Exterous' vacation pictures: The Low Countries

[Exterous]

I jumped on some $375 RT tickets to Amsterdam so we could check Luxembourg off our countries list and spend more time exploring one of my favorite countries - Belgium.

As a side note AMS has showers at Yotel that anyone can book. Its ~$20 for 45min. Great way to freshen up after a red-eye and before a full days worth of exploring. It's an option I wish more airports had.

Bruges:

We did something a little different for this trip (for us). We based ourselves out of Brussels and mostly did day trips by train. Belgium makes this incredibly easy as there is no advantage to buying train tickets early and those tickets are good for any train that day. So you don't have to guess what time you want to leave. The downside is that it's a lot harder to get good morning and night photos. The upside is that it is easier to switch around days if need be (and we needed to due to weather). So we traded operational flexibility for strategic flexibility

Anyway - one of the great benefits to being based out of Brussels was easy access to my favorite Fish&Chips restaurant: Bia Mara

 

[ultimatebob]

Awesome pictures. Totally Coolcoin worthy

 

[Herr Kutz]

$20 for a shower? Holy shit.

 

[snoopy7548]

$20 for a shower? Holy shit.

Maybe it was golden?

Nice pics, though. Those fish and chips look pretty dang good.

 

[Exterous]

Awesome pictures. Totally Coolcoin worthy

Yeeeeessssss!

$20 for a shower? Holy shit.

Outside of airport lounges (many of which don't have showers) where else are you going to conveniently find one? It was a small cabin with separate bathroom\sink area, towels and toiletries. And $20 for two showers since both my wife and I were able to take one.

Nice pics, though. Those fish and chips look pretty dang good.

I've had F&C in numerous establishments across at several continents and this is my favorite place for them

 

[Exterous]

After Bruges we went to Luxembourg. We spent the night even though we had a hotel in Belgium as the 3.5 hour trip would make a same day round trip difficult. (I was also using a free 7-night hotel voucher in Brussles so paying for a night in Luxembourg was an easy decision) I really liked the city and was surprised at how much the elevation changed in the area

 

[Exterous]

Nice pics, though.

Thanks. Looking through them though they are looking grainier/noiser than usual. Looks like the ISO settings are similar to what I've used in the past so I'm not entire sure what is going on

 

[Arran82]

The most disappointing thing about Brugge is the tower....you get to the top then realise it's nothing like the top of the tower from 'In Brugges'.....which is the only reason i went.

 

[ImpulsE69]

You take some of the best pictures!

 

[Exterous]

So one of the things I love so very much about Belgium is their food and drink. Belgium beer is my favorite style but there that is just know as 'beer'

Grocery stores have row after row of doubles, tripples, quads, trappist etc at rock bottom prices compared to here

(These 4 bottles cost like $7 total)

It was hard not to just buy everything and spend the entire trip drinking in our hotel room. Of course we had to get out to try the bars and breweries though

Fortunately potatoes are a great way to soak up all that alcohol and that is another area Belgium excels with the potatoes they double fry in beef fat

Can't forget dessert

Or breakfast

If there are any beer aficionados out there you may recognize these bottles:

https://belgium.beertourism.com/belgian-beers/westvleteren-12

 

[Exterous]

The most disappointing thing about Brugge is the tower....you get to the top then realise it's nothing like the top of the tower from 'In Brugges'.....which is the only reason i went.

The line to get up there was crazy long so we didn't go. Sounds like that might have worked out.

You take some of the best pictures!

Thanks!

 

[snoopy7548]

Awesome stuff! Mmm... chocolate tits...

This thread reminds me I need to post pictures from my trip down under.

 

[KMFJD]

https://belgium.beertourism.com/belgian-beers/westvleteren-12

jealous..Westvleteren is amazing beer

 

[Exterous]

The next day was a great example regarding the flexibility a hotel base offered us. Rain was moving into the area and we really wanted to go to picturesque Dinant on a nice day. We were originally going to go to the castle in Vianden but decided to head to Dinant as it was supposed to really storm the day we were supposed to go there.

And no stop in Dinant would be complete without a stop by Maison Leffe where 7 euro gets you access to their beer museum and the option to try their beers:

(Not bad for 7 euro)

 

[Exterous]

Awesome stuff! Mmm... chocolate tits...

This thread reminds me I need to post pictures from my trip down under.

Yes...yes you do

jealous..Westvleteren is amazing beer

Indeed it is - but so is most of their beer. It was a constant struggle to decide between having more of a particular amazing beer and trying new beers I can't get at home that will almost certainly also be amazing

 

[shortylickens]

TITTIES!!!!!

 

[eng2d2]

did you see schipol?

 

[snoopy7548]

The next day was a great example regarding the flexibility a hotel base offered us. Rain was moving into the area and we really wanted to go to picturesque Dinant on a nice day. We were originally going to go to the castle in Vianden but decided to head to Dinant as it was supposed to really storm the day we were supposed to go there. no stop in Dinant would be complete without a stop by Maison Leffe where 7 euro gets you access to their beer museum and the option to try their beers:

(Not bad for 7 euro)

I love all the pictures of the stained glass. They almost don't look real.

 

[zinfamous]

Belgium is great, except for all the Belgies.

It looks like you went to the Cantillon brewery in Brussels? That's a really chill tour/visit. We were there when they were hauling in the pallets of sour cherries for their cherry lambic, and you could just stand at the bar, drink some beers, and eat cherries off of the pallets.

 

[KMFJD]

I love the food at the french fry stands in Netherlands/Belgium , it's deep fried heaven

 

[Exterous]

The Royal Palace of Brussels

Beetle shell ceiling

Viller's Abbey
Unfortunately they were doing some sort of clothing catalog shoot and were cleaning up from a concert at Viller's Abbey when we were there so we were unable to get some of the more dramatic shots while we were there (Note the disco ball in the third picture)

 

[Exterous]

did you see schipol?

I suspect you mean something other than the airport but I am not sure what that would be

I love all the pictures of the stained glass. They almost don't look real.

Thanks!

Belgium is great, except for all the Belgies.

It looks like you went to the Cantillon brewery in Brussels? That's a really chill tour/visit. We were there when they were hauling in the pallets of sour cherries for their cherry lambic, and you could just stand at the bar, drink some beers, and eat cherries off of the pallets.

I've never had any issues with the Belgies. We didn't make it to their brewery so we got those at Moeder Lambic

I love the food at the french fry stands in Netherlands/Belgium , it's deep fried heaven

Yep. Nothing like a case of random stuff to fry in case the fries aren't enough

 

[IronWing]

Poor beetles.

 

[Zanovar]

Awesome

 

[zinfamous]

So how many beetles died such that Leopold may have his fancy ceiling?