A pâtissière, eating around the world
![[Waterloo] Villers Abbey](https://www.sugarednspiced.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/R0018120.jpg)
Villers Abbey, an ancient Cistercian abbey near the town of Villers-la-Ville, was founded in 1146 and abandoned in 1796. Very beautiful even in ruins, wouldn’t you agree? For those interested in the history/architectural style, read this Wikipedia article.
![[Brussels] A La Mort Subite](https://www.sugarednspiced.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/R0021475.jpg)
A La Mort Subite
Add: Rue Montagne aux Herbes Potagères 7, 1000 City of Brussels, Belgium
Tel: 02 513 13 18
Hours: [Mon-Sat] 11am-1am [Sun] 12pm-12am
Website: alamortsubite.com
Price: [beer] €3.50 and up
A La Mort Subite, literally “Instant Death”, is a 1920s-style beer hall just a short walk from Brussels Central Station. Long rickety wooden benches, tall ceilings, raucous and cosy atmosphere, and haphazard service. Great place for a glass of beer or two.
![[Brussels] Horta Museum](https://www.sugarednspiced.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/R0021440.jpg)
Horta Museum
Add: 25, rue Américaine, 1060 Bruxelles (Saint-Gilles)
Tel: + 32 2 543 04 90
Hours: 2-5:30pm (Closed on Monday)
Website: www.hortamuseum.be
Price: €7 for adults, €3 for seniors/students
Visited: Jul 2011
Hortahuis is a splendid Art Nouveau architecture (also a UNESCO World Heritage) dedicated to the life and works of Belgian architect Victor Horta. The museum is a bit removed from the city center and the whole place takes less than 30 minutes to walk through, but is quite worth the trip for those interested in architecture or Art Nouveau.
The building itself is Horta’s former house and atelier (1898), and houses a permanent display of furniture, utensils and art objects designed by Horta and his contemporaries as well as documents related to his life and time.
![[Brussels] Pierre Marcolini & Neuhaus](https://www.sugarednspiced.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/R0021299.jpg)
It goes without saying that chocolate shopping in Belgium is a must, but which of the thousands of chocolatiers to visit? No, Godiva is most certainly not it.
Pierre Marcolini is a store that I stumbled upon randomly, and later realized how big of a deal this chocolatier is. Its chocolates are known to be exotically creative by including unusual fruits like apple, pear, blackcurrent and melon, as well as ingredients such as pepper, chestnut, tonka beans and even patchouli, sandalwood and oak. Mmhmm. No pictures are allowed inside the store, so here are some snapshots from the outside…
![[Brussels] La Clef Des Champs](https://www.sugarednspiced.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/R0021363.jpg)
La Clef Des Champs
Add: Rue de Rollebeek 23, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: 02 512 11 93
Hours: 12-2pm, 7:30-10pm (Closed on Sunday & Monday)
Website: www.clefdeschamps.be
Price: [lunch] €19.50 [dinner] €35.50~59.50
Visited: Jul 2011
La Clef Des Champs is a cosy little French restaurant on Rue de Rollebeek, just a short walk from Brussels Central Station. Delicious Lyonnais and Provencal dishes in a setting of purple pink table clothes and chandeliers…a delightful lunch spot!
![[Brussels] Grand Place + Mannequin Pis](https://www.sugarednspiced.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/R0018624.jpg)
Grand Place, comic walls, Mannequin Pis, Liege-style waffles, Chinese tourists, beer, more beer, and more beer, sausage + cheese, mussels, and fries.
Comic walls, very characteristic of Brussels.
![[Brussels] Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert](https://www.sugarednspiced.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/R0021483.jpg)
Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert (St. Hubert Galleries) is a 19th century shopping arcade in the heart of Brussels. I didn’t much care about the shops inside the arcade, but the architecture itself was worth a stroll through.
Chocolate shops, but of course.
![[Brussels] Notre Dame du Sablon + St. Michael & St. Gudula Cathedral](https://www.sugarednspiced.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/R0018486.jpg)
Notre Dame du Sablon (Church of Our Lady of Sablon)
![[Belgium] Itinerary](https://www.sugarednspiced.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Untitled-14.jpg)
5 cities in 5 days. Waffles, pastries, fries, mussels, beer, beer, beer. My Itinerary Day 1: [Brussels] Museum of Musical Instruments -> Notre Dame du Sablon + St. Michael & St. Gudula Cathedral -> St. Hubert Galleries -> Grand Place + Mannequin Pis Day 2: [Brussels] Lunch at La Clef Des Champs -> Chocolate shopping at…Continue Reading “[Belgium] Itinerary”
![[Amsterdam] Random Snippets](https://www.sugarednspiced.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/R0018914.jpg)
Just some random snippets from Amsterdam.
On the train en route to Amsterdam
Amsterdam Central Station
Rowdy kids on the tram
