Weekend Getaway: Brussels & Bruges, Belgium

We were supposed to go to Belgium last January but the trip got cancelled and we rescheduled it in February for our pre-anniversary celebration. Hubs is currently teaching a class and he's not able to take a leave so we took advantage of yet another 3 day weekend - President's Day. 

Off we drove to our first destination:

Brussels - On a good day without traffic, we could've reached Brussels in 3 hours and some change but the day we went there, it took us about 4 hours with the heavy traffic in the city. After getting settled in our hotel (Sandton Brussels Centre) we walked around the  city center to look for a place to eat. There were so many restaurants to choose from and the one we ended up with was not the best at all, I can't even remember the name of it. I get grumpy when I'm not satisfied with my food but my mood changed when we went to Delirium Cafe that has the largest selection of beers in the world. The place was packed on a Friday night but we were lucky to find a seat right away. Now I'm not a huge fan of beer but the mango flavored I had was absolutely delicious! Hubby and I had a great time  but the noise was too much so we had to retreat to our hotel and call it a night.

I had 3 glasses of the beer on top right and no, I didn't get delirius :)

We strolled around the city to see more of Brussels in broad daylight. Stopped by to grab a hot chocolate at Neuhaus located at Galeries Royales St Hubert, some macarons and chocolate cake which I brought to Bruges. With a warm drink in my hand on a chilly and windy day, on we went to find this little guy pissin', known as Manneken Pis. We walked back and forth turning corner after corner and I was getting frustrated and thinking to heck with it, and after a good 15 minute walk there he was in a corner close to where we were at the first time we were looking for it.

The best hot chocolate I've ever tasted was here in Neuhaus

The little guy in all his glory, still pissin' :)

They say that when you're in Brussels you have to eat mussels and that's what I did. I've cooked mussels before so I wanted to see how it would taste, the Belgian way. We went to Chez Leon along Rue De Bouchers and I ordered Moules a'la plancha (Mussels with gambas, squid, butter with garlic, onions and tomatoes) and hubs had meat dumplings with tomato sauce. The verdict for my food was very good since I ate majority of it and with hubby's little help. Anywhere you eat in Brussels will be expensive and I know there's a much better restaurant than Chez Leon to eat mussels. 

This whole pan for 24.99 euro just for me!

Meat dumplings in tomato sauce and frites

After a sumptuous meal we continued our journey to Bruges, an hour away from Brussels. 



Bruges - It was time to relax and enjoy the rest of our trip and Bruges was a perfect choice. Driving to the town was a breathe of fresh air compared to the busy life in Brussels. We stayed in Grand Hotel Casselbergh for couple of nights and the location was close to all the attractions we wanted to see.  

Afternoon delight at the hotel: Speculoos and Praline macarons with chocolate cake from Neuhaus

Bruges Town Hall

Historic City Centre - designated as UNESCO World Heritage Site

We also went to see Luc Vanlaere played harp and other instruments and it was absolutely fantastic! It was beautiful and his music can just put me to sleep. It was nice to de-stress after a long day of sight seeing. I was in tears when he played a song he composed for his mom and that brought back memories. The show was about 40 mins and  free of charge but they accept donations.

The Harp

And the Harpist

The next day we went on a boat ride along Bruges waterways. I recommend doing this early in the morning as it can get crowded, cost per adult is 7.60 euro. 

While out and about we went and checked out 2be Beer Wall, overlooking the waterways with great selection of Belgian beers.

The last thing we did to end the day going places was to experience the brewery tour by De Halve Maan (Straffe Hendrik) Brewery. The tour was 45 mins long and costs 7.50 euro per person that included beer tasting. 

View from the brewery rooftop

This is what we got after the tour - blonde beer :)

For dinner we made reservation at The Olive Tree situated right by the square. The restaurant is small and reservation is a must. We love Greek food so we decided to try this place and we were not disappointed. Hubby's lamb chops was perfectly cooked and my tiger shrimp was excellent, a little pricey but worth it! The owner was very nice even if the service was a little slow but it didn't bother us one bit. We were there to enjoy our evening and not rush. We also had a bonus - honey cake dessert which was on the house! Talk about satisfaction guaranteed.

And some of the things Belgium is famous for: waffles and chocolates!

Chocolate boobies, anyone? 

The only regret I had with this trip was not bringing my dslr camera for better quality of photos I took. I never learn. Oh well.

Until next time. Cheers!

Veggie Lovers

We love veggies! I cook them 2-3 times a week depending on what I have in the fridge and if I get my supply from the Asian store. For this dinner I made Pinakbet, an all time Filipino favorite vegetable dish. Very easy to make and I love the look of the mixed vegetables in vibrant colors!

Undeniably satisfying :)

To make:

Heat oil in the pan, when hot add the pork slices and cook until the meat turns brown. Add minced garlic and saute for few seconds then drop onion slices and chopped tomatoes. Pour about 3/4 cup of chicken broth (I used this instead of water or you can use pork broth), season with a little bit of fish sauce or shrimp paste and some black pepper. When it's boiling, add the carrot wedges and simmer for about 5 minutes then add string beans, squash, eggplants and okra within couple minutes interval. Stir from time to time, when the vegetables are done but not overcooked, sprinkle some Maggi magic sarap seasoning (optional) and a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce. Adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot and enjoy the fruit of your labor! 

Dish serves 2-4 so adjust your vegetable measurements accordingly.

Up next: Mung Beans with coconut milk

One of my favorite comfort food

This was our dinner few days later. I made it with smoked pork ribs left overs and the smoked flavor complemented the dish very well. Wallet friendly recipe and food you will love that reminds you of home (for us living in another country).



To make:

Saute minced garlic in a heated pot until fragrant then add chopped onions. Put the meat if using and cook for few minutes or until the meat is brown. Add mung beans, stir for a little bit then add enough water to cook the beans. Season with salt and pepper. The beans take a while to cook especially if it wasn't soaked in water for hours or overnight. Cover the pot and simmer for 50 mins to an hour checking occasionally if there's still liquid, add more water a little bit at a time if it dries up. When beans are cooked and liquid is reduced, add about half to a cup of coconut milk and cook for couple more minutes. Adjust seasonings. Add spinach leaves, cover with lid and cook for another minute. Turn the heat off and you're done! 




I'm grateful that my foreigner hubby loves Filipino dishes and I don't have a problem cooking food for him. The reason why he has to go to the gym 3-4 times a week so he can eat good food haha!




Until next time. Cheers!

Weekend Getaway: Munich, Germany

We had a last minute travel plans last MLK weekend and ended in Munich, 4 hours away from our place. We didn't get the chance to explore Munich as our time was limited and everything is closed on Sunday so that took away 1 day out of the 3 days we were there, the only open place we can go was Dachau Concentration Camp.

I thought this camp was just one of those tourist attractions where you look around and know about the place, I was wrong. Upon entering the gate I felt eerie, maybe because of the thought that thousands of prisoners died there. I just can't imagine the kind of suffering they went through while they were imprisoned. 

Camp outline 

Spot where they hung and shot the prisoners

Prisoners' barracks

The living and sleeping quarters. After 1942, the prison compound had at least 12,000 prisoners who had to live in the barracks designed for 5,000 men.

After reading and seeing the pictures of what happened in the camp, we left the place and I, had a heavy heart. It was an experience I'll never forget. I still get goosebumps while writing this. 

That Sunday night after visiting the camp, we passed by an area while looking for the restaurant where we made reservation, it was Michael Jackson's memorial site.

Germans love him! :)

Then it was time to eat. I ordered set menu of grilled chicken and minced meat (my favorite) a side of basmati rice, doogh (yogurt, water & mint) for my drink and baklava for dessert. 

Persian food craving at Restaurant Shandiz

The next day hubby and I went to the shopping area and I had to stop by at Mango & Zara. I just had to, the stores were screaming 40-60% off winter sale! I ended up getting a skirt and a shirt far from being wintry. *rolls eye*

Until next time. Cheers!

Life's simple pleasures

Hallo mein freunde! How's everyone doing these days? Tonight's dinner was nothing extraordinary.  After a hearty meal of 'sinigang' (Filipino sour soup with vegetables), I was craving for something sweet for dessert. Then hubby suggested we use the chocolate fondue set we have that's been sitting on top of our fridge for a year now. I agreed. We had fun dipping the fruits and marshmallows in the warm chocolate and it was oh so good! Who would've have thought that this would make our night? Simple yet satisfying and the best thing is, it's free!

M-m-m-m-m-m! :)

I will use Nutella or peanut butter next. Have to experiment to find my perfect dip!

Until next time. Cheers!