Belgium Part 2 :: Frites, Furries & Downward-Facing Dogs

If you haven't seen the first part of my Belgian Blog then CLICK HERE to read all about it.

Miss A knows how much I love yoga so she suggests I come to her Vinyasa yoga class. A quick google and I learn that Vinyasa is a style of yoga that links the body movements with your breath.

I'm sold.

A good ol' stretch is exactly what I need after all my travelling.

Have you ever taken a class in another language? Well I have now. I was worried I would make an ass of myself by not being able to follow the instructions in Dutch/ Flemish. Luckily the teacher did every pose at the front of the class so it was easy to copy him – except when my head was upside down. It was a great class and I really noticed how much stronger I was after doing various you tube workouts at home. My planks have improved so much.#HappyEmma

I'm a big fan of healthy cooking so junk food rarely features in my diet. However, chips and mayonnaise are my biggest weakness ... and guess what Belgium is famous for? #EvilCackle

OMG! I'm drooling just thinking about a pile of toasty, crispy hot salty chips complete with cool creamy mayo.

… sorry I need a moment. 

Ok i'm back.

Naturally we decide, 'after yoga class' is the perfect time for fried food (balance is key right?)

We head out in the blistering cold and make the pilgrimage to the 'best chips place' round the corner

Im really excited. They look awesome. We ignore all other food on offer and Miss A orders in her fluent tongue: chips, mayo and a sauce, that I cant remember the name of, but turns out to be a sweet curry type mayo.

We wait....

... and wait

Our order was finally ready and we practically run back home with our package. I rip the bag open and narrowly avoid burning my fingers and tongue in my haste. YIKES! I always believe that simple food is the most pleasurable ...and these were truely pleasure on a plate.

Belgian Fries and Mayonnaise

Meanwhile Georgo (you remember him? the kitty from Belgium Part 1) is desperately trying to get his face in the fries. #NaughtyKitty

I love most animals but have never jumped on the internet fan-dom for cats. However, this little dude had so much character it was unbelievable. Cats only swish their tales back and forth when they are angry but this little guy was lounging on the floor, purring so loudly, and swishing it back and forth like the Chesire Cat.

I didn't even care when he woke me at 4am to massage my face with his paws and crawl under my arms for a self-imposed cuddle.

Lad of Leisure

Spot the Kitty?

Mr G - clearly a boy cat

Belgium is a beautiful place and I throughly enjoyed my time there. What struck me the most was how friendly the people are. I'm always concious about my lack of the local language and try to make an effort when I can - even if it's just a 'Hello' or 'Thank you. I never want to offend anyone by assuming they will converse in English. However my 'Apoligies, do you speak English?' were always met with a cheery smile and 'Yes, of course!' or 'Yes ... a little' A stark contrast to my experience in Istanbul. I found Belgium a very welcoming town.

The one thing I did not like was the weather. I'm a baby when it comes to the cold and after 18 months in the Dubai sun I wasn't used to dealing with it. Miss A assured me this was an extreme week and not the norm.

FUN BELGIUM FACT:

Belgium produces around 220,000 tonnes of chocolate every year. That means, 22 kg of chocolate is consumed per person per year or 61 grams per day on an average. The world’s biggest chocolate selling point is Brussels National Airport.

Take that Switzerland, and your Swiss Chocs! 

I would love to experience Belgium in the warm months. Miss A was telling me about the  Gentse Feesten (Ghent Festivities) which is 10 days of music and theatre and is said to be one of the biggest city carnivals in the world. It's held in Ghent and attracts more than two million visitors. So if you are planning a Belgium trip, consider including Gentse Feesten.

My Belgium adventure was coming to an end so it was time to think about packing my things together. I think Miss A was generally worried that I would try and Cat-nap Georgo. I swear it never crossed my mind #NotTrueNotTrueNotTrue

So I re-pack my suitcase, say good bye to Miss A and Georgo and begin the trip to my next destination.....

... PARIS!

EHH
xxx