We arrived to cosmopolitan Brussels having

We arrived to cosmopolitan Brussels having 3 lost bags and just one missing person. One suitcase went along to Moscow but all caught up sooner or later. Janice and I led a perfect measurement group of 39, not too big to have lost in or too little for comfort.

Each July vacation draws school teachers who have loyally adopted me around the world and they do really like Europe. We began with a mild orientation tour in the historic cardiovascular of this capital, followed by a trip of the Chocolate Museum. I found this specific boring, but the tastings were wonderful.

After a nap at the Sheraton, all of us enjoyed a welcome dinner during Chez Leon, a typical Belgium Taverne located on the charming "Rue de Eating places. " You can get mussels in Brussels, but not brussel sprouts. And the german fry as it was invented here. Our menu consisted of egg puff pastry with Ardennes mouseline sauce, Flemish beef stew in Grimbergen light beer and a dark chocolate mousse cake on the bed buttercream which was a culinary masterpiece never to be forgotten. I usually say that a loud group is a happy group, but I think their decibel level here may have been because of the indulgence of amber ales. 428 different types are brewed in this region including a popular new blueberry light beer. Later we scattered like birds into the Grand Place which is viewed as by most to be the worlds most beautiful square. It comes to life at night every single July with a light show together with various unlicensed entertainers. One young lady is dressed in candy tempting guys to buy a bite.

If it's Tuesday, it ought to be Belgium. After breakfast, we commenced our morning walking tour belonging to the 17th century Grand Place. It was actually 8: 30 Sunday morning and I marveled that in over a dozen visits here, I've by no means seen this place so empty. It echoed in silence as vacationers slept and the locals were vanished for holiday. Sunlight brilliantly flooded the gothic cathedrals, classical facades and art nuveau houses. I was alone and it was breathtaking.

All of us then visited the famed confectioner "Planet Chocolate" that opened especially for our group. Pedestrians peered in the windows with curiosity. A great demo was given by chocolatier Jon, son of the founder of this factory well known for producing 67 different tastes. We learned about the history of powdered cocoa. The ancient Mayans considered this an aphrodisiac and Montezuma ingested it in copious amounts. It was made famous in Belgium simply by J. Nuehus who added typically the praline hazelnut cream. Each powdered cocoa fruit contains 25 beans. The best comes from Ghana, Ivory Coast plus Indonesia. We learned all about the particular roasting and fermenting processes. Jon expounded on how healthy his dark chocolate is with more magnesium and anti-oxidants. He even asserts that it improves energy and thus helps you loose excess weight... convoluted thinking. It was however, as soon as sold at chemists as antidepressant medication and unlimited amounts were given to soldiers in wartime to cures stress. At the end of the lecture, silver trays of truffles were provided along with a cup of hot ignorant, which tasted like chocolate soup. I never really cared for chocolate nonetheless it was infatuation at first bite.

Our next stop was Chocolate Manon which I was told is run by a "chocolate nazi" who will secure the doors if we're one minute later. This small factory concentrates on top quality over quantity and fancy packaging. The educational presentation was given by the user Christian, who is both serious in addition to hilarious. He only uses the highest quality vanilla, sugar, butter and 70% cocoa powder. This is a real plant with enormous chocolate blocks piled high and brown drippings in all places. Sorry Hershey's, but the cocoa suggestions not replaced with palm oil, chemicals, shading, vegetable fats and lard. This really is as pure as it gets and it's better than Swiss. They sell direct to Bergoff and Neimans in NEW YORK CITY. There are 443 chocolate factories in Belgium all with the competitive character of Tour de France between them. Godiva still reigns supreme.

Christian discussed that white chocolate is really an zusammenstellung einander widersprechender begriffe. It contains only milk, sugar, cream and 21% white cocoa butter. As he lectured, he continually dropped his finger in to vats in order to taste his latest batch, while quickly running back and forth with frenetic energy from molds to freezer. He has a true passion for his or her product and consumes about two hundred fifity grams or a 1/2 lb a day, yet is as thin as Calista Flockhart.

I love my job, but would swap a month with him anytime. Over 1000 fillings are widely-used inside the hollow shells. One by one, numerous shells are filled by hand. Each item is a mini-sculpture. We're invited to be able to squeeze the ganache pastry luggage, but made a terrible mess together to eat our mistakes. Nothing is removed here. Even table scrapings will probably be remelted.

Dark chocolate can be stored up to 15 years and molded into virtually any shape. We're shown pictures of intricate violins, a woman's conventional dress and a life size dinning room table and chairs most made of chocolate.

Monday we toured this proud and regal city that is revealed in its royal palaces, cathedrals, museums and onuments. We see the headquarters of the EU and site of the 1958 World's Reasonable with the massive silver Atonium. We photograph the Mannekin Pis. [I never understood the love of this small bronze statue but it represents Brussels. Perhaps it's found in the irreverence of the artist.] Paula was our guide for several days here. The woman stellar knowledge brought the history of Belgium to life, particularly the time when King Leopold purchased the Congo as his personal playground. Paula greatly cared for her work and later invited us to visit yet another chocolate plant, but fully sated, we rejected. For free time we dispersed directly into tiny alleyways to intentionally fail to find a way out. Some searched out beer halls or hot sugar waffles, because others shopped for tapestries with give-away prices.

Things become a little bit blurry from here. I'd taken some good notes on napkins throughout together with managed to loose them all enroute. Yet memory serves well as we check out the capital of Flanders and charming Bruges. This town is a finished UNESCO World Heritage Site with a tranquil character that can't be called. The people have done so much to protect the medieval feel, it provides the enchanting affect of stepping back into time. It is called "Little Venice" and enjoyed a boat cruise through the veritable maze of old canals that will led to the Lake of Love. All of us strolled through ancient squares lined with houses of gabled roofs and various cathedrals of holy this and holy that. Horses drawn carriages filled the cobbled streets. We entered the neo-gothic Basilica of Holy Blood plus climbed 365 steps up the Belfry Tower with its carillon bells that will chimed so loud it could strike an eardrum. We visited typically the cities finest lace shop for an exhibition on lace making, which I expected to be as exciting as enjoying paint dry. It was however, rather fascinating watching the delicate function of this 500 year old cottage business.

We viewed an 18th one hundred year handkerchief so intricate that it required 4 ladies nearly 10 years to finish! All for a distant royal bride-to-be to blow her nose about.

I think I walked 67 kilometers that day. (Life lesson #122- NEVER wears heels on cobbled streets. ) Bruges is totally cozy and colorful, as if walking into a postcard. At a caf, We splurged on a waffle topped using chocolate, fruit and ice cream, until now, so good. For our entire trip we were blessed with no rain and perfect conditions.

I'm a city girl at heart together with was happy to depart for Netherlands. William of Orange is our own jovial driver who just rich our suitcases that have now swelled to 71 pieces. This is a super double-decker with plenty of room for our 150 mile journey. I joked on the mic as we crossed the border into Holland that there would have been a 3 hour time change without to drink the water. Much to my big surprise my dear novice travelers actually started changing their watches! Many of us passed many Smart Cars manufactured by Mercedes and Swatch. These toy-like hybrid two-seaters are expensive, but thus adorable. On arrival, we inspected into the Novotel Amsterdam for 5 days of touring pleasure.

We boarded our private glass topped sail boat and cruised through a labyrinth associated with canals. Amsterdam has 140 kilometers in all. Our wonderful guide Marilyn commentated on the picturesque neighborhoods together with unique architecture. I photographed the particular world's skinniest house, built in 1664. It was 5 stories high in support of the width of the front door! Many locals live on houseboats and the area starts to resemble a floating truck park. Holland is about 100' down below sea level. Pumps are used to regularly pump out water and basements will not exist.

The beer drinkers through this group loved the "Heineken Experience" with plenty of tastings and electronic games all over this famous brewery. The shoppers liked the Coster Gem Factory where we learned about chopping and polishing the precious rocks. They locked us in a space with guards where a gazillion pounds worth of diamonds were viewable. We each had are personally own agenda for free time. The artwork lovers explored the national museums of Rembrandt and Van Gough. Many toured Ann Franks Property where one can really sense the amateur dramatics as she hid from the Nazi's in the tiny attic writing the woman diary. Others went to Edam for cheese and Delft for porcelain. I visited friends and participated on Dutch pancakes of every design imaginable.

One day we visited Zaanse Schans, a typical village for overall Dutch immersion. We began at the Ratterman Clog Factory where several million pairs are produced yearly. They're used for working in the grounds and are still worn today. Wooden boots and shoes do not stretch so how can residents proclaim these to be comfortable? I prefer my Jimmy Choo's stilettos and in turn buy tulip bulbs for souvenirs. We then visit a cheese farm and watched as they separated curds from whey. Here we purchased enough wheels of flavored Goudas to make Wisconsin jealous. [We never considered the weight it would add later to our carry-ons.] We explored the open air art gallery with a backdrop of working windmills. There were also small period toss farms with curious ducks, goats and sheep.

That evening I had fashioned dinner with a friend I usually simply see once every 5 years. Paul says, "Suzy, you are such as a good old book in the library of my life that I tucked away. You re-enter out of nowhere. I dust this off and the memories return. inch As we catch up, I thought I had a lot of stories to tell but his life is as captivating as a best selling book. He is an undercover agent within the Special Forces, trains Dutch ends troops in Germany preparing for adventures in Kabul, works narcotics infiltration and is a body guard to the royal family. Kind of like Jack Kfig on "24. " Everything is certainly "top secret" yet he explains that he basically gets paid with the government to work out daily. Recently they transported orangutans form the Amsterdam tierpark to freedom in Borneo.

The particular highlight of this trip for me seemed to be our 2 hour city tour about bicycles. We looked like a motley crew as we headed out straight into narrow cobbled streets and over many bridges. As I peddled, I acknowledged my group behind me. A single woman is nearing 70, a couple of are smoking cigarettes, Janice is speaking with America on her cell and one unmentionable crashes into a car! She had to pay the driver for damages immediately. It took complete concentration to crossstitching the busy tram tracks. That will morning we rode through Vodelpark and the Red Light district. It had been interesting to see the prostitutes as they just simply woke up to get their coffee dressed up in jeans and sneakers.

Holland will be land of the free. With prostitution legal, my group is most inquisitive on this matter. We laughed while Marilyn said, " Suzy, all of them ask questions on sex. Are they aggravated? "

I arranged a professional led walking tour of the Red Gentle district in the oldest part of Amsterdam for the world's oldest profession. Because the 1400's, seamen would dock here to unload. Guides Gabriel and even Shuert boldly led us via alleys of half clad women. No photos allowed. We're advised that some fear it'll get out on the web. Our guides explained that will some women are forced here these days and some are simply ashamed. Ladies vary in size, shape and color once we strolled through different quarters. On a single street they're all obese. All of us learned to identify the transsexuals by simply two things surgery can't change tutorial an adam's apple and a straight waist. Tastes differ; the oldest woman here is 76 and only performs in summer. Only half work with protection and monthly health bank checks are required.

There are around 1000 prostitutes working 500 windows. They spend 150EUR to rent a home window for 6-8 hours, and can cosmetic to 450EUR per day. They give taxes and can write receipts meant for services rendered. If the curtain is definitely closed they are not on break. The area is flooded with tourists. Guys pay 50EUR for 30 minutes, however statistics reveal the average time used is just 6 minutes.

We entered "Pill Bridge" named for the medicines pushed there and then toured the Erotic Museum with photographs and "tools of the trade" dating back to the 17th century on display. As I considered and stared at a metal chastity belt, Gabriel said "that blacksmiths always had a spare key which will came in handy when the husbands were away at sea. " She also insisted the Dutch were far less promiscuous than Americans. I was concerned about my ultra-conservative teachers but nothing seemed to shock them. After awhile, our sensory faculties were over saturated and it started to be dull. The saddest sight appeared to be seeing a "heroin hooker". Your woman was emaciated with glazed sight and so many track marks that she had to shoot it today under her tongue. Police cams were everywhere 24/7, there is little crime and we felt totally secure.

Pot and hash are lawful here in over 400 "coffee shops" that sell joints and "ganja-space milkshakes. " Locals told me these people felt Americans were oppressed simply by too many rules and can't know how our drug companies can sell medications on TV.

Enough on the wild aspect, this is also the art capital associated with Europe boasting more museums for each square foot than any other town. Marilyn gave us a quick art work lesson in a nutshell. She explained that it is the 400 year celebration of Rembrandt (1606-2006). He came from children rich in windmills. As a child, he was an expert sketcher. Later in medical institution, he did anatomical drawings regarding corpses from criminals. He analyzed more and soon rose above the Nederlander masters with the ability to capture light in addition to shadows in paint. He always began with a black canvas. Nevertheless blessed with enormous artistic skill, he couldn't manage his resources. He died penniless and was initially entombed in a pauper's grave.

Vehicle Gogh grew up a lonely allinclusiveresorts123.com little one and was very attached to his mother. His hyper-critical father didn't like his artwork. He along to Paris to study the impressionists. He was schizophrenic and when he had episodes, it was seen in his paintings that expanded wilder and wilder each time. They cut off his ear and later committed suicide. His paintings were discovered stored away in his family home. Most of us learned so much here.

Many believe they've seen Europe, but miss the countries with the most charm. Right here we were enveloped by history, lifestyle and all that the Old Continent need to be. Also this wasn't a typical EUROPEAN UNION vacation with endless museums and cathedrals, but a creative itinerary which provided large fun. Total cost has been $1175 plus air (www.AdventuresForSingles.com 877-813-9421 or in GA 770-432-8225). Our favorite stop was Bruges, nevertheless for me Amsterdam was an downtown masterpiece. I found the Dutch way friendlier than other Europeans. This go to rekindled my love for the Netherlands, that will tiny country with 2 brands. This time I looked through fresh eyeballs with my teachers who were experiencing their first trip in another country.

It was a wonderful group. One partners connected whom we later branded "The Honeymooners" and I hope these people last. In flight home on Delta, I noticed among my sleepy group that some were munching on their very own chocolates that were meant for gifts home. And once in line at US Customs, a few were proudly wearing their fresh, brightly painted, uncomfortable wooden clogs. I just have to do this trip once more.