Thanksgiving in Belgium

Thanksgiving 2010.

Believe it or not, the English don't celebrate the fact that our pilgrims and Indians shared a meal, thankful for food to get them through the winter, somewhere in New England in the 17th century. And although we didn't celebrate over a roasted bird, cranberry sauce, or a pumpkin pie, Brian and I packed our little bags and stepped on the Eurostar train bound for Belgium just across the Channel.

We were boldly greeted by Old Man Winter himself, who seemed to have taken up residence in Brugges, Belgium for the weekend, the point of our destination. It was cooold -- and snowing once we landed in Brussels. Hello, wool clothing.

Touring this charming little corner of Europe seemed like, at every turn, as though we'd stepped straight into one of the fairy-tale books that begins with, 'Once upon a time.' Chocolates in what-seemed-like every store window in the town. Canals winding throughout the whole of the city. Little stone bridges decorated with ivy and moss detail. Crystal-clear water with perfect reflections of the architecture designed and built before America's own independence was won. Art museums on each street. Mussel dinners straight from the North Sea 9 miles away.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

Psalm 100:4

kitchen in our little b&b

dinner in brugges

cozy little b&b from the street

Christmas decorations

ice rink in the square

pretty building, from 1608

back of cotes canal guesthouse

fish market

chocolate window displays everywhere

traditional mussel dinner, belgium specialty

And on our way back to London, we stopped in to see the city centre of Brussels... and were able to catch the Christmas tree lighting...