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Zürich, Switzerland
Emmetelar Hamme at the Zurich HB
Grossmunster church and mkt
Opera House mkt
Munsterhof mkt
Chocolate croissant from Stiftung St. Jakob, bakery beside beautiful Munsterhof
mkt. Actually it was at the Bakerei Cafe
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Basel, Switzerland
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Colmar, France
Train took us thru Saint-Louis and Mulhouse. Arrived in Colmar at 2:15pm.
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Strasbourg, France
Night1
Ate at Au Petit Tonnelier. We had homemade Duck Foie Gras to start.
Basically a patte with chutney and bread. Twas nice. I had a Cote de
something red wine and then the pork tenderloin with spatzle. Mimi got steak
tartar w pommes frites.
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Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Crazy train day w either a strike or a landslide canceling our train to
Luxembourg so we had to get to the train station way early to find out what we
could do.....
Mad cathedrals in Metz.
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Bruges, Belgium
Day1
Arrived and took the 2 bus to our area. Bus was cranking down narrow roads and
people casually step out of the way. Saw the swan projection installation on
the way which was amazing. Checked into small room where the bed took up 95% of
the space. Had to get our mensa on to figure out where we could put our bags.
Mimi rearranged the place. Bar and living room type common area in hotel was
great and I had a couple Belgian beers as we met and chatted with a British
couple, Simon and Beth. Joked about the size of the rooms and the tiny
pillows.
Day2
Mimi and I started our days on different times so each walked our own routes and
times and met at Carpe Diem Tea Room for tea, coffee, Pannenkoeken (confituur),
wafel (suiker en boter).
Walked Bruges for long time after. Stopped at Mr. Waffle & Sandwich around 7:30
bc it had an upstairs window seat over a gorgeous section of old Bruges. Tea
and Hot chocalate w Baileys for us. Stayed there long after they closed.
Continued our walking. Did the blue light trail walk and saw all the
projections and installations on the canals.
Dinner at Brugse Zot, Cafe type place right beside the canal and crazy swan
projection. I got prefix. Started w shrimp croquettes, yum. Then Flemish beef
stew w fries, and chocalate mousse for dessert... which was basically cheap
pudding and cheap whip cream. Fine by me tho. Mimi got wine cream garlic
mussels w fries. Lesson learned here... get the croquettes instead of the
fries when an option. Fries were fine but croquettes were on point. I also
had an Irish coffee to start bc we were wet and cold. Then had a Bourgogne des
Flandres beer.
Walked a bit more but cold and wet so headed back to hotel after a short while.
I had another Belgian beer in the hotel living room area.
Day3
Mimi and I met at Vlissinghe. Possibly the world's oldest pub. From 1515. A
place a local told me was a place to try and it was a locals favorite too.
Coffee and tea and ham and cheese croquettes that were actually just a sandwich
cut into pieces.
Walked new and similar sections. Mimi bought a village house at a small second
hand shop off the beaten path. Snowy day all day which was pretty, but cold
day. Mimi had another asthma attack at a Belgian chocolate store. Headed
across the street to Casa Patata, a Belgian fries place and sat by the window
and warmed up over fries with andalouse and looksaus sauces. I got us a tee and
coffee w whiskey next door at Mr. Waffle and brought it back to drink as we
chilled over the fries and the view. Same area as the second floor view the
night before but street level. Watched as snow got heavier. Very pretty.
Radio soundtrack was awesome with 80s Bside favorites. I was thrilled when
"Winner takes it all" played.
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Brussels, Belgium
Day1
Arrival. WackyvAirbnb. Dinner at The Blue, basically a cool bar, not much
traditional. NFL on. Burger fotlr me and Flanders stew fotlr Mimi.
Day2
Jaenekje pis
Galeries Royal St Hubert -
Chocolates from Mary, then more from Pierre Marcolini
Coffe and tee at Cafe Novo
Stadsmuur en Villerstoren
Mannekin pis
Neuhaus for chocolates, inventor o praline chocolate
Planete Chocolat
Central palace square light show
Smurfs mural
Mont des Arts garden and view
Jacquesmart Clock
Museum of Fine Arts
Palace
Church
Cafe du Sablon. Ate chocolates from Planete Chocolat while having a latte
macchiato (Mimi) and a Chai latte with espresso shot (me). Sitting by the
window directly across the street from the cathedral - Eglise Notre-Dame des
Victoires au Sablon.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Our_Blessed_Lady_of_the_Sablon
Porte de Hal
Had an Orval beer at Au Brasseur, corner bar
Dinner at LA Chaloupe d'Or. Fancy place in the Grand-Place. View of the
structures right outside. Awful service. Cheese and shrimp croquettes to start,
Lieges meatballs and Blanquette de la Mer. I also had a Tripel Karmeliet beer.
Day3
Aux Merveillieux de Fred for a croissant to start.
Mannekin Pis dressed in black leather and studs like Elvis today.
Marches Aux Puces flea market, nothing to get
Coffee and tee at LA Brocante across the street.
Antique shopping in area, mainly on Rue Blaes Straat.
Bought polish Godzilla frame and France map at Ticky Tacky.
Snails and chicken fricasee lunch at L'Ancien Bruxelles. Run by a little old
lady with lunch box type tins all over the walls w pics of royals on them all.
Went back and bought old Bavaria map from 125 Rue Blaes.
Ferris Wheel
Cafe du Sablon again to retrieve charger and Americano and Chai Latte to be go.
Bussed back to Grand Place area. Shopped for gifts all around there. All
types of shops and back in the Galeries Royal St Hubert for chocolates gifts.
Then walked to the Christmas market(s) which was peppered around a few block
area. Mimi got a bridge for her village.
Back to the apt to pack.
Then fancy dinner at... No skate available so Mimi had to get Danish cod,
whci was the best cod we each have ever tasted. I got the old Belgian cow which
is only served rare. Unbelievable. Came with fries that were the best we've
had on the trip, and a salad. Razor clams as well which we're unreal.
Taras Boulba beer. - went down smooth but aftertaste a little bitter. Then 1897
beer which was like a wine beer. Like whitbier and wine mixed.