Brussels: Famous for Beer, Chocolate, and Piss. Yes, Piss. As a little girl, I sat on my grandmother’s lap, fascinated by the tales she spun. I readily believed most of her stories, but the one about a famous statue in a city named Brussels, which featured a little boy taking a piss, seemed highly suspect. … Read more

Though this Flemish city is small enough to see on foot, one of the best ways to experience it is to take a boat ride on the historic canals of Bruges, Belgium. Bruges began life in the 9th and 10th century with a settlement on what is today likely Burg Square. To facilitate trade, canals … Read more

Activities in Market Square in Bruges, Belgium may have changed over the centuries, but one thing hasn’t. It’s still the commercial and cultural center of the city. Since the year 958, Market (Markt in Flemish) Square has been the the scene of medieval festivals, tournaments, and even executions. Weekly markets have been held here since … Read more

One hundred years ago, the Flanders region of Belgium lay in ruins. World War One had left cities like Ypres razed to the ground. Many such towns were in such a state of ruin that Winston Churchill suggested they be left as monuments to the Great War rather than being rebuilt. To many, it seemed … Read more