All Over the Map
Belgium
Antwerp Bicycle Culture: A photo essay
We arrived in Antwerp on a sunny Wednesday afternoon and were immediately struck by the number of bikes crowding the wide bike lanes. People of all ages, including kids, were heading home either for their lunch break or, in the case of the children, because they are off from school every Wednesday afternoon. If you more »
5 Things to Do in Antwerp with Kids
It’s hard not to feel the energy of this busy port city. It boasts a beautiful medieval center and has recently undergone major renovations, with more green space, fantastic bike paths, a revived riverfront, and new museums like the upcoming Red Star Line Museum. It has so much to offer families, it may be hard more »
Foreign Field Trip Faux-Pas: A mortifying travel tale
Hmmm, I thought, this is either a particularly well-behaved class, or there’s some truth to that annoying “European children are better behaved” theory. Then why did these chaperones have the same bleary-eyed weary look that befalls all of their American counterparts? Let me introduce Raphael… From the get-go, it was clear Raphael was the class more »
In Bruges–With Kids
You’ve probably heard that walking through Bruges is like stepping into a medieval fairy tale. Well, believe it! The city’s charming gabled buildings, secret gardens, gentle canals and mysterious alleys will transport you back in time. It can get crowded, especially in the summertime, so start your trip early and don’t be overly ambitious. What more »
Brussels with Kids: The New Belgian Chocolate
When you take a bite of one of Laurent Gerbaud’s chocolates you notice a progression of flavors in your mouth. First the chocolate, creamy and dark, from cocoa beans cultivated and collected for their intense flavors from Madagascar and Ecuador. Then the subtleties of the flavors emerge – fruity, nutty, sweet. But wait. Gerbaud is more »
School of Comics: A Day with the Belgian Comic Book Guy
We met our guide Didier at the Belgian Comic Strip Museum on a cold, wet and dreary day, the kind of weather that defines March in this part of Europe. Heavy-set, with straggly shoulder-length hair, a ruddy complexion, and a penchant for Brussels’ native beer, gueuze, Didier looked like a cross between Jack Black and more »
Happy Parents Happy Kids: café life in Belgium
On our recent trip to Belgium, it became clear that people know how to live well there. The food is fantastic - one of my favorite cookbooks is called Everbody Eats Well in Belgium, and it’s true – and their beer is divine. Need I mention the waffles? And chocolate? So it should come as no more »
5 Things to Do in Ghent with Kids
When you visit Brussels, you feel like you are in a bustling world capital, where English is fast becoming the most common language, especially while the french- and dutch-speaking Belgians can’t agree on anything. People might suggest you visit Bruges, the charming UNESCO World Heritage site in northern Belgium. While it is lovely, it does more »
