A Brussels Layover

We packed up and left The Gambia 2 days before Halloween en route for Kampala, Uganda. As any westerner can attest, living in a developing country presents many challenges; severe diarrhea, hook worms, heat stroke, heat rash, severe dehydration, uncontrollable vomiting, blister ants, deadly snakes, and unpalatable skunky beer...just to name a few (all of which I also have intimate knowledge of now). So we decided to extend our layover in Brussels from a couple hours to a couple days. GREAT decision by the way (my idea of course). We arrived to our hotel an hour before it opened, so we sat outside until someone showed up it was a bit chilly for us, coming from 105 degree heat index to about a 45 degree heat index. We checked in and I ate about 5 pounds of waffles and maple syrup that was out waiting for guests that were yet to stir. HOLY CRAP they are good too, there must be at least 5 types of waffles, and endless toppings. There are big soft ones like giant swollen Eggos, slightly smaller soft ones covered in hard sugar that tasted just like a doughnut, little thin crispy ones, and so on. So after my attempt at instant diabetes and heart attack we went for a walkabout with Thor around old town Brussels on a self guided tour. We found the largest antique flea market I have ever been to, I seriously could have spent the rest of the day in that one square. We tried beers from all of the country and even some small craft beers from the city itself. Once the sugar high wore off, the beer buzz began, once that wore off we realized we had been up and traveling for about 28 hours and it hit like a sledge hammer. Once in the room we were comatose. The next day was more exploring, more waffles and definitely more beer. We took a 4 hour walking beer tour of the city which was pretty good, it included a couple hole in the wall pubs and a 500 year old brewery where the Lambic was born. Lambic is a very interesting beer, its only brewed in the winter and its fermented naturally by wild yeasts in a large open tub in the dusty attic of the brewery. Each year its slightly different because there is no controlling the yeast strains that contaminate the brew. Its bitter and tangy and meant to drink at cool room temperature. That pretty much concluded our visit to Brussels, honestly 2 days was probably enough unless you are studying the architecture of 17th century Gothic cathedrals.  Now off to to Uganda.