Amy and the Great World

Belgium

Food and Beer {Belgium}

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Although I’ve had delicious, strange, gross weird food all over the globe, there’s one place that always stands out to me when I think of great food and beer: Belgium!

Belgium is a little, often forgotten country in Europe, lost in the sea of people focusing on nearby giants, such as Germany, France and the Netherlands.

(I even read that people call Belgium BORING. Shut the front door!)

I don’t really want to spoil Belgium even more (trust me, the rest of the world knows it as a solid destination) but I have to tell you that Belgium is officially one of my favorite countries in the world.

And, part of the reason, is the food (and beer!).

From the well-known, like waffles, fries, beer and chocolate, to the unexpected, such as cheese, bread, sausages and sandwiches, Belgium has it all.

The fries are double-fried, crispy yet filling, usually with a side of mayonnaise. Trust me on the mayonnaise!! As you can see in the image below, the first thing I did after my long plane ride from China was to get myself some fries. Best jet lag food, ever!

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Of the food in Belgium, likely some of the most famous are the waffles. The standard Belgium waffle is not the kind you get at a breakfast place in the United States, which I was expecting. But don’t worry: they’re so much better! The best way I can describe the Belgium waffles is that they are more cake-like and less fluffy. We pretty much had waffles six times for the four days we were in Belgium (trust me, you would too), and the plain may have been my favorite, although I loved the one topped with ice cream. And the one topped with whipped cream…What!

(I know E loved his topped with Nutella the most).

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Belgium is also known for its amazing chocolate. There are many, adorable, local chocolate shops everywhere, as well as bigger, well-known chains. Our favorite was probably The Chocolate Line in Bruges (and there’s one in Antwerp!), due to their strange, but delicious, flavor combinations. I loved my lavender one, and E loved his Cuban-cigar flavored chocolate (which isn’t actually legal here in the United States). They also make chocolate into anything: including pairs of breasts (which I couldn’t resist taking a picture of, because hello, I’m twelve) and we saw a replica of the Grand-Place in Brussels made entirely of chocolate. (Not pictured…my photo was really, really blurry after too many samples of chocolate!).

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Another food you must try should you visit Belgium? The beer. While I am no beer aficionado–generally I avoid it if I can–but in Belgium, I could not stop. They have so many different varieties of beer, and I especially loved their dark, flavorful brews. Coors Light will never taste the same again! My absolute favorite was Kasteel Donker. I have yet to find it outside of Belgium/northern France (although we had amazing friends who were able to find it for their wedding!!) so I plan to head back to Belgium as soon as possible for a sip of the good stuff. Be warned, though, Belgium beer is strong: I wanted to try as many as possible, and ended up barely being able to make it back to our room! Also, just so you know, we loved so many different ones, hence the plethora of images of me and E drinking beer.

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Although I planned to only eat fries, chocolate, waffles and beer in Belgium, it turns out there is plenty more food to satisfy any craving, especially in the touristy areas of Brussels and Bruges. Our incredible bed and breakfast, Calis, had amazing breakfasts, with fresh bread and fruit and cheese and more. I can’t think of one meal in Belgium we didn’t love: from classic Croque-Madames/Monsieurs, lasagna, casseroles and to bread. Part of the reason I was in love may have been because, coming from China, I hadn’t really had bread or cheese in several months. Really though, I think Belgium is just that delicious.

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AND…I need to go back this instant.

*Welcome to another rendition of Travel Tuesday, hosted by Bonnie, Tina and Melanie! This week, Tina‘s prompt is to talk about our experiences with food and travel. Great idea, no? Check out the other posts below, and join in!*

Travel Tuesday
Vietnam

Cat Ba Island {Vietnam}

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The only inhabited island in the beautiful, mystical Ha Long Bay (a UNESCO Heritage Site) in Vietnam is Cat Ba Island. To get to this island, we had joined a “tour” boat  (hello, party boat) that included a several day sail through Ha Long Bay. The tour included what the captain called a “little walk” up to the tallest point of Cat Ba, and then, we could choose to go to back to Hanoi or stay on Cat Ba. We planned to stay, and seeing it cemented our choice, despite the introductory hike being somewhat strenuous and in some places downright terrifying. There’s a rickety-looking rusty tower at the top of the hike, which I was apprehensive about, but the views were worth it.

After this we bid adieu to our tour group and went hostel-hunting. It was my cousin’s birthday, and she wanted nothing more to spend it on an island! Good choice, Court.

We arrived at the main village, found a hostel with a gorgeous view (I won’t recommend it, because otherwise it was not so great) and searched for beautiful spots. We found cliff side trails and ended up walking the day away on the picturesque island. People were even swimming on some of those beaches, but I was content with the view!

Although Cat Ba isn’t often a stop for those visiting Ha Long Bay (and the Bay itself is a rightful destination in its own right), I would highly suggest that you stay there. While our little cruise around the Bay was awe-inspiring–I will never forget the strange islands rising out of the mist, or the entire families living on constantly floating boats–I loved getting to stay on land in the Bay, too. It was certainly one of my favorite stops in Vietnam. I’ll stop trying to convince you with words and let you see the beauty for yourself!IMG_1625DSC_0170DSC_0188DSC_0190DSC_0197IMG_1644IMG_1659DSC_0201DSC_0207DSC_0209IMG_1674All images are courtesy of me or my lovely cousin, Courtney. { 1 & 2: views from the hike / intrepid swimmers / a stormy day on the sea / a resort on the coast (that we could not afford!) / one of the many coves & some locals / the birthday girl / the view from our hotel / and, three photos of the killer sunset because, well, wouldn’t you??}

Once again, I am thrilled to be joining Bonnie, Tina and Melanie for Travel Tuesday! Join the link-up below and share your travel stories, too!

I am also overjoyed to be featured on Tina’s blog for my post in the link-up last week. Thank you so much, Tina, and to the other hosts for a great link-up.

Travel Tuesday
Ecuador

Stay at Le Rendez-Vous in Vilcabamba {Ecuador}

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If you haven’t heard my awesome travel news from yesterday, check it out! Thank you for those who did read and your support. I don’t have much else to say about that besides: eeeee! 

In the southern mountains of Ecuador lies a small village where people live a long time, it’s amazingly scenic, and it seems like more like a resort in a hot spot, not in a tiny mountain South American village. Pair that with the weather…it’s a contrast of mountains and jungle, but the weather is famously consistent and lovely year-round. Vilcabamba, Ecuador, or the “Valley of the Immortals,” was an impromptu stop on my route from Huanchaco in Peru to Quito, Ecuador. My friend, Linda, from Huanchaco, insisted I visit and stay at an incredible inn called Le Rendez-Vous.

Although it was a long bus ride and a scary mountain van ride up to the village, and certainly out of my way (not to mention arriving in the dark rain made finding the almost-hidden inn very difficult), once I went behind the gates I was thrilled.

It remains my favorite place I stayed in all of Ecuador and Peru (my two stops in South America so far!), and I think the images below will show you why.

I did explore the village, and it was beautiful and quaint, but I almost wish I had stayed all day on my hammock in the garden, drinking fresh juice and reading a book. In fact…I plan to go back there one day and do exactly that! I was also there for one night, so it would be fun to explore more of the area.

Visit Le Rendez-Vous here to make a reservation and for current prices. When I stayed it was $14–which felt like a splurge at the time! It also includes a lovely breakfast on your porch in the garden. I would expect the price to have risen since then, but it’s still a bargain. Ecuador currently uses the American dollar as their currency, which makes things a little easier (although I love to collect unique moneys!).

To get to Vilcabamba, take a bus to Piura (if coming from the south) or Cuenca (if coming from the north) to Loja. From Loja, you’d then grab a van up into the mountains. It’s far up there, but trust me, it’s worth it! 

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{the garden at Le Rendez-Vous / so many flowers! / the little bungalows: with porch & hammock! / a blurry photo of my cozy room: with hot water! / my porch / a shot of the main plaza in Vilcabamba, just for kicks}

What’s one of your favorite little hotels you’ve found on your travels? I’d love to hear!

p.s. I’m linking up for Travel Tuesday today! Check it out, I’m so excited to be joining these other fabulous bloggers.

Travel Tuesday
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