Our final full day in Europe dawned cold and rainy, and Erin was in the mood to check an item off her bucket list. Just call us spontaneous (Erin's influence on me cannot be underestimated) - we decided on the spur of the moment that the Van Gogh and Rijksmuseum would not be nearly as fun as heading to Brussels so she could have a real Belgian waffle. So we bought our tickets, ran to the platform to catch the train before it pulled out, and before we knew it, we were on our way to Brussels for the day.
Seriously, European trains are the greatest thing ever. For less than the price of a tank of gas, we were able to visit another country and taste their delectable offerings! (I told you there was a food theme!) We even got treats on the train, as a vendor came through halfway to Brussels with Starbucks coffee and soup for us.
We debarked in Brussels into a downpour, determined to find the waffle that Erin had been dreaming of. It was Sunday, so most of the shops were closed up tight, but we were enjoying the lovely buildings and the friendly atmosphere in spite of it all, especially after we got another umbrella. (We have purchased an umbrella on every vacation we have ever taken, I think. The sad part is, we left our umbrellas in Amsterdam! Even when I plan ahead, I don't plan ahead!)
In the hours we were in Belgium, we tasted the best chocolate I have ever personally eaten, a very fair waffle laden with strawberries and whipped cream, handmade chips (AKA French fries, although it's really not fair to compare them to what you get at McDonald's) and a meal of Italian spaghetti for which I would walk across hot coals just to have it again. We also managed to see a few sights, but none were as welcome as the waffle shop with its indoor seating and tasty scents emanating from within!
The most impressive building was the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula, the first true cathedral I have ever visited. It is an impressive experience, one that photographs simply cannot capture, as you take in the size and the art and the architecture from every angle. The service was just finishing as we entered the cathedral, worshipers still seated in their chairs as we walked through the huge doors. The stained glass, the statuary, the sheer magnitude of the cathedral are overwhelming, especially when you realize that these structures were built long before modern cranes and other powerful equipment were available to help.
We spent a lovely day walking around experiencing a taste of Brussels, both literally and figuratively, and when the time came to leave, we agreed we had made a great decision to spend our final day there. After a couple of false starts, and a visit to what appeared to be a rather dodgy area of the city, we once again found ourselves on the train, heading back to Amsterdam, and looking forward to the following day, when we would return to the comfortable, familiar land we call home.
It was an exciting adventure, the trip of a lifetime, and I will never forget the people I met, the places I went, the things I learned, or the sights I saw. I am a fortunate neophyte, and I hope someday I can return and visit all these places again.
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