One year ago, I was on holidays and fulfilling a dream, traveling to Athens.
It was a wonderful trip, the city didn't let me down and everything around that trip was great. Really marked me!
I think the fact I revisited Milan and the fact the days were so warm, helped a lot.

You can read the original posts about this trip, here:
Parte I: http://anaraquelperes2.blogspot.com/2015/08/on-my-map-milan-athens-parte-i.html
Parte II: http://anaraquelperes2.blogspot.com/2015/08/on-my-map-athens-part-ii.html
Parte III: http://anaraquelperes2.blogspot.com/2015/08/on-my-map-aegina-atenas-part-iii.html
Parte IV: http://anaraquelperes2.blogspot.com/2015/08/on-my-map-milan-part-iv.html

And here it is some pictures from this trip.

This one was the last trip I will have for the next year... I decided to have a break and not travel so much. This year I already went to London twice, Holland twice, Milan, Athens, Copenhagen and now Brussels. I'm tired!
I'm tired of leaving my comfort zone, spending money, not resting properly... Seriously need some rest and routine. Need to take care of my dog and cats, also. Need to slow down for a while.

On every trip I know I will get out of my comfort zone, although is good to push your limits, that can be also scary. Remember I travel all alone, so if something happens I only have myself to count with. And sometimes that's scary... New places you never been and sometimes places with bad reputation... new people, well you get the idea.

Moving on... I had this trip arranged a few months ago and I had the needed time to prepare however without my guide-map from Editora Estampa I don't know how to organize my trip. Feel so lost...
I'm trying to find a good substitute, so far didn't succeeded.
This time I had lonely planet book and it was very disappointing. The map was incorrect, the review of sightseeing places were not very well organized in my opinion, of course. And I didn't know where all the museums where because I didn't had a map with all of them marked. didn't like it.

Brussels is a city that starts running a bit late. Normally museums only open at 10 in the morning, even coffee shops open late. For me, who like to start the day soon, around 8 in the mourning (!!), this reduced the museums I went, due the little time I was there.

Saw all the main attractions of the city, grand place, atomium, the cathedral, the parliament, manneken pis and the museum of fine arts, among others places.
By the way, the museum of fine arts has combined tickets at very low prices and there is a City Card with option of Hop on Hop off bus, which you can used to enter in all main museums for free. More info here: http://visitbrussels.be/bitc/BE_en/minisite_brusselscard.do

I have a few friends in Belgium so I meet up with one of those friends, Lise. She even took half day off work to go with me around the city. We had lunch at this amazing typical Belgian pub and I ate stew which I cannot remember the strange name. But it was so good! Lise, thank you so much!! Kisses.
I also discovered Belgium beers. I like strong beers and they have very much strong ones, some with 13% of alcohol. But good, like for example, Hopus or Orvel. Those two are not available in every bar, apparently... Because they are Trappists, you can read more about it, below.

The first day, the weather was a bit cloudy but with sun and it was great for sightseeing. The other 2 days the weather was better, sun and a bit warm, except on saturday... too cold in the morning.



The food
Belgium like to eat as they like to drink. They are a passionate by mussels and almost all touristic restaurants have mussels. But, myself as portuguese and living near the beach, I eat mussels and seafood all the time, so I didn't tried it. But I tried other specialties, like the stew, Belgian fried, waffles and the chocolate.
I also took a small video of our landing, specially when the aircraft was crossing the clouds. Its always fun to watch.