All Over the Map
Brussels
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 »
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 »
Photo Essay: Belgium’s Artisan Chocolate Shops
I am not a chocolate snob. Paige and I enjoyed chocolate in every form possible pretty much all day long during our March research trip to Belgium. We would start in the morning in our chain hotel, where the breakfast buffet included both chocolate sprinkles and chocolate paste to spread on our toast. A mid-afternoon more »
Photo essay: One man’s “brole” is another man’s treasure
When you visit Brussels’ lively Jeu de Balle market, you’ll find plenty of brole—the Bruxellois term for “junk”—but keep digging, and you might dig up a real treasure. We certainly found some unexpected gems when we visited the market on a sunny Sunday morning in March. Tea time? Our favorite stall: vintage travel brochures and more »
Brussels with Kids: A Royal Family Outing in Laeken
Although the royal family has a perfectly good palace in the heart of Brussels, they seem to prefer to spend their time in the leafy suburb of Laeken. And while non-royals can’t actually enter the palace without a formal invitation, Laeken makes a great family outing. From the Laeken metro stop, you can take a smooth more »
Brussels with Kids: experience Brussels brings today’s city to life
Just above the Brussels Information Center (BIP) – the place to pick up maps, brochures, and Brussels Cards – lies a charming exhibit about the city of Brussels as it exists today. This is more funhouse than history museum, where you’ll learn the interesting tidbits that will make you and your family sound like experts more »
Brussels with Kids: Comic book characters come to life at Moof
You’ve probably seen little plastic Smurf and other comic strip figurines. You may even own a few of your own. In the past twenty years, some of these figurines have taken their place in the art market and some are worth a pretty penny. Moof (Museum of Original Figurines) is a private museum containing mostly more »
