It's been a month since I got back from our Europe trip, and here I am finally posting about it. Back when I was in college, my dream of going to Europe came true when I had the opportunity to host the Ms. Philippines-Germany Goodwill Ambassador Pageant in Berlin. Aside from Germany, I was also able to do a quick trip to Brussels and Paris. Six years later, the same organization invited me again to host the Mr. and Ms. Philippines-Europe Goodwill Ambassador Pageant in Brussels. I was ecstatic at the thought of being able to go back to Europe with my mom and sister, and this time, have the luxury of time to tour other cities as well.
Our first stop was, of course, Brussels. I love how the architecture of the city evokes an old world sophistication, and yet its amenities are one of the most modern in Europe. Out of all the cities we visited, I felt safest and most comfortable there because of its cleanliness, minimal threat of petty crimes, and even in the simple way motorists prioritize pedestrians (even if they are moving at a fast speed, they really stop when someone needs to cross the street).
Our first week in Europe was in Brussels, although we spent our full days preparing for the pageant. We usually get to tour the city at night after rehearsals. Of course, we had to go to the city center where the tourist attractions were. It felt so good to be back in the Grand Place and to see the Mannekin Pis once again. It was also fun seeing which chocolate and souvenir shops were still there and which have changed since the last time I was there.
On some nights that we strolled through the city, we ate out and that's when I got to try some legit sausages and Belgian fries at Fritland. You can also choose which sauce you want to go with your food. My favorite was the Andalouse sauce because it adds a spicy kick to your fries (it also goes well in cold cuts sandwiches).
We also got to try some sweets at Aux Merveilleux de Fred. We had their mini Merveilluex which is a small cake that consists of two meringues held together by whipped cream, covered with more whipped cream and dusted with chocolate shavings. They have a variety of flavors to choose from, and they were so light and delicate that you feel like you can eat the whole box. We also had one of their thin waffles which had a liquor filling.
On our last night in Brussels, our gracious hosts treated us to an incredible eat-all-you-can ribs dinner at Amadeo. Normally, a whole slab of ribs is already for sharing but there, you are initially given a full slab with sides of mashed potato and salad just for yourself. If you want more, you can just ask and they will happily replenish your huge plate. The ribs were so delicious and tender but it was definitely too much for me that I wasn't able to finish one serving no matter how much I wanted to.
After that huge dinner, I don't know how we managed to still have room for dessert at Drug Opera which is one of the most famous pubs in Old Brussels, but we did. We had some waffles, ice cream and tiramisu which was the perfect end not only to our night but to our trip as well.
To see more of what we did on our trip, check out my Brussels vlog and the latter half of my Rome vlog below!
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