Belgium

At the end of our first week at Reid Hall, we were given the opportunity to sign up for different activities. After a lunch break we lined up outside a classroom, waiting for them to open the flood gates and let the games begin. There were 4 activities we really wanted to do: a baking class, a cooking class, a wine tasting, and a trip to Belgium. Luckily, there were 4 of us. So we ensured we were at the front of the line, and as soon as the not so figurative whistle was blown, we divided and conquered.
This weekend we participated in our last school sponsored activity: a trip to Brussels and Bruges in Belgium. On Saturday morning we took the first metro of the day to arrive at the steps of the Opera at 6 AM. While it was still dark out, we boarded the bus along with around 60 other international students.

After a much needed nap, we arrived in Bruges around 11 and separated into three groups for a walking tour of the city. Although it was a bit gray and misty, it was beautiful! While the fall temperatures have hit Paris, the rest of the season has not. Bruges, on the other hand, was well entrenched in it. The leaves had begun to change colors, providing another level of beauty to this adorable town.

One girl on our tour complained that Bruges felt cliche. While it did resemble what you would imagine a picturesque Belgian village would be like, this girl failed to realize that this was what the cliche was based off of. The historic backdrop, medieval architecture and winding streams still evoked the cultural center it once was. After concluding our historical tour, Taylor, Maddi and I grabbed some frites and checked out the Groeningemuseum and the inside of St. Salvator's Cathedral before enjoying a waffle with caramel and a Bruges-brewed beer.

We then hopped back on the bus for another 2 hours to Brussels. I can now check staying in a hostel off my bucket list! Fortunately, it was very clean and cool with a band setting up to play next to the bar downstairs. After dropping our bags off in our room and washing our faces, we followed the group into the main part of town. Fortunately, I have a friend who studied abroad in Brussels last fall who sent me a fantastic guide to the city. When I say step-by-step, I mean literally step-by-step, and for this I am very grateful!

After making it to the Grand Place we broke off from the group and enjoyed mussles and fries at a recommended restaurant. We then walked over to Delerium Bar which has the largest selection of beers in the world. This multi-floor bar provided an awesome vibe, great tunes, and world-class beer. We tried a house brewed dark beer, a strawberry beer and a peach beer while listening to everything from Clapton to Red Hot Chili Peppers to Sugar Ray and more. Before heading back to the hostel, we checked out one more recommended bar that had swings that you could sit in instead of chairs!

The next morning we woke up at 8 AM for breakfast then headed back into the city to sight-see. We started at the Grand Place and the museum that outlines the history of Brussels. We then made our way past a cathedral to Manneken Pis (the famous fountain, see photo), then to Place de la Chappelle, and then Palais de la Justice where we sat and enjoyed a great view and another delicious waffle.

After resting our feet and satisfying our appetite, we strolled up to the Palais Royal and Parc de Bruxelles (see photos). We then moseyed back down towards the Grand Place to enjoy some more beers before buying some chocolate and heading back to the bus.

Belgium was absolutely beautiful, the architecture was so historical, however we always checked behind us because we frequently found modern touches of cool street art painted on the sides of buildings. Honestly, if it were not offered by Reid Hall, I probably would not have made it there. However I am so happy I had the opportunity to explore and will definitely recommend it to anyone traveling Europe!