Belgium
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24 Hours in Brussels, Belgium
Brussels is the capital of Belgium, and home to the infamous Mannequin Pis. When my mother visited in December, we dedicated two days to visiting both the capital of Belgium and the nearby charming city of Bruges. Although Brussels is quite large for just a one-day visit, it’s manageable to see the highlights during that timeframe. Brussels by Day We started the day in Brussels by checking out the Eglise Saint Nicolas and the little shops around Grand Place. During December, there were several Christmas markets around. As we walked around the center city we peeked at the various huts of food, crafts, and tchotchkes. Grand Place is absolutely stunning, both…
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Three Days in Ghent, Belgium
For my first vacation of my teaching term, Vacances de Toussaint, I booked a ten-day trip through Belgium and the Netherlands. My first stop – Ghent (or, in French, Gand)! While in Dublin the weekend before this, a fellow traveler I crossed paths with told me that this was his favorite city in Belgium and highly recommended that I check it out. According to Google, most travelers spend about a day or two in this city. I didn’t intend on staying more than two days, but the only open hostel that weekend had a three night minimum (benefits of booking a trip 24 hours in advance). So three days it…