Aiyer International: Brussels

When we learned there was a 4 day holiday weekend for Easter, we decided we had to take advantage and go somewhere. We haven't had a proper family vacation since our disastrous one in the Maldives last April!

Having Europe and the UK at our fingertips is so nice. Flying or taking the train to go to another country in less than 3 hours is plain awesome. The short travel times are even better when you have a toddler in tow. But deciding on the first vacay spot was not easy at all. I labored over the decision for weeks and we were already into March when it was time to make a decision.

I was able to cross off a few on the list since Ram will be traveling to some of the cities for work. But we also needed a city that didn't have too much going on. We aren't really in a position to do sight seeing all day. My first thought was Brussels. Its only a 50 minute flight, Belgian beer is our favorite, and it didn't look like it would be an overwhelming city to visit. Who can say no to frites, waffles, chocolate, and beer?! Not us!

We found a hotel located in the city centre so everything we needed was less than a 10 minute walk. This proved useful when Ram unilaterally decided we were leaving the stroller in London. The streets are all cobblestone and it didn't make sense to have it for the airport. I was nervous but it worked out well for the most part. Being stroller free was liberating in some ways but challenging in another. And I was worried I would be doomed when we get back. Thankfully, that was not the case:)

Riya loved the freedom of walking whenever she wanted and she definitely gave us a lesson in patience on this trip! It rained the first two days on the trip which was a bummer. Nevertheless, we made it to the famous Delerium Cafe which holds over 2,000 Belgian beers. Ram and I decided on this trip we would never repeat beers and we would each order something different every time. I am proud to say neither of us had a beer we didn't like it:)

The waffles, frites and chocolates didn't disappoint either. I wish I had gone back for thirds, but alas, it was time to go. All in all the trip was a success and I'm so happy to cross Brussels off our list!