Beautiful Brussels

Brussels. Truly a treat for the senses! We kind of started the day wrong as we got lost trying to look for the Manneken Pis, the statue of the peeing little boy that Brussels is so famous for. 

We didn't really care though, because we were kept distracted by the beautiful store windows and other interesting sights.

There he is! We finally found the peeing little boy. I don't get why he's famous though. His outfits are cute, they get changed every time there's an occasion. 

This is such a touristy shot. Haha I love Godiva's Hazelnut Flavored Coffee!!! Yum yum. 

Street Food-- Manila: Isaw ; Brussels: Escargot! Sosyal

Oh my gosh. Can you even imagine how good these waffles smelled? I REALLY wanted to try one -- I assume that Brussels would have great Belgian Waffles right? BUT my mom was in such a hurry. Not even a taste. BOO! 

We didn't have any idea where to eat so we stepped inside the first restaurant that we saw. The waiter got our orders wrong, we ordered soup and he gave us bread. I think it was the first time that I didn't complain because OH MY GOD it was the most delicious bread we've ever tasted. Think bread with lots of butter, garlic, mushrooms and other secret stuff (sorry for my lack of a better description, I don't know how to cook. haha) . YUM. 

AND my favorite place! The Grand Place. I can't even begin to describe the beauty of this place, so I'll bombard you with photos so you can see for yourself.

Japanese tourists. Guides normally use umbrellas so that the group would see them from afar. I love that she chose to use a red flower instead. Haha

And let me end this entry with photos that will definitely leave your mouth watering. 

I left this place with bags full of chocolates. I didn't even share. :)

I Amsterdam!

Decided to leave beautiful Den Haag for one day to visit the more popular city of Amsterdam! We had everything planned -- Canal Tour, Red Light District, Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank House -- ready to fit everything into our tight schedule. 

We headed straight to the canals to check the schedule of the next boat ride. We had great timing as the next boat was scheduled to leave within minutes!

Decided to check the souvenir shop across the street for gifts! Amsterdam-bought gifts are bound to be interesting! 

True enough there were so many items inside that I now regret not buying. 

These license plates are really cute! I couldn't decide on one so I ended up not buying anything. Haha 

I wanted to bring some of these candies and chocolates home  but hesitated at the last minute. I didn't want to risk getting stopped in Customs because of it. 

Haha I really should just go for it next time. I worry too much.

I had to rush back to the van since we still had a lot of things planned for the day. I easily spotted our ride parked across this museum. Hmm. What do you think is on display inside? Haha

Though no one would admit it. I think everyone was curious/excited to see our next stop. The Red Light District. Haha 

BUT our day was about to end unexpectedly. The driver slammed the door on mom's friend's finger and we had to rush him to the emergency room. YIKES! I'm so glad it didn't happen to me! haha 

After his minor surgery, we only had enough time left for dinner. Dinner at L'Arena before heading back to The Hague.

Den Haag, Netherlands

I decided to go with my mom on another one of her conventions, this time in Den Haag, Netherlands -- the seat of the Dutch government. It was a REALLY long plane ride and it took a while before the bus arrived to pick our group up, hence the grumpy face. Haha

We didn't want to waste any time, so after freshening up we immediately headed out to start shopping! The easiest way to get around the city is by tram and it definitely made going around so much easier. I REALLY wish that we would have a mode of transportation here that would be as efficient.

It's a good thing that most of the tourist sites are located near the shopping center, talk about hitting 2 birds with 1 stone! 

Upon stepping out of the tram at Binnenhof, the first thing we saw was the House of Parliament. Beautiful, huh?

House of Parliament

Ridderzaal

Walk a few steps and you would see the museum that would hold Den Haag's prized painting of the Girl with a Pearl Earring.

This is one place that made me regret not ever bothering to learn how to bike. It seems like it would have been nice to go around the area on one. They even offer tours that you would have to take while riding a bike!

I settled for walking instead!

So many quaint looking cafes with yummy looking treats lined the streets,

but Filipinos always seem to look for only one type of cuisine no matter where they are in the world.

Chinese Food. We headed straight to China Town. Funny how we travel continents to eat Asian food.

This ALWAYS happens!

After dinner, we still had a few minutes to go around and shop before the stores closed. 

I was so amazed by how big their horses are! haha Horses here in the Philippines (or at least the ones I've seen) are only probably half their size! 

Hmm... Wooden shoes for the loved ones back home? Nope, decided against it!

Time to walk back to our stop for our much needed rest!