Berlin: The Hippest City in Europe

Since I arrived in Brussels, everyone has been telling me to go to Berlin. Word is it is the coolest city in Europe ... crazy art, hip bars and clubs, and dirt cheap to boot. I finally had the chance to go this weekend and was super excited to be going with my fabulous friend Kathrin, a born and bred German and woman obsessed with Berlin.

We had a fantastic time. Really fantastic ... we laughed and laughed and laughed all weekend long. Too much fun and too many things happened to relay in this space, so I'll just post some photos with captions to give you a sense.

And we're on the train from the airport to the city center. Check out the stylish seat covers.

I'm just a girl from the Midwest. Pass me a Jagerbomb, please.

Apparently, German girls like their Jagerbombs too!

Mmmm ... schnitzel sandwich.

Brandenburg Gate!

Reichstag! I was hoping to see Angie, but no.

See the line in the road? That's where the Wall was.

The Holocaust Memorial

Two things Germans love ... wurst and emoticons.

Berlin is very cool. My camera died half way through the trip, so I don't have anywhere near as many photos as I'd like to have. We played in Christmas markets, went to some very hip bars, walked all over the place. It definitely deserves the hype ... I can't wait to go back.

Roadtrip in French Wine Country

So Kathy came to visit for a week and we went on a lovely roadtrip to French wine country. We began with a day and night in Champagne (yes, this is my third trip to Champagne ... wouldn't you go as often as you could if you lived in Brussels?) and then we headed south to Burgundy. While it was extremely cold and harvest had passed, it was still a stunning place to visit. After a quick Croque Madame in Dijon, we hopped on the Route Des Grands Crus and toured through some lovely little wine growing villages.

There's Kath in the vineyards!

We visited a cool chateau called Chateau de Clos de Vougeot where we learned about how delicious Burgundy wine ... mostly pinot noirs ... are made. The Chateau is the home of a decades old wine club that meets 17 times a year ... they just happened to be meeting the night we were there and most of the guests in our tiny little hotel were attending the celebration that evening.

Making delicious wine is backbreaking work.

The town we stayed in, Gevrey-Chambertin, could not have been more dead. We had a before dinner glass of wine at the only bar in town (I think it was actually called "Le Wine Bar") and then we had dinner at a gorgeous little bistro where we were the only people there for about 45 minutes, when another pair arrived. And that was it ... no one else. I had a fantastic coq au vin and the woman running the restaurant could not have been sweeter, chatting with us and giving me some good French practice! After dinner, we went home, put on our pajamas and sat by the fire at the inn and drank some wine. It was really a lovely evening.

The best part of the trip though was waking up early on Sunday and going for a run in the vineyards. I got to watch the sunrise over Burgundy ... quite amazing. I can't wait to return when it is warm, the sun is more brilliant and the vines are still full of grapes.

Always happy to be on a wine road ... one of the best things in life!

Lucky Number 33 in Brussels

Such a treat to spend my 33rd birthday with my new friends in Brussels. Rebecca, Kathrin and Sheila made sure I had a wonderful day. Rebecca brought me breakfast, Sheila sent me beautiful flowers as she was in Seattle and unable to participate in person, and Rebecca and Kathrin planned a really special night for me.

Kathrin, Rebecca and I began the night with cocktails at the Metropole. Hotel Metrople is one of those Brussels establishments ... a gorgeous fin de siecle space that is totally classy and over the top.

The beautiful Ms. Eichel at Metropole.

The sexy and mysterious Ms. Rebecca Brown.

And that's me, laughing my ass off in my beautiful Josep Font dress. Love it!

After drinks, we had a really lovely dinner (not at La Manufacture as planned, but at a nice little Italian joint). The girls made me a huge birthday table and gave me my gifts and a little cake. Rebecca gave me a very "me" ring and Kathrin gave me a Berlin city guide (we are going this weekend!). I'll admit it, I cried. I love my Biscuits and Dr. Eichel!!!!

Me and my Biscuits at my birthday dinner.

After dinner, we headed to Zebra Bar to meet up with other friends. The night went on and on ... I believe I arrived home at 4:30 am with a kebab from the Sultans of Kebab in tow. It was a blast ... and I don't feel a day over 25!

John and Dragan were there to celebrate.

So was Filippo.

And my crazy friend Eva!

And the adorable Zoe!

Paris: Third Time is a Charm

Ms. Kerry O'Brien graced Europe with her presence a few weeks ago and the main event was a long weekend in Paris. For years, Kerry has been talking about visiting the Rungis market. Rungis is a huge, huge, HUGE market on the outskirts of Paris that is the main purveyor of meat, fish, vegetables, and flowers to the restaurants and shops of Paris. They only are open to the public on the second Friday of every month for 6 am tour. Yes, I said 6 am. After waking up at 4:45, taking a cab to the bus depot, and taking a bus out to the market, we joined our tour at 6 am. I wish I had photos, but I can tell you that there were massive amounts of cows hanging on hooks, entire buildings of gorgeous looking vegetables, and a dead rabbit or two to keep you awake throughout the tour. While it wasn't totally my thing, it was a cool experience (especially when our French tour guide tried to blame Kerry and I as the Americans on the tour for ruining the Camembert industry) that I'm happy to have been a part of. Glad Kerry got to do Rungis.




As it was her birthday, I wanted to make sure Kerry and I did something memorable in Paris. So I booked us a table at the Moulin Rouge.

If you've never been, do yourself a favor and go. Not because the dancing is so great. And not because the girls are scantily clad (if you are into that sort of thing). Go for the live ponies. Seriously people, they bring live ponies on stage during one of the numbers. It is awesome. Plus, they have these bizarre intermission acts with bad ventriloquists, poor magicians, and the best acrobats you've ever seen in your life. The half bottle of champagne you get helps with enjoyment of the show. But really, Moulin Rouge is awesome. Definitely something to see ... and not that bullshit movie with Nicole Kidman and Ewan MacGregor I've fallen asleep during three times.

In addition to Rungis and Moulin Rouge, I had a great time during my last weekend in Paris. Galleries Lafayette and Le Printemps already had done there windows up for Christmas. I shopped all day in the 5th, bought a lovely coat and contemplated (but wisely decided against) buying something at Catherine Malandrino. And on Sunday, I hung out in a cool flea market and the Marais. Ate a delcious strudel-type thing from one of the Jewish bakeries and generally fell in love with Paris all over again.

Warning to everyone who cares ... I am definitely moving to Paris.

The World's Biggest Beer Festival

Oktoberfest ... for people who like to party, it is a must-do. The drinking starts at sunrise, the beers are huge and nobody bats an eyelash if you take a nap at the beer hall.

Even the Germans take a break from their beer for a few minutes.

Oktoberfest was actually much different than I expected. If you are from the Midwest, you've probably been to your fair share of county or state fairs, and that is pretty much what Oktoberfest is like. There are lots of rides, midway games ... oh, and gigantic beer "tents" where thousands of people are drinking liters of beer, eating sausages and pretzels and singing drinking songs.

Me and Mandy at Oktoberfest!

I'm a bit late in writing this recap so instead of giving you a play-by-play, I'll let you know the key takeaways my trip to Oktoberfest with Mandy, Molly and Nicole left me with. In no particular order ...

1. "Spaetzel" and "pretzel" sound very similar to a waiter whose native language is German. Don't be surpised when you get one when you think you've ordered the other.

2. There is a reason that Hofbrau House is the most famous beer hall in the world. It is one of the most fun places I've ever been.

3. Amanda Gaeta Shields is the funniest person I know. I already knew this, having been friends with her for 15 years, but this trip just reconfirmed it.

Mandy G-S, playing coy with the camera

4. It is perfectly acceptable to drink (drink, not eat) at a Hard Rock Cafe in a foreign country if all other bars are closed.

5. Clooney wins 99.9% of the time in a game of "Would You Rather." (This may not hold true in a game dominated by 20 year olds ... but it is true of the 30 and over set.)

6. Molly Monentaro does a GREAT Irish accent. Also, it is astounding how many f-bombs an Irish man will drop in a conversation. But since "feckin" isn't a bad word in American English, you start to overlook it after a while.

Mother of two and champion beer drinker.

7. Italian men like two things -- shiny shirts and making an entrance.

8. Sometimes there really are only two choices ... chicken or duck.

9. It is perfectly acceptable to have inappropriate thoughts about men in lederhosen. In fact, it is expected at Oktoberfest.

10. Never drinks 3 liters of beer on an empty stomache!

Show us how it's done, Nicole.

Bottom line, if you ever have the opportunity to roadtrip to Munich for Oktoberfest with 3 of your best friends from college, do it.

Return to Champagne

This past week saw the arrival of my girlfriends from college. After a few cancelled flights and lost luggage, Amanda, Molly and Nicole were prepared to take Europe by storm. Their itinerary was a harrowing one for one week -- Brussels, Paris, Champagne and the coup d'etat, a road trip from Brussels to Munich to experience the one and only Oktoberfest.

As I only have so many vacation days left, my plan was to see the girls off on their day trips to Paris and Champagne and then join them for Oktoberfest. But who am I kidding? I may be able to resist another trip to Paris, but if you dangle Champagne in front of me, my will power collapses. On Wednesday morning, we set off for Champagne to tour a couple of champagne houses and most importantly for me, purchase more bottles from the petit maisons of the region to experience all Champagne has to offer.

Me, Nicole, Amanda and Molly sampling the goods at Pommery

We didn't get on the road as early as expected (a combination of jet lag and wine tasting that warranted extra sleep) so we only had the chance to visit one champagne house -- Pommery. While I am a big fan of Pommery (especially their Bland de Noir), the tour can best be described as odd. Apparently, Madame Pommery was quite the art enthusiast. Therefore, they've turned the cellars into an extensive modern art exhibit. Pommery = short on detailed information about the champagne-making process, long on progressive, interactive art pieces. If the tour represented Madame Pommery's life, I can't help but believe it was pretty idyllic.

164 steps to the bottom of the cave. Good thing they only gave us one glass of champagne prior to the tour.

So we toured Pommery, visited the Cathedral at Reims (see my previous post on Champagne for pics), and did a little champagne shopping. I should be able to host a few nice champagne tastings in the coming months.

When leaving Champagne, buckle up for safety! No drink driving allowed!

I'm still alive ... Brussels hasn't done me in yet

A month? Really? It has been a month since my last post? Apologies to those of you who've been following Mogo A Go-Go. Things have been hectic here in cold, rainy northern Europe this September, with lots of visits from family and friends from the States and my general dedication to having as much fun as possible while I'm here. I've been here almost 4 months. Yikes! Only two more to go ...




So where did we leave off? After meeting Mom and Dad in Paris the first weekend of September, I got to host them here in Brussels the following weekend. We had surprisingly good weather (most of the time) for their visit. We did the hop-on, hop-off bus tour of Brussels, visited the medival wonderland of Bruges, and had some really delicious meals everywhere we went. For those of you who've seen In Bruges ... yes, I climbed to the top of the tower in Bruges' town square and lived to tell the tale. Fortunately for me, there were no British gangsters trying to kill each other on the very narrow, very winding staircase up the tower. [Note to those you you haven't seen In Bruges: Put it in your Netflix queue tout de suite. Highly entertaining flick and one of Ralph Fiennes most surprising roles.] Anyways, it was awesome to have my parents come visit and cool to know that they've now gotten to visit Europe!



One of the highlights of September in Belgium is that muscles are now in season. I'm eating them as often as possible. And yes, they're way better here than they are in the U.S. Of course, I am looking forward to re-testing the muscles at Brasserie Beck once I'm back in D.C.

My lovely pot of muscles serves as both dinner and a refreshing steam.

Why is Patsy in Norway?

I am watching a BBC special where Joanna Lumley (aka Patsy Stone) goes to Norway to see the Northern Lights. Why? Britain is seriously starving for people to put on TV. I am moving there and becoming a famous TV presenter. She did just say though, "If there is one word associated with Norway, it is FJORD." I couldn't agree more, Pats.

Go on, have a lovely drink, have a lovely ciggie. It is cold up there!

Mom and Dad in Paris!

For someone who tends to expect the unexpected, I can safely say I never expected for my parents to go on a trip to Europe ... much less to be there to meet them when they got there. But that is exactly what happened on Saturday. After they spent four days in London, I hopped the Thalys (only and hour and 20 minutes from Brussels!) and met them in Paris!!!!

I wish I had pictures ... looks like I am going to have to buy a new camera ... but those will come later once my mom sends me her photos. I arrived at my parent's hotel (about a 10 minute walk to the Eiffel Tower) around 2 and expected them to be waiting. But alas, no sign of the Golgas. So I sat down at the bar and enjoyed a glass of champagne while I waited. I can't tell you how excited I was when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw my dad walk across the hotel lobby. The bartender thought I was crazy when I shrieked and ran out of the bar, all of my stuff still sitting there. It was excellent to see them. Surreal, but excellent. It was too late for lunch so we headed off for a river boat tour of the Seine. The tour was relaxing and the weather was beautiful so we enjoyed it immensely. And after relaxing at the hotel a bit, we had dinner at my favorite restaurant in Paris (thank your Mr. Rosenberg), Le Petit Marche. When I ate there a few weeks ago with Jim and Sheelah, I knew I would have to take my parents there. My mom loves nothing more than a great creme brullee, and I swore it was the best I've ever had. My mom agreed. We had an amazing dinner. The food was splendid; the staff was super friendly and welcoming; and it was great to spend time with my mom and dad in Paris.

My curse of no sleep in Paris marches on though ... last time I was allergic to the bedsheets, this time I was allergic to my mom and dad's snoring. It was a struggle to get out of bed this morning but while mom and dad were out on their bus tour, I walked down the Seine to the Musee d'Orsay, home to the great Impressionist and Post-Impressionist painters and sculptures. I always find it odd when tourists take pictures of themselves in front of famous painters but alas, it was very enjoyable. I had a quick lunch with mom and dad before they headed off for a tour of Versailles and then I walked and did a bit of shopping (Brussels does not have a Sephora ... I've got to visit them when I have a chance). One Croque Madame and a beer later, I got on the train and am now back in Brussels. Mom and dad have another day in Paris and then are off to Amsterdam before they come to Brussels next weekend. I've already got lots of stuff planned so I hope it is as fun as I imagine!

In the land of Gary Shields

About a week ago, I had the amazing opportunity to go to Oslo for work. I've actually dreamt of going to Norway my whole life. In the third grade, I wrote a report about Norway and once I landed in Oslo, I was surprised about how much I remembered. Most important thing to know about Norway -- fjords! That's it people. Fjords. They rule. Oh, and avoid shrimp and mayonaise sandwiches. They smell terrible.

After three days of working pretty much non-stop at the conference I was in town for, Rebecca and I got to go sightseeing. We spent a beautiful Saturday afternoon wandering the city, shopping and taking breaks in gorgeous little cafes. Before dinner, we sat out at a bar in the harbor, drank wine and enjoyed the view. Then we trekked to an adorable little neighborhood and had tapas for dinner. On Sunday, we took a cruise on the fjord and visited both the Nobel Peace Center and the Munch Museum (The Scream). It was a bit cold and rainy but we still had a great day. Unfortunately, my camera seems to have disappeared so pics from the trip are forthcoming ... once Rebecca gets her film developed (yes, she has a regular, old-fashioned camera and it is lovely).

So after five days, my assessment of Oslo is that it is the northern European equivalent of Madison, Wisconsin. I mean that in a good way. It is quaint. It is beautiful. It is clean. The people are friendly. And you totally feel like you are in the U.S. The only thing separating it from Madison is a lack of bacon, beer and cheese at every turn. Also, I believe that Madison likely has better coffee than Oslo. There really is no excuse for it, but I do not believe that I've ever been consistently served worse coffee than when I was in Oslo. I actually paid for a saucer-sized bowl of coffee at 9 pm that clearly was brewed at 9 am and reheated in the microwave. Disgusting.

I'd love to go back to Norway and see more of the country. I highly recommend it ... very green, lots of water, lovely people.

Next entry ... Mama and Papa Golga in Paris!!!! They are in London as I type this (I believe just back from Bath and Stonehenge)!!!! I'm getting on a train tomorrow morning to meet them in Paris. It is going to be surreal but so much fun.

Paris, Paris, Paris, Paris ... How Many Times Must I Type It to Show I Love It?

So all I've been hearing since I've moved to Brussels is: "Paris is only an hour twenty on the train." Clearly, everyone here in Brussels great appreciates its strategic traveling location, just as I do. With Sheelah here to visit, we decided it would be a good idea to hop on the Thalys and head to Paris for the weekend.

Beautiful sculpture and flowers in the Jardin du Luxembourg on the Left Bank

After enjoying the free wine and food on the first class train (summer sale ... actually cheaper than second), we arrived to a gorgeous Friday afternoon in Paris. Lovely, warm, sunny ... so much nicer than we expected. Once we checked into our hotel on the Left Bank, we strolled through the Jardin du Luxembourg and then headed to Notre Dame to meet Jim, my fancy-schmancy friend who just happened to be spending an entire week in Paris for work (I am seriously jealous of him and his work travel, if you must know. Next stop - Croatia!). We met Jim and headed toward the Centre Pompidou to sit at a cafe and people watch. I didn't take any pictures, but trust me, if you are in Paris, go there to people watch. It is great. Also, we had this awesome smoked salmon on pancakes with creme fresh. It may sound odd but it was delicious. The Parisian version of bagels and lox.

Their future is so bright, they've gotta wear shades. Does anyone else remember that episode of Head of the Class where they made a music video to that song? I always think of that when I hear that song.

And then came my favorite part of the day ... the most awesome Parisian celebrity sighting ever. Yes, when we were over in the Left Bank having drinks and dinner, I looked up and saw Julie Delpy walk by. I love Julie Delpy. I love Before Sunrise and Before Sunset. I love 2 Days in Paris. And as Amanda knows, I love Killing Zoe. I couldn't think of a better celebrity sighting to have in Paris. Maybe Carla Bruni? But really, I love Julie Delpy so I was super excited.

Bonjour, Julie! If only you were still dating the Hebrew Hammer ... dare to dream.

So what to do after dinner in Paris? Visit the Eiffel Tower, of course! La Tour was beautiful, lit up to celebrate the EU (Sarko is really enjoying the EU French Presidency). We took pics, had a lovely after dinner drink in the Trocadero, and made our way home to prepare for a full Saturday in Paris. The pics didn't come out super well, so I can't show you La Tour. But here is a pic of me and Sheelah.

So the rest of the weekend was fun, but also a comedy of errors. We saw a cool exhibit of Richard Avedon photos; had drinks at Le Fumoir with my colleague James and his girlfriend Sabine (she lives in Paris ... again, jealous); and had one of the best meals I've ever had at a tiny little bistro near Place des Vosges. I also ran into a poll while reading a map and have the most disgusting bruise ever; was allergic to the sheets on my bed and had to sleep on the floor to stop itching; and had a panic attack on the ferris wheel in the Tuilleries (note to self: ferris wheels scare you to death ... DO NOT RIDE). But other than that, Paris is great fun. Can't wait to go back to meet my Mom and Dad there in two and half weeks! I leave you with my favorite statue in Jardin du Luxembourg.

If I am so pretty, why am I made of stone?

A Cultural Tradition: The Flower Carpet

On Thursday, Sheelah arrived for a week-long visit from NYC. And she was just in time to see one of the most famous events in Brussels ... the Flower Carpet. Every other year, for one weekend only, they cover the Grand Place in this amazing carpet of flowers.

On the night it opens (which was this past Thursday), there is a big "opening ceremony." We missed the fireworks display, but we were there to see the light show synchronized with classical music. It was pretty cool ... and pretty lucky that it happened this year so that we were able to see it.

We were trying to figure out how all the flowers remain in place, but when you look closer, you see that it is petals, not full flowers. But again, still no clue how it stays down. That doesn't matter though ... it is still pretty impressive.

The Benefits of Winning a Gold for Belarus

From this morning's European Voice:

Athletes who get their hand on Olympic medals will get rewards, often financial ones, when they come back to their respective home countries. The Belarusian athletes who return back from Beijing with a gold medal around their necks can also expect a life-time supply of sausages, according to a Belarusian meat company. “We haven’t really figured out how we will solve it practically but I suppose that we have to send them a package of sausages once or twice a month, said the CEO of the company. He also added that they will listen to the gold medallists’ specific demands on sausage flavours. Belarus claimed two Olympic gold medals in the 2004 Olympics.

Lex aux Bruxelles

Well, my first official visitor arrived on Sunday, August 10th ... and she stayed for a mere 24 hours. Yes ladies and gentlemen, the lovely Ms. Alexious Butler stopped in Brussels on her way to Liberia to spend the day with me. We drank Belgian beer, walked around, drank Belgian beer, saw Manneken Pis, drank Belgian beer, took a nap, drank champagne and went out to dinner. It was fantastic to see her.

Here's Lex with the Hotel de Ville in the background.

And here she is enjoying a glass of wine at my apartment! Yay!

Belgium: The Most "Successful 'Failed-State' of All Time"

It is a bit difficult for a foreigner to understand just how much the Flemish and Wallonians dislike each other here in Belgium, but this article from Monday's New York Times does a pretty good job of shedding light on the struggle over language, identity and culture taking place here.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/04/arts/04abro.html?ex=1218513600&en=87dd9c6ad139530b&ei=5070&emc=eta1

Can't they all just get along?

Belgium by Bike

Rebecca and I have been talking about buying bikes, so on Thursday night, we went finally did it. I now have a pink and grey 18-speed city bike, reminiscent of my first real bike -- a pink and grey Huffy 10-speed. Either bikes haven't changed that much in 20 years, or I have the same taste as I did when I was a 10 year-old. No, I think the real problem is that I refuse to spend over $500 on a bike so I'm stuck with what is in my price range!

Our motivation to buy bikes was the gorgeous weather we have had this week. We decided that if we bought bikes, we'd bike out to Waterloo this weekend. And that is exactly what we did today. We set off on the 18 km ride (about 11 miles) to Waterloo at about 1 pm. The ride is really nice ... most of it is through la Bois de la Cambre and le Foret de Soignes, two beautiful parks/nature reserves that begin in Brussels and spread out into the suburbs.

Unfortunately, the trip was not without complications. Both of us had some issues with the seats on our bikes, but thanks to Rebecca, we sorted that out after a few stops trying to fix them. The thing we couldn't fix without help though was the flat tire I go half way through the forest. However, we got very lucky and found a great bike shop as soon as we got out of the forest. We had to wait for about an hour ... which we put to good use eating sweets at a bakery across from the bike shop. But for a small fee of 12 euros, my tire was fixed and we continued on our journey.

We finally arrived in Waterloo about 4 hours after we began, but it was well worth it. See that hill in the background? That is the monument to the Battle of Waterloo. It is called the Butte de Lion ... there is a giant lion statue at the top of it.

At the top, you can look out and see the countryside and imagine how the fateful battle ue nfolded. And of course, there are re-enactors! They promised to show us how to load and fire a musket, but they also promised us it took a long time, so after climbing to the top, we decided to head back to Brussels.

So while it took us 4 hours to get there, it only took us just over an hour to get home to Brussels, all bike parts working up to standard.

The trip was fantastic. We had the weird experience of actually being in Belgium while we were riding, stopping at bike shops, and visiting Waterloo. Brussels is just a city ... it could be anywhere ... and with its dual Flemish/French identity, it doesn't have much identity. But being out in Waterloo, which really is just a suburb of Brussels, it really felt like we were in Belgium proper.

I'm so glad we made the trip and now I'm looking forward to planning more bike trips. If the weather is nice next weekend, I think my bike and I will be hopping a train to Oostende to see the Belgian beach.

More Champagne, s'il vous plait!

This was one of the best weekends I've had in Europe so far ... amazing weather, beautiful countryside and lots o' delicious champagne! After renting a car and figuring out how to drive an European version of an automatic transmission, my friend Carson and I were off for a roadtrip to the Champagne region of France.

Champagne is conveniently located 2 and 1/2 hours from Brussels. Our first stop was Reims, where we began the weekend with a tour of the caves at Mumm. A very educational tour and three tastings later (Cramant, Grand Cru and a Rose), I left with a delicious bottle of Grand Cru and great early afternoon buzz.

Next stop was the Cathedral at Reims ... a beautiful Gothic cathedral. They were in the process of cleaning the Cathedral when we were there, so we were able to see the difference. Pretty stunning ...

Also stunning were the Marc Chagall windows above the nave. Chagall is my absolute favorite artist ... it was a real treat to see some of his work in real life.

After a lovely lunch in view of the Cathedral, we headed to Taittinger for a tour and tasting. The term 'nouveau riche" definitely applies to Taittinger. It was trying so hard to be classy and project the 'champagne' image of luxury, it ended up just coming off as clumsy and uninterested in trying to connect with the potential customers coming in to see there caves. Oh well, there are a million other champagne houses to visit. Off we were to Epernay!

Epernay is a drive over the Montange de Reims about 35 minutes. You drive through a nature preserve to get to this gorgeous little village ... really lovely. We spent the evening drinking perhaps too much champagne on a nice little terrace and then at a champagne shop down the road from our hotel. After sleeping off the champagne, we got up bright and early for a tour and tasting at Moet & Chandon.

Now Moet & Chandon is like the Microsoft of the champagne industry. They are big, they are bad, and everyone feels like they prevent small maisons from breaking into the marketplace. But really ... we were in Epernay, how could we not go to Moet? The tour ended up being really great. And after three cave tours, I think I have a really firm grasp on how champagne is made and why I like the champagnes I like. My favorite fun fact from Moet & Chandon: their best selling champagne -- the Brut Imperial -- isn't sold in the U.S. Americans don't like it cause it isn't sweet enough, so they make the White Star just for the Amerian market. And the you don't even want to know how much sugar is in the Nectar Imperial (my favorite). I am going to just forget that and continue to enjoy it anyways.

Before we headed home to Brussels (so sad), I made some significant purchases from some local petite maisons de champagne and then we went for an amazing drive through the vineyards. I can't even tell you how gorgeous it was. It was exactly what I wanted from the weekend ... just being out in the country, in the vineyards, and experiencing what Champagne country is all about. We drove through dozens of little villages and saw hundreds of vineyards. It was very cool. And I know I will return ...