Nancy

Any suggestions for things to do around Belgium in addition to seeing Brugge. It really sounds wonderful but it doesn't sound like somewhere you could spend more than a day or two. Everything I read about it makes me want to see it but if I'm going to make the trip I think I need to have other things in mind as well. <BR> <BR>Thanks <BR>

Kristy

Nancy - <BR> <BR>I really enjoyed Belgium when I was there! Brugges is fabulous - you could easily spend 2 days there. I liked Brussels a lot too, but probably only for about 1 day. It's corny, but go to the city hall museum where they have all the costumes that have been given to the city for the Mannekin Pis - some of the costumes are pretty wild! <BR> <BR>When I was in Belgium, I was with a WWII buff, so we spent a lot of time driving around the countryside looking for obscure Battle of the Bulge villages. Sounds dull I know, but the countryside is beautiful (I can still picture the "gently rolling hills of the Ardennes") and it was a relaxing vacation-within-a-vacation. Surprisingly, the Battle of the Bulge Museum in Bastogne was AWESOME! I am not a big military musuem fan by any means, but I was really surprised by how moving the memorial and the musuem at Bastogne were. If you are nearby, it's definitely worth a stop! <BR> <BR>BTW, Belgian food is great, they have 100s of flavors of beer (which I don't like to drink anywhere else, but I still remember a certain raspberry beer one sunset...), and Belgian waffles (which are actually a dessert) are truly amazing!! Enjoy your time in Belgium!!

Christina

I think you could easily spend 2 days <BR>in Brugge w/o feeling bored. They <BR>actually have quite a few interesting <BR>things to see there (museum, churches, <BR>etc). I didn't get there, but I've heard <BR>nearby Ghent is also a good place to <BR>visit in Belgium. I'll have to admit I <BR>did find Belgium a little boring, but <BR>I will agree that I found some very good <BR>cuisine there--and better frites than <BR>I usually get in Paris. <BR>

wes fowler

Nancy, <BR>Check some of the other queries and responses regarding Belgium; there have been a number of them recently. Consider this: Belgium is really a microcosm of much of western Europe. Go fifty miles in any direction and you're either in another country or in an area where languages, menus and customs differ radically. You don't say what time of year you'll be in Belgium. If in late spring or summer, there are superb though windy beaches near Nieuport and Ostend. Brugges, Ghent, Antwerp and Brussels all warrant one, two or more days. Eastern Belgium with its rolling hills and Ardennes forest is a lovely pastoral area. Leuven has a magnificent state house and, since it's a university town, many many attractions and festivities appealing to the young. Check out some of the many websites regarding Belgium and look into Luxembourg, as well.

Rod Hoots

If you're interested in diamonds, you might try a day trip to Antwerp. Another long day trip, or even overnight, would be Paris which is only three hours away by train. If you're going in the summer, and have a car, it's fun to drive to the ocean and walk around one of the ocean resort towns. <BR>