Chocolate is good. We tried all the chocolates in Brussels so you can go straight to the best. In general, we like to take a dark chocolate covered caramel as our first challenge piece. If a chocolatier can't get this one right, we have little hope for their other flavors. We usually try a coffee or citrus flavor next. These should be strong but not too sweet, and the citrus needs to be just the right amount of tangy. It is delightful when chocolatiers have inventive flavors,

Herring We love herring. If you like fish you should certainly eat it here. We don’t have any particular spots to recommend. Whichever...

6 Things to do: Brussels 2026 update on ATMs: All banks have agreed to merge their ATMs. This is good for locals, who never pay a fee. However, foreign visitors will be charged an outrageous exchange rate (8% in our experience). If Belgium is your only or first stop in Europe, you may want to plan ahead for cash, or prepare for this fee. Credit cards are widely accepted but it is not uncommon for small merchants to say their machine is broken; fees for them are quite high too

Madrid: Food and Restaurants Our approach to Madrid food was highly affected by a few things: We had already been in Seville 10 days,...

Madrid: Passover Are you looking for a Seder in Madrid? (or Shabbat?) Here’s what we found and our recommendations. Registration in...

Running in Sevilla Sevilla (Seville) is a pretty flat city. The Guadalquivir river flows through the city and kind of folds over itself...

Paris Restaurants, Street Food and Markets Le Traiteur Marocain: Facebook page but no website. Located in the Marche des Enfants Rouge,...

Paris Running I generally like trail running so Paris was a bit of a rude awakening. There are a lot of cars, of course, and every few...

Food in Brussels, Belgium We are lucky to have relatives who live in Brussels. Over the years they have tried the patisseries and...

Bruges, Belgium To do: Bruges is well worth an overnight and perhaps two. Highlights for us were the architecture, chocolate, and museums. We spent a good deal of time just walking random streets–sometimes along the canals–admiring the doors which open on the canals, gardens or facades. The shopping is good with many high-end brands, but also lots of antiques and well-curated collections of whatnot. Old homes which back to the canal have doors permitting water access. The