Living, my friends, is taking a three-day weekend in Belgium with a good friend just because you can.

I met Zoe - a friend many of you know - in Brussels. She's enjoying a six-month study in London, so naturally we're out to see a few sights together while we're in Europe. Our plan was fairly open: arrive in Brussels, find a hotel, find the bars and clubs, and see the sights. At some point, go to Antwerp or Brugge for more of the same.

Brussels is the capital of Belgium. It's a bilingual city, with French favored over Dutch, but signs in both languages. That made it easy to get around, with my light understanding of Dutch keeping us from boarding trains to Poland. There are fewer English speakers than in Amsterdam, but it's a friendly city, and the "nod and smile" technique can get you far.

I warn you now, the waffles are dangerous in this town. Far better than stroopwafels, they're served hot, puffy, and covered in sugary goodness. In your hand. Whatever we might have hoped, diets and vacations don't mix.

We spent our afternoon walking around the downtown area and shopping. I found a dashing new scarf to add to World Traveler Tyler's wardrobe, which rounds out the leather trenchcoat and goatee quite nicely. A few more months of this stuff and I'll have a great vaguely-European accent to add to it. Sexy, baby, yeah!

There is an area of town just off the Grand Place that features several winding alleys filled with cozy little indoor and sidewalk restaurants. We found what appeared to be a nice little place, ordered dinner and wine, and instead got the most expensive meal we never ate.

An hour and half later, we'd only seen soup and a bottle of wine. No sign of our lamb and scampi, and our waiter seemed to have developed some sort of need to repeatedly reset placings at an unused table, just out of polite attention-getting range. Fueled by hunger and no small amount of alcohol, we handed enough money to pay for what we'd eaten to the manager, proclaimed our displeasure, and found a nice, bar instead.

"We went to Belgium and the French place failed us, so we had Spanish tapas." - Zoe

I've been sick for two weeks now, a nasty sinus infection from the cold, wet climate. I've never been in such a chilly place for so long, and my body is protesting. Zoe suggested a trick she tried in Spain - buying antibiotics direct from a pharmacist. The thought had never crossed my mind. It simply doesn't happen in the States. This isn't the States, and the pharmacies are much more receptive to wayward travelers. Better yet, it costs half as much here. I'm never going to an American pharmacy again. I'll just order from Belgium. :)

The next morning, we made our way to Brugge. Brugge is a medieval city, dating its fortifications to the 9th century, and the original Viking settlers before that. It's primarily Flemish, a culture and people now closely related to (and speaking the same language as) the Netherlands. After all the French in Brussels, this was a wonderful change for me.

The city itself is beautiful! Most buildings are 3 stories tall or higher, all made of brick and stone. The Belfry and surrounding cathedrals stretch 83 meters high, all with 13th-to-16th century technology. The narrow, winding streets are either designed to confuse invaders or amuse the locals by confusing the tourists. I pride myself on my excellent sense of direction - a trait which only makes my fall harder when I get my friends lost, mind you - but Brugge confused me the whole time. If Zoe hadn't been navigating, I'd still be there, begging the tourist bureau for a map, a compass, and a flare gun.

We explored the inside Sint Salvators Kathedraal, and a compilation of medieval, gothic, and native Flemish design. The differences in style as additions were made are noticeable, but add so much history to the feel they impart. Stained glass windows, statues, paintings, frescoes on the walls of exhumed crypts, marble floors - I've never seen anything like it. It feels ... ancient.

We never did get to party like we planned. We didn't find the right clubs, but didn't really care to. Between her studies and my work, we needed the rest. And the chocolate. And the waffles.

And, God forbid, the chocolate waffles.

Tyler