Photo Diary: 2 Nights in Brussels, Belgium

All photos are mine

I travel a lot, but most of the time it's not for a holiday as such. In the last few weeks I've had a real urge to explore somewhere new, and I found myself researching places to visit in the UK and Europe. It was a toss up between Loch Ness and somewhere on the Eurostar, and when I came across an amazing deal on lastminute.com for two nights in Brussels including the train and hotel, I thought why the heck not travel for just two hours to a whole new country instead of 10 hours to Inverness?!

I thought it would be fun to share the photos I took with a disposable camera while I was there, with a few bits of advice and info about our trip thrown in for good measure. Hope you enjoy!

My first taste of fruit beer. Needless to say I am now obsessed. I hate beer, like really hate it, but now I feel quite pleased that I can actually enjoy a cold beer on a hot day (as long as it's fruity, obvs). There are loads of different flavours to choose from - my favourite was peach, mmmmm!

My boyfriend and I didn't really have a plan, which had it's good points and it's bad, but one of the good points was happening upon this lovely green park in the middle of busy roads, with a magnificent church looming up in front of us.

The impressive church peeking out above the park.

Grand Place, oh Grand Place, you darling! It reminded me of Leicester Square in London but waaaaay prettier. Just a shame that it's so touristy - at least in London you can get away from Leicester Square into other lovely impressive areas. But anyway, I didn't mind too much because PRETTY!

After the obligatory supper of moules frites, we saw what we thought was a magnificent sunset, until...

... we got back to our room and this happened...

... and then this!

Our hotel was right next to one of Brussels' many cartoon... I want to say walls? Anyway, whatever they're called, they're superb, and you can actually plan your own little tour round the city taking in every single one! The Tin Tin one was my fave.

We trekked all the way to The Atomium, which by the way is absolutely incredible and ridiculous at the same time, to find a HUUUUGE queue to go inside and up to the top, provided you bought an 11 euro ticket each. Continuing with the theme of not planning, we did not have 22 euros...

... so we bought an enormous sausage in an enormous baguette and ate it in the park, where we saw a crow, a rabbit and a woodpecker. Win!

Brussels, and Belgium in general, really knows how to do flowers. One of the reasons I wanted to go to Brussels was because I'd heard about this daily flower market. I like flowers. It wasn't as big as I'd imagined, but it was still great fun and oh so pretty.

I miss waffles.

Don't get run over by a horse!

Gobble gobble!

A lovely green wall that I fell backwards into just as my boyfriend took the photo, oops!

 We also trekked all the way to the flea market, which was another thing top of my list of things to do, only to find that while the stalls were there, that was it. Completely empty. Fail! But hey, there was this lovely park thing which the disposable camera dealt soooo well with....!

And lucky for us the church next to the flea market that was just a load of empty stalls had some stunning stained glass windows.

We then trekked all the way to the Cinquantenaire because I'd read you could climb to the top via the free-entry military museum and get a great view over Brussels. Yeah that failed too because most of the museum is closed until July I think while they prepare for a new exhibition. FAIL! 

It was fine though because we then walked to the Natural History Museum and went to the dinosaur exhibition (OMG AMAZING), via a picnic lunch on a sunny park bench surrounded by ducks, swans and Marley from the movie Marley & Me terrorising the ducks and swans.

Homeward bound.

It was a wonderful trip, and I'd definitely recommend it. If you'd like any info about how we got there, where we stayed or anything else, just leave a comment below.

Find more photos on instagram!

Much love, Bemsy x

seeitwant.it

   

How to: Pack light

I travel a lot. A lot a lot. Usually, I'm of the opinion that I should just pack what I want, and therefore as much as I want, especially if I have a checked bag. In the last two years, thanks to flying to see my boyfriend every few weeks, I've become a packing light guru. Call me stingey, but paying extra for checked luggage for a weekend away just feels like a waste of money. Part of it is about adapting and working out ways to minimise luggage (Law textbooks? So many of them, but HELLO iPad! Genius!), but part of it is also being really strict with yourself and planning ahead for (almost) every eventuality. 

This week, I'm popping over to Brussels for two nights and I'm just taking a small backpack that will double as my handbag for two days of wandering around eating moules frites and waffles, gobble gobble! So, here are my tips for packing light, which also doubles as a 'What I'm taking to Brussels' post - look at me go!

Downsize your washbag. Pretty washbags are, well, pretty! But they aren't practical if packing light is the aim. I use a ziplock bag instead. Be strict with yourself - will you really be plucking your eyebrows on the trip? Do you really need a facemask? Is it really necessary to bring that massive bottle of perfume just because it's your favourite? Mini products are IDEAL in situations like this. Go and have a proper nosey in your local drugstore, but don't forget the little travel empties either. They're perfect when you just HAVE to bring your favourite micellar water but it's in a massive bottle. Just a warning though: Wrap the lid of the bottles with tape to avoid leaks - the bottles I have from boots have been known to leak argh!

This is where all those beauty testers come in handy!

Makeup essentials only - emphasis on 'essentials'. I don't wear much makeup as it is, but I find it really difficult to not bring loads of makeup with me 'just in case'. Just in case what, though? Exactly. Chances are, you're going to be so busy having the time of your life, your choice of mascara is not going to be something that bothers you a whole lot. And as for that bright red lipstick you've had for ages but never worn - put it back. Just put it back, trust me!

Products that have their own brush or applicator are perfect! Or of course that mini brush set you've had stashed away.

Plan your outfits like a pro. I love love LOVE bringing loads of clothes with me when I travel. It makes me feel more comfortable, but the trouble is I end up not wearing even half of what I thought I couldn't live without. So when I don't have the luxury of having a checked bag, I am much stricter with myself. Think realistically about what you're going to wear, based on likely weather and what you'll be getting up to. Layering is perfect, especially if the weather is unpredictable wherever you're going, and you'll thank yourself for packing a compact umbrella. Nothing worse than being soggy in an unknown place. And always pack your most travelling-light-friendly bikini. That's the one exception to the rule here.

Day 1 aaaannnddd....

....Day 2! See what I did there??

No, you don't need all your chargers, cables and 4 different cameras. Unless you're a pro photographer, obvs. Be realistic - kindles have reallyyyyyy long battery lives. Real books have endless battery life, even better! A lot of cables and plugs are separate these days, so you can get away with bringing one plug and just the cables you need. Only bring your laptop if you absolutely have to. Short trips are for immersing yourself in a new place and leaving the interwebs behind. If something comes up and you have to use a computer, internet cafes still exist, believe it or not!

I really hope this post has been helpful! If you have any questions just leave a comment and I'll get back to you. And don't forget to check back next Monday to hear all about my trip!

Bemsy x

seeitwant.it

    

A run through San Francisco (or how to stay in shape while traveling)

Who said your outfit couldn’t make heads turn when you’re working out?

The sun has finally decided to show up and the warm weather is, from my perspective, synonym of “get outside ’cuz it’ll only be there for 3 months”. Bikini season is approaching and so I’ve decided to make a special “welcome back” to my running shoes, and this made me think of the beautiful West Coast of the United States.

This week’s destination? San Francisco, or should I say “A day in San Francisco”. Between the tourists attractions, and the wonderful view, San Francisco is a city of health on the food level, as well as on the sports level.

Make the most of your day

Start your day with a walk to Pier 39, the biggest Pier of the city, where you’ll see runners passing by at every moment. From there, take a boat to Alcatraz, where you’ll face the impressive reality of prisoners of the middle of the twentieth century. Back on shore, rent a bike, and enjoy the wonderful view of the Golden Gate Bridge, as you bike on the road aside of the water. Stop at a small kiosk for a worldwide known “Clam chowder”, and make a small visit of Ghirardelli to enjoy the amazing smell of chocolate. Back on your bike, make a detour to Lombard Street, and reach the end of the road to visit Fort Point, under the Golden Gate. Leave your bike near the entrance and take a walk on one of the most acclaimed bridge in the world!

You’ll probably want to enter the Nike store in Union Square, where the rainbow of running shoes on the wall makes you want to buy every each of them.

Finish your day with a Cable Car Ride, and make sure to catch a picture of the amazing architecture!

This summer, if you’re planning on a trip, take your colourful running shoes with you. Running through the streets is a wonderful way to discover hidden places! It also gives you an absolute different perspective... And it burns the calories you over-eat all-day because you are so right if you want to taste everything!

Lori

Destination of the week - Ponza...

Raise the sails in Ponza, in the Ponziane Islands!

As my friend was taking a peek in my wardrobe the other day, she was amazed (and discouraged) by the number of stripes there was. I don’t know I just like stripes.

This week I’m taking you to the Mediterranean sea, in beautiful Ponza, which is part of the largest Italian archipelago (the Ponziane islands). Since Ponza is in the middle of the sea, usually the destination of cruises or boat travelers, you can take a ferry from many cities in Italy (I have Formia in mind) to go spend a beautiful sunny day, feel the vibe of the sea as you walk down the twisty roads and put on your tanned Italian sailor look.

Talking about looks, that’s where I’m supposed to tell you how stripes are a reminder of the uniforms worn by sailors, but I guess I’ll show you how they have been influential in the world of fashion in the past years.

Throughout the seasons, Dolce&Gabanna has presented a travel-ish, casual but not too sporty look in its spring/summer fashion shows. I love how large and small stripes are mixed with buttoned vests. Some celebrities have even taken it to the next level on the red carpet.

Katy Perry vs Alexandra Burke... Who do you think wears it better?

For spring/summer 2013, Dolce&Gabanna is still embracing the stripes, but this time with a collection called “candy stripers”. Less sporty, more casual-chic; less white and blue, more colorful.

Back to Italy… As you arrive in the small port of Ponza, you are directly brought into the life of the place. A small market with red tomatoes like you’ve never seen, the shop of a local painter, restaurants where you might want to drink a lemonade, because Ponza is very hot in the summer. I remember so well when I took this picture, the temperature might have been near 40 Celsius degrees.

As you continue walking on the main street, you’ll discover amazing little places. One in particular caught my attention and I decided to enter. I might have mentioned it in my Montreal article, but when you travel, don’t be afraid to discover. Get out of the box, and ditch the whole “traveling-guide” thing (but use it for reviews and for not getting lost!!!). And so, I entered the shop, and I must say, it was like Ali Baba’s cave. Rings, earrings, pendants, clocks, shoes, hats, scarves; everything you cannot imagine in a shop of 5 by 5 meters, if not smaller.

After spending at least an hour in this place, you’ll love to walk through the small roads of Ponza, passing by the appartments of the Italians, and realizing that there once was an ancient city there. Some of the “adventurous type” might want to rent a bike and visit other places of the Ponziane islands.

So, dear readers, If your planning to travel by boat this summer, or visit an island or a destination near water, make the most of your trip by adapting your style to your environment. And you don’t have to try too hard! Match these Mango shorts with a colorful shirt, or this Zara dress with a light scarf with prints.

Mango - Buy here!

Zara - Buy here!

Do you want to visit Ponza? Have you been already?

Lori xo