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There’s much more to Oostende than the beach
Oostende is smack dab in the middle of the Belgian coast and is a popular beach destination for locals. But there’s plenty to do besides work on your tan. In fact, we have 10 reasons you should visit Oostende and none of them involve getting sandy.
Dinant’s Brasserie Caracole brews artisanal and organic Belgian beer over an open fire, just as they have since the 18th century. You can take a Belgian Brewery tour or enjoy a beer tasting in their charming bar.
For a fun family day trip in Wallonia, Belgium, visit L’Escargotiere de Warnant, a snail farm producing one of the world’s most sustainable foods.
When Andrew and I visit a new Belgian city for a weekend, one of our first missions is to scope out recommended restaurants and make reservations. Over the course of two and a half days, we normally have one exceptional dining experience and one or two good meals. If we’re really lucky, there will be two stand-out meals. Dining in Oostende surpassed our expectations.
One of the many perfect views in Spello, Italy
Like most things in my crazy expat life, it all began with an email.
“Hello! I am an American who recently moved to Umbria with my husband, 3 children, and 2 cats. We are surprising my eldest son with a trip to Brussels for his birthday, and in researching the city, your blog came up several times (it helps that I’m looking for cheese! but even without, it kept popping up).”
EAT! Brussels Restaurant Festival, 2013
There are plenty of food festivals to choose from in Belgium, but it’s safe to say, we have a favourite. At the EAT! Brussels Restaurant festival, held each autumn in Bois de la Cambre, you can sample your way around the Brussels restaurant scene, in one easy location.
Porte de Hal Museum, Brussels, Belgium (via Wiki)
The Porte de Hal Museum tells the story of Medieval Brussels inside a stunning piece of Belgium’s architectural history.
Poppies Gin by Rubbens Distillery
Belgium is well known for its jenever production but one distillery has created a traditional gin in honour of the soldiers who died in WWI. Rubbens distillery, in Zele, still produces Poppies Gin, which was “beloved by British soldiers.”
Hong Kong is a city of extremes. Despite my fears, before embarking on our Asian Adventure, I found myself falling in love with this vast city of contrasts.