The Belgian BBQ

There is so much to love about Belgium! 

After a year in the land of chocolate, waffles and exceptional beer, we've come to realize that there's so much more to this country than one reads about in travel publications. Chris and I are so happy with our decision to live in Roeselare, because we were quickly embraced in this small, not-at-all-touristy, city. We are happy here, and we've met amazing people who have included us and made us feel at home. Aside from the obvious Belgian delicacies, here are a few things that we have come to appreciate about our second European home: 

{The work/life balance}

If you work on a Belgian contract, it is actually illegal to work more than 38.5 hours a week. Illegal! For all of our friends working 60+ hour weeks in America, this must seem like a vacation every day of the week! Of course there are people in Belgium who do work overtime, but in general, people value their time away from the office. On work evenings, young professionals meet up for a drink on a terrace, families stroll through the park, and in the summer there are fairs on the Market Square and events to fill every evening. It just seems that Belgian families spend more quality time together than in America. That's just my observation.  

{The bike culture}

Of course there are European cities (like Amsterdam) that have a more vibrant biking culture, but in Belgium, it's also acceptable for young and old people to scoot around on bikes. There are no school busses in Roeselare, so kids ride to school on bikes. I remember being jealous when high school friends received Mercedes or Hummers (seriously?!) for their 16th birthday. I think I am going to send our kids to a school where everyone rides bikes. Even the mail man delivers the mail on a bike! It just seems healthy to get to where you're going on a bike. 

London With the McCoys

Mom and Dad McCoy in London, England

For almost a year, Chris and I had been planning a grand European adventure with his entire family. After countless Skype-planning-sessions, and way too many hours scanning Trip Advisor reviews, the European ininerary was set, hotels were booked, vans secured, restaurant reservations (for 11) made, and train tickets were booked for nine of Chris' family members. Everything seemed to be perfectly planned for their first trip to Europe. . . 

Well, everything that is except for the TORNADO! No one really planned on that happening! When the day finally came for the family to fly across the Atlantic Ocean, Chris' parents, brother and Claire (Chris' brother's girlfriend) made their way to London to meet up with us. The other half of the family had purchased Delta flights out of Atlanta, and that's where the little problem of the tornado happened to be. Weather is a funny thing that no one can predict or control, but she sure does have a way of completely derailing well planned trips in no time. 

There was nothing that anyone could do. It was just one of those major travel mishaps; the sort of mishap that Chris and I have never experienced in our two years of galavanting through Europe. I so wish that it had not happened to Chris' dear grandparents, his two aunts and his cousin . . .  but it did. "The stranded five" waited around for two days in the Atlanta airport without luggage and without very much sympathy from Delta. One Delta member even suggested they purchase new tickets to London or just give up and go home. Finally, a sweet ticket agent took pity on them and rerouted them through to Belgium. Once "the stranded five" finally got to Europe, they had missed their whole trip to London. 

Eating Our Way Through Barcelona

Barcelona kisses in Placa Reial - "Royal Plaza"

 Slowly but surely, spring has slipped into a mellow Belgian summer, and the days have gotten longer and longer. Western Europe is reporting one of the coldest spring seasons on record, and they aren't predicting a freakishly long, hot summer to make up for the extra wear and tear on our boots and rain coats. As soon as the sun makes an appearance, Roeselare's sidewalks erupt with smiling shoppers and the terraces are full of friends meeting over aperitifs and coffee.

By early May, Chris and I were totally over waiting for that occasional sun break, so we booked last minute flights and headed south to Barcelona. I am finding that summer is the hardest time for me to blog (for many reasons), but if I don't write about our trips, I quickly forget all of the fantastic meals that we had, the places we stayed and the adventures that we shared. Barcelona became one of our favorite summer spots, so I expect to get back some day and I want to revisit a lot of the restaurants that we discovered.

Chris and I met up with our best friend, Reece, and we were lucky to get a really great rate at a B&B right on the beach, Bed and Beach Barcelona Guesthouse. The location was perfect since the guys really just wanted to relax on the beach, and I had the flexibility to easily get into town and explore on my own. In my last blog, I posted about my relaxing day exploring Park Guell. There is so much to see and do around Barcelona that you could probably spend months in the city and not even scratch the surface!

We got a lot of food/drink recommendations from Reece's coworker who spends loads of time in Barcelona. We tried almost every single place that she suggested, and we were never once disappointed! Megan, if you ever read my little blog post, thanks a million for taking the time to share some Barcelona love with us! Below is a list of the restaurants and bars that we loved. I don't want to forget these places, and I would love to pass on some (of Megan's) information to others who are planning a trip to the lively city of Barcelona!

Our First Serbian Visitors!

Marko and Lela on the shopping street in Roeselare, Belgium. 

Remember Marko and Lela from Subotica, Serbia? They were our first friends in Serbia and they sort of adopted us into their big group of friends. Looking back on our year in Serbia, I don't remember feeling seriously homesick (except for when my first little nephew was born), and I know that Marko, Lela, and the community that they invited us into, were the reason we so easily adapted to our first home abroad. Chris and I truly feel that we have a grasp on the history and culture of Serbia because we were treated almost as locals for an entire year. Six months ago, we left Serbia, and through tear-filled goodbyes, Marko and Lela promised that they would come visit once we settled into our new home in Belgium . . . 

Well, they came through on their promise! We had Marko and Lela to ourselves for a whole five days! Chris and I were so excited to simply just be with them again and to share bits and pieces of our new adventure with them. Of course we made them sample all sorts of chocolates, cakes, waffles, frites (fries), and specialty Belgian beers. We took them to our favorite restaurants and cafes in Roeselare, and I will include those pictures in the next blog. 

Where to Eat in Rome

I simply adore Rome! 

(You can read about past lovely trips here and here) One of the things you must find when visiting such a nostalgic city is good food. Well good food and of course, a cozy little cafe where you can slip in unnoticed, blend in with the locals, and sip on a glass of house wine or chilled limoncello. Trust me, you want to get away from restaurants that beckon you to come in and offer "tourist menus." Find that little hole in the wall with creaky doors and dusty, exposed brick ceilings. Or, if you happen to know someone who has been living in Rome, follow them around for the weekend! That's what we did, and Ben introduced us to some wonderful restaurants and local bars. 

Here are my food notes from our February trip to Rome:

We had breakfast twice at the Bakery House ROMA. Their food was so fresh and it was reasonably priced! We each paid under 10Euros for coffee and a sizable breakfast. My favorite meal at the Bakery House was their eggs benedict with ham and asparagus. I couldn't leave without trying one of their homemade cupcakes too. I know, I know, breakfast of champions! It was totally worth it! 

Giving Thanks in Belgium

New friends and cosmos. 

My favorite holiday of the year has come and gone. The day that American families put differences aside to gather together and focus on gratitude and . . . well, football of course. Thanksgiving is more then a giant, turkey dinner for my family; a family of Ukrainian immigrants that worked tirelessly to build a life in America. I grew up hearing stories of how my father's parents miraculously made their way from Ukraine to China to the Philippines to Paraguay and finally to America. My grandfather was orphaned in China at the age of five, and he is immensely thankful for the opportunity that American gave a hardworking, orphan boy. My sweet grandfather tears up when he starts talking about his blessed life. He is a man who chose to live a beautiful life of thankfulness. Because of his example, Thanksgiving is a special time for my family.  

Thanksgiving 2011 found Chris and me around the table with new friends in Serbia, and this year we shared the holiday with three new friends in Belgium. Last year I searched high and low for a Serbian turkey and eventually just had to settle for chicken; but this year, I found a turkey! Well, at least I found part of a turkey. My mom visited Belgium the week before Thanksgiving, so she helped me season the turkey legs. She gave me detailed directions on preparing those legs, but unfortunately we didn't take my European oven into account. I think the oven is actually quite efficient, but the only issue is that all of the directions and prompts are in Dutch. I was scrambling to finish the meal when our three guests arrived baring gifts. They blessed us with Belgian chocolate and beer. Check out the way that the beer is displayed. 

Pictures of Paris

The Eiffel Tower at night is a sight worth hanging around for!

“To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.” - Aldous Huxley

I seem to have used that quote in so many conversations; and I've seen it prove true time and time again. It makes me glow inside when stereotypes are shattered. After all, aren't we all just people trying to make our place in this big, scary world? The only differences may be the color of our skin, our religious choices, the language we grew up speaking, and the color of our passport. 

Now that Chris and I live in Belgium, an obvious weekend jaunt would take us to Paris, France in under three hours. This is absolutely terrible, but I have to admit that I was less than thrilled to spend time in France, and not because of my own experiences, but because of tales I had heard from others. "Ohhhh, France this, and France that. The French can understand English, but they won't speak with you unless you speak French. Lana, Make sure you have a map because you may not find anyone who will help you navigate the city. . . " One stereotype after another. You would think that I would have learned to ignore such negative talk after spending a wonderful year in Serbia.

My magical weekend in Paris made me anxious to return to France and explore every single corner of the country! In fact, I am already researching the Bordeaux region. There are a lot of Bordeaux wines for sale in Belgium, and I am starting to get "acquainted" with as many of them as possible. 

My dear friend (and bridesmaid), Kayla, flew into Charles De Gaulle to spend ten fun-filled days with me and Chris in Europe. The cheapest flight took her into Paris, so naturally, we decided to spend two days exploring the city. Chris had to stay in Belgium, so Kayla and I booked a room a little out of the center at the Mercure Paris La Defense 5 Hotel. Reasonable lodging is really pricey in Paris, so we chose to stay close to the La Defense metro line and made sure that the hotel offered free shuttle service to and from the metro. One night we got in too late and had to walk from La Defense to the hotel and it took under 15 minutes. 

I cannot say enough about Paris! It is absolutely dreamy! You must go see it for yourself and leave all pre-conceived notions behind. If you are loving life, then life will love you back! 

Great staff (and great prices) at Le Bourbon in the St-Michel area.  That's my friend, Kayla!

The beautiful Notre Dame!

Love that I captured the leaning guy in this picture!

Paris -  the city known for the Love Lock bridges. 

Our first view of the Eiffel Tower at dusk. 

Dancing with a Tower view! Makes me want to get my Hubby here for a dance or two! 

Breakfast at Hemingway's hangout  - Les Deux Margots. 

We met up with one of my college buddies! It was wonderful to see you, Grant! Let's meet again!

The cafe was crowded but cozy and well worth the trip!

This taxidermie store, Deyrolle, is in the movie "Midnight in Paris." 

The mini Arc de Triomphe right before you enter the Louvre.  

The Winged Victory (Nike) of Samothrace has always been my favorite statue.  She's in the Louvre!

Checking out the Mona Lisa . . . with about 500 other tourists!

Amazing art structure as you leave the Louvre. 

The Arc de Triomphe. 

Exploring Paris!

Window shopping at Christian Louboutin. One pair for me, and one for Kayla.  Dreaming!

We said farewell to Paris with a bottle of Bordeaux, and the Eiffel Tower sparkled her approval! 

"Toute chose appartient a qui sait en jouir." - Andre' Gide

("Everything belongs to those who can appreciate it.")

Summer in Rome, Italy

Me and Lindsay sipping our first coffee in Rome. 

"Be slow to fall into friendship; but when thou art in, 

continue firm and constant." - Socrates

My dear friend Lindsay is one of those precious, constant, and irreplaceable souls. She cares deeply about people and protects that which she loves with fierce intensity. For seven years, Lindsay's been one of my closest confidants and she's never opposed to sharing a bottle of malbec or pinot noir. After all, isn't that a true test of friendship?

Lindsay introduced me to Chris, she has always spoken the truth even when the truth hurt, she's hosted several birthday parties for me, played an important role when Chris' proposed to me, and she supported me as my Matron of Honor when I married the man of my dreams.

You can imagine my excitement when Lindsay announced that her and her Hubby would spend the entire month of July in Europe. Lindsay and Evan managed to take a month off of work, and since it had been Lindsay's dream to see Italy, that is exactly where they planned on spending the duration of their European vacation.

At the beginning of July, I booked a $40 round trip Ryan Air flight from Budapest to Rome, and the three of us spent two days seeing the sights, drinking coffee and sharing pizza in the ancient city.

Here are a few "Know Before You Go" tips from my trip to Rome:

- First off, the city of Rome is magical! It is a part of history that everyone must experience at least once!

- Some 7-10 million tourists visit Rome every single year, and I think most of them were there at the beginning of July. If you go in the summer, prepare for crowded metros, expensive lodging, and 2-hour lines to get into main attractions.

- If you want to avoid lines (and save time and money) for - say the Colosseum or Vatican Museums, plan ahead and book your tickets online.

- The metro is easy to use, so in order to save money on lodging, book outside of the city center but make sure you are within walking distance of a metro stop.

- That being said, there are numerous summer strikes that halt the transportation system. Ask your hotel if they know of any planned strikes while you're visiting so that you can plan your trip accordingly. When we were in Rome, there was a strike on the Friday we were trying to leave the city. That Friday, the city demanded that everyone must be able to get to and from work, so the trains, busses, and metro ran until 8:30am, shut down, and then started running again at 5pm for the evening commute.

- My friends, Jacob and Heather, showed us around the Trastevere neighborhood and that quickly became my favorite part of Rome. The metro does not run into Trastevere, but the busses do. It is worth a trip - trust me!

- It was ridiculously hot at the beginning of July (some people said we visited in the middle of a heat wave), so next time I visit Rome, I will avoid July and August. It should be comfortable (and less crowded) to tour Rome in the months of May and October.

- You will see ancient water fountains all around Rome - DRINK THE WATER! The water is clean and very refreshing! If you visit in the hot summer months, you will begin searching for those little fountains from heaven!

Enjoy a few pictures from our quick trip through Rome:

Paradise Found - Nocelle and Positano, Italy

From Nocelle looking back on Positano, Italy. This is the stuff dreams are made of. 

Summer traveling in Italy. Oh where to begin?! No matter how thoroughly planned your vacation, the Italian summer has a way of reminding you to relax, be patient and enjoy a glass of wine along the way. It doesn't matter that you carry a shiny Capitol One credit card (no international transaction fees - yes please); you'll still find yourself scurrying to the nearest ATM when the tour company discovers their credit card machine mysteriously "broken," or your B&B simple doesn't even have said machine.

Lucky for my organized-type-A-self, a sweet girl friend in Rome warned me to hold my schedule "loosely" while exploring Italy. Heather said something to the extent of, "In the summer, you can expect train strikes; sometimes you'll be warned and sometimes you'll be caught off guard. Oh yeah, and often public transportation is late or just doesn't show up at all. That's totally normal. You have to just enjoy the country and don't have too many concrete plans while in Italy. If you can relax and drink up the culture (and some wine and lemoncello), you'll love every second in Italy."

I met my best friend from Kentucky, Lindsay, and her Hubby, Evan, in Rome (blog to come), and the three of us made our way towards the Amalfi Coast. Heather had warned us of a 8:30am train strike the day we were leaving Rome, so we caught an earlier train out of the busy city. Once in Naples, we were met with one of those surprise strikes that Heather had warned us of. There was nothing we could do but wait around for three hours and finally push our way onto an overcrowded, un-airconditioned commuter train bound for Sorrento. From Sorrento, we took an hour long bus ride to Positano, and then our final leg was a 20-minute bus ride through narrow, cliff side roads wide enough for only one vehicle.

Needless to say, we were exhausted by the time we got off the bus. Our six hour journey had turned into more of an 11-hour-trek, and I could not help but remind myself of Heather's wise words. Just enjoy the journey, Lana. . . .

In the next moment, I turned around - and gasped! Evening rays kissed the landscape, and the view from Nocelle back on the hillside town of Positano was simply breathtaking. As we walked towards our B&B, I couldn't stop taking pictures. We arrived at Villa Sofia  and were warmly greeted by Luciana and her brother Raffaele. Raffaele showed us to the poolside terrace where he treated us to homemade lemoncello. We relaxed as the sun slowly slipped into the ocean. The moment was worth 11 hours of traveling and every stressful leg of the journey from Rome-> Nocelle. I have to give Evan mad props for picking Villa Sofia.

Had Lindsay, Evan and I just discovered paradise?!

Lemoncello on the terrace at Villa Sofia in Nocelle, Italy. 

Lindsay and me on our terrace overlooking Nocelle.

Evan and Lindsay - Starting our hike down 2000 stairs. 

Beauty everywhere you look. 

Small little beach we found at the bottom of  our 2000 step hike.

Entering the dreamy town of Positano, Italy. 

View from the main beach in Positano, Italy. 

Italian coursed dinner recommended by Villa Sofia.

So much dessert!

How we ended the night - with the owner, his son and a HUGE bottle of lemoncello! Fun memories. 

Goodbye Nocelle, Positano and Villa Sofia. You're in my soul and I will visit again!

Heather was right, if you can see Italy at a leisurely pace, you'll fall head over heals for her beauty. I cannot wait to get back to Amalfi with Chris, and Villa Sofia has so be on my itinerary.

This may be the closest to heaven that I have ever been. Seriously!

Our Hvar, Croatia Favs

Hiking down to Dubovica Beach - Hvar, Croatia

We initially planned to spend three days in Hvar, but after our first full day of exploring, we extended that to five. Lucky for us, the super affordable place we were staying at (Pansion Lacman) could accommodate us for a couple more nights. I think we could have stayed for 55 days without getting restless. Okay, maybe not that long, but really there is so much to do in Hvar! We found a helpful tourist office on the harbor called Atlas Travel Agency and they listened to what we were interested in doing and then pointed us in the right direction. The owner of the agency grabbed an island map and circled his favorite vineyards, hidden beaches, bars, and hiking trails. We visited almost every place he suggested and even booked a tour through him to see the mystical Blue Cave. Our trip to the Blue Cave was one of our most memorable experiences from this past year. I am going to beg Chris to write about that excursion in a later post. *Hint hint, Hubby . . . You're just so good at story telling!

Over the past years, charming Hvar Town has earned a reputation as a coastal party spot. It seems that celebrity sightings and lavish yachts have done quite a lot to boost tourism. Adriatic cruise ships frequently unload 1000's of tourists, and British youth spend part of their "gap-year" (it's a new fad to take a year off in between high school and college) drinking the summer away at hip beach bars. Chris and I walked past the famous Hula Hula Hvar and Carpe Diem bars, but we were more interested in exploring hidden treasures on the island known for lavender and wine. 

Breathtaking Dubovica Beach just for us!

We hiked around Hvar Town quite a lot, and while we found several remote and romantic beaches, my favorite beach was Dubovica. You have to drive about ten miles east from Hvar, park your vehicle near the road, and hike 20-ish minutes down to the beach. The beach is marked along the road, so it's pretty obvious where you have to park and hike. It was totally worth the trouble! Chris and I were some of the only people on the beach, but apparently it gets more crowded in high season.

Taking in the silence on Dubovica Beach.

Mustaco Beach and beach restaurant. 

Checking out the beach from inside Mustaco beach restaurant. 

There is only one small beach in Hvar Town (in front of Hotel Amfora) and other than that, there are beach chairs (for rent) precariously set up along the jagged rocks overlooking the water. We decided to take a hike and check out a more proper beach. We left Hvar Town and made the 20-minute walk to Mustaco Beach, and we really liked the vibe. On Mustaco, you can rent chairs and umbrellas, and there's a good mixture of families, elderly couples and young people soaking in the summer rays. I think it's a clothing optional beach because a lot of ladies had their tops off. The little seaside restaurant is rustic and "beachy" and the pizzas are pretty tasty. I was surprised that they will let you enjoy your beer or cocktail down on the beach.

On one afternoon, we took a $5 round trip boat-taxi to Mlini Beach on one of the Pakleni Islands. You can choose to taxi to several of the islands in front of Hvar - some FKK (nudist) and some not, some with hopping beach bars and some totally remote. We chose to check out Mlini Beach and it was a relaxing and quiet (but rough and rocky) beach. 

We took a water taxi to Mlini Beach on one of the Pakleni Islands. 

Beach Bar Mlini is owned by a family that lives on the island. 

You cannot go wrong with pizza in Hvar! We always split one!

After you've spent the entire day roasting your skin, swimming in the clear water, and sweating like a pig, the only thing you really want is a good meal with an ice cold pitcher of water. As I said in my last post about Hvar, the food is a blend of Balkan and Italian. Of course you're going to find pizza and pasta and tons of seafood, but you'll also see more traditional Croatian dishes like mixed meat platters and goulash. On our first night, Chris and I had dinner at Dalmatino . . . and we loved it so much we went back two more times! I know, I know, we're already like a totally boring old couple; but we found something we loved and we stuck with it. The restaurant is tucked away from the hustle and bustle, and everyone sits out on a covered terrace. The service is the clincher! The whole staff works as a team to make every single dining experience superb. They start your meal with a shot of traditional brandy (rakija), give you a little appetizer and then finish you off with a sweet, dessert wine. Their attention to detail is spot on and they are friendly and engaging. The food is amazing as well. Chris tried their Filet Mexico the first night, and he loved it so much . . . guess what. . . he had it two more times! I cannot fault Chris, I ate their homemade gnocchi every single time just with different preparations. They take credit cards and that was another plus!

Our favorite restaurant in Hvar - Dalmatino. 

The most handsome date in the world!

Homemade black gnocchi with shrimp at Dalmatino.

On one evening, Chris and I had dinner at a fancy restaurant called Giaxa. The setting is so romantic. Giaxa is housed in a 15th-century palace and the architecture and design of the place are so classy. I could not stop taking pictures! Unfortunately we were a little disappointed with the service after our experience at Dalmatino. It was not bad, but it was nothing special. The food is very tasty and artfully designed, but the portion sizes were sort of small for the price. Our meal was about double what we had paid the night before for a similar meal at Dalmatino. I would absolutely recommend seeing this place, but maybe just go for a post dinner drink and dessert. And to take a bunch of pictures of course!

Octopus salad starter at Giaxa Restaurant - Hvar. 

Sea bass with grilled local veggies. 

Good bye Hvar! This time - next year??

Hvar on Dwellable