Our flight landed early, we breezed through the shortest customs line of our traveling lives, hopped in an Uber van, and checked into our hotel rooms by 10:00 a.m. It felt like 3:00 in the morning, so we were thrilled the rooms were ready for us so early. Eilidh went to sleep almost immediately, but Noah, Emmie, and I made a quick neighborhood walk to have a few first bites of Belgian chocolates. We all ended up getting a nap in before our planned meal at Bia Mara.
Our first official picture in Belgium was taken in the airport elevator, on the way to meet our Uber driver.
The Moxy had a fun vibe, which Emmie thoroughly captured with her digital camera.
Eilidh was very tired when we arrived at the hotel.
Amanda tells me the kids are tired of smiling for important landmark photos because I have them pose for so many unnecessary ones, presumably like this one, in front of our Brussels hotel.
Emmie tried the stroopwafel latte at a Brussels Starbucks.
We tried chocolate cones at Neuhaus, though the shop felt a little less unique given that they have locations in the United States.
Pierre Marcolini was the favorite of our three morning chocolate stops.
Bia Mara was a well-rated fish and chips spot that was a short walk from our Moxy hotel. The vibe was cool, and I appreciated the limited menu, but I think only Amanda really enjoyed the food. The style of breading on the fish wasn’t my favorite, the thick-cut fries got weird looks and few bites from the kids, and Eilidh was too sleepy to take many bites of anything.
Each number represented a different preparation style on the menu (e.g. number 3 was Jamaican Jerk) along with the type of fish used.
Eilidh was still tired at lunch.
Amanda, Noah, and Eilidh returned to the hotel for more sleep, while Emmie and I spent a couple of hours exploring Brussels. The LEGO store was our main destination, but I wanted to better orient myself with the neighborhood and the Brussels Metro line. We found the food hall we’d earmarked for lunch, explored a downtown Brussels mall, bought more chocolate, and packed a ‘pick-a-brick’ box to the brim with LEGO bricks.
Emmie helped meticulously assemble LEGOs to fit as many bricks into the box as possible.
We reconvened with Amanda and Eilidh and made our way to the nearby Elisabeth Chocolates. We picked out a package of chocolates for Emmie to take to her classroom and picked out an assortment of individual truffles and candies to sample later on. After chocolates, we meandered through picturesque Brussels streets toward the Grand Place, the town’s famous central square.
Emmie picked out chocolates to share with her class from Elisabeth Chocolates in Brussels.
We made an impromptu stop at The View ferris wheel. Eilidh and I hung out at the bottom while Amanda, Noah, and Emmie all rode it.
We found another chocolate shop en route to the Grand Place, where we picked up some more goodies to take back to the States.
The Grand Place had a more touristy array of chocolate stores, including a spot where Eilidh was thrilled to buy a chocolate phone.
The Brussels Grand Place, at night.
After the Grand Place, we Galleries Royales St. Hubert, one of Europe’s oldest still-operating shopping malls with a design that served as inspiration for spots in Paris, London, and beyond.
Eilidh poses with her phone inside the mall.
We rounded out the evening with dinner at Wolf Sharing Food Market, which was home to over a dozen restaurant stands with a wide variety of options. It was quiet when Emmie and I stopped by earlier in the day but it was hopping when we all returned for dinner. The highlight of the meal was the wood-fired margherita pizzas the kids shared and trying some of the chocolates we’d purchased earlier in the evening. If we had more time in Brussels, we’d definitely return to the dining hall to try some more food options.
Eilidh takes a selfie with her new chocolate phone while hanging out at Wolf Food Sharing.
Every grocery store around our hotel was closed at 8:00, but I found a nearby night shop for evening drinks and snacks at a fraction of the hotel lobby’s price.