting out to Gare du Nord station in Paris. However, unlike the last time, there was no kind Parisian woman to help me get my connecting subway ticket. And on top of that, there was an unexpected halt of service for the Metro subway train on my carefully chosen route. Just great!...

But, the gods were smiling down on me, because when I decided to go up to street level to get my bearings, I was in the middle of restaurant row! And just in time for lunch!

I found an interesting French/Greek cafe that was serving these amazing gyros on french baguettes. They asked if I wanted frites (fries) to go along with it and when I nodded, they just stuffed them into the sandwich! Cool, I was in a rush anyways...

After lunch, I headed back down to the Metro, armed my new route plan. And, amazingly, I made it to the show in no time. (I think I'm starting to get the hang of the Metro now...)

The show was like your standard US auto show, but with different brands and models. Alot of the brands that never quite made it in the US, such as Citroen, Peugeot and Alfa Romeo, are strong and doing well over here. Its just a different market, I guess.

What I would love to have:

What I can afford:

After about 4 hours of checking out the cars and displays, my feet were tired and it was time to head on back. After spending my day looking at nothing but these Euro-mobiles, I was in the mood for something truly American! So, I found the nearest Hard Rock Cafe, where you can get a real American cheeseburger and Coke (but pay the very un-American price of $30).

It tasted so good, I didn't even notice...

Tromso and the Borealis

As part of my assignment in Europe, I am required to make periodic "housecalls" to my assigned Toyota distributor, to make sure that everything is OK with them and to lend a sympathetic ear for any problems. Luckily, I am responsible for Toyota Norway, where the people (and staff) are easy-going and friendly and they don't have a whole lot of Toyota or Lexus problems.

Last week, I made my second trip to Toyota Norway, but this time to a Lexus dealer in the northern city of Tromso. Located about 1,300 miles from the North Pole, I was pleased to find out that Tromso was not as cold as I was expecting it to be (about 42F in the afternoon - not bad!)

But most importantly, Tromso is known as one of the best places in the world to view the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights. In the winter months, tourists come from all over the world to witness this spectacular light show. Tour buses head for the outer reaches of the city (Tromso is mostly located on an island) to find the best spots to view the borealis. But, lucky me! I just happened to glance up at the sky and witnessed the borealis as my Norwegian colleagues and I were walking back from dinner! It appeared as a "dancing" ribbon of bright emerald green against the black sky for just a few moments. Then it was gone...

I stayed outside for another half an hour to see if I could catch a replay, but it was gone for the night. They say you are lucky if you able to see it during your first outing, so I guess I won't press my luck.

But it sure would be cool to catch another glimpse. I guess I'll have to come back in a few months to see the borealis, I mean, to see Toyota Norway again...