I was in Brussels yesterday, and once again, Belgium was wonderful. I only had about five hours to explore, but the city was so relaxed and friendly that I still had a great time. The week before I also visited Ypres, a city in northern Belgium, which was the site of some major battles in World War I.

In Brussels I did a lot of walking around just getting a feel of the city. I went into the St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral, which was a very nice Gothic church sitting on a little hill leading down to the Grand Place. Lining the cobblestone streets and sidewalks were shops, cafes and, most importantly, chocolate shops. There were so many to chose from, and the good ones had dozens of chocolate varieties displayed under glass counters, probably to prevent customers from drooling on the confectionary delights. We had a short lunch (by European standards -- only an hour and a half long) in a sidewalk cafe and watched people walk by while listening to some street performers.

I didn't have much time in Ypres last week either, but it was still a fun trip. History was the focus this time, as we stopped by Tyne Cot cemetery on the way and went to the In Flanders Fields Museum in Ypres. The cemetery is the largest burial ground for Commonwealth soldiers in the world: almost 12,000 soldiers are buried there and most of their names are unknown. Surrounding the cemetery is the Memorial to the Missing, which bears the names of 35,000 soldiers from Britain and New Zealand who died in the area in 1917. It is a true testament to the destructive power of war.

The museum in Ypres explored World War I in depth, and had some great artifacts and information. Other than the museum and dinner, I spent a while walking through the streets and resisting the urge to buy waffles, chocolate and ice cream. Brussels actually reminded me a little bit of Ypres. The capital felt like a small town, even though it's pretty big. Both cities are very pedestrian-friendly, the streets were clean and the locals were friendly. I would love to return to Belgium...maybe I should start learning Dutch!

I only have a week left in France, so aside from exams, I'll be trying to see as much as possible in Lille during the next seven days. Stay tuned, and thanks for reading!