Brussels, Belgium

We were welcomed at the train station by a friendly (and especially well-received English-speaking) face, my step sister who has lived in Belgium with her wife for over three years.  She informed us (about 80 times) that Belgium was within the grips of an incredibly rare heat wave... so off to the coast!  We took the train about an hour to the North Sea (the city of Heist, directly on the border with The Netherlands) and were pleasantly surprised to find their picturesque condo right on the beach, perfectly stocked with Belgian beer and chocolates.  Voila! (our new favorite word).  It was a relief to lounge around, smell our newly fresh laundry, and take a relaxing bike ride through the countryside.  We set off along a tree lined dike and crossed cow pastures and potato fields -- although we were nearly shot by duck hunters (and we thought Rio was supposed to be the dangerous place).

Our first impressions of Belgium: mix of classic European country side with ultra modern home interiors, odd linguistic diversity with the north speaking Dutch and the south speaking French, loads of expensive cars and cute bicycles, and uber-international feel in Brussels what with it being the headquarters of the EU and all).

Back in Brussels, we walked the downtown square, sampling the infamously rich Belgian waffles and taking pictures of a small bronze statue of a boy called Manneken Pis (apparently a super famous landmark of a boy pissing... crazy-pants, I know.)

Special thanks to Christina and Fanny for their awesome hospitality... it’s a little dangerous because we are questioning whether to continue on the trip or just loaf around their beach house for a few months.  After trekking through South America, who doesn’t love family, free accommodations, clean laundry, tasty chocolates and cold beer?  

Awesome Pants!