Belgium: chocolate, waffles, and beer.  Clearly, I had to visit.  After my week in the UK, I flew to Frankfurt and then made my way via Cologne and Amsterdam to Brussels - center of the EU and all sorts of international political groups.  It had the additional benefit on a chocolate museum.  Ultimately, that meant I went to Cadbury World, the Chocolate Museum in Cologne, and the Musée du Cacao et du Chocolat all within a few weeks.  I was a little burnt out on chocolate after that!

 All three museums were interesting - and different!  The Cadbury Museum was aimed at children, obviously, while the German one seemed to be more adult in tone, with many exhibitions on Aztec and Mayan sculpture, 18th century china for making hot chocolate, and a collection of old European chocolate advertisements and chocolate vending machines.  Both of these were very high-tech and commercial.  In contrast, the Brussels museum was just a few floors of a normal-sized house, and had a small number of exhibits - and a chocolate artisan making sculptures, like cacao pods and hats, from chocolate! 

 I considered going to a fourth chocolate museum in Bruges, but probably wisely decided to take a break and focus on sugar candy in the north of Belgium.  Anyway, a few interesting tidbits I picked up from all of my chocolate museums:

• Chocolate, prior to the 18th century, was considered a drink for rich people with weak constitutions, as it didn’t have the stimulating effects of coffee or tea.  That changed when a rumor was spread about its aphrodesiacal properties! 
• Milka chocolate (a European brand) is advertised with a lilac cow.  It has become so ubiquitous that one time the majority of German school children guessed that the real color of a cow was lilac.  Also, lilac is now restricted in advertising in Europe because of its close association with Milka.
• In Aztec ceremonies where chocolate was drunk, it represented blood (as I have mentioned before.)  For this reason, it was died red!  It was also probably combined with anesthetics and fed to prisoners before sacrifice.
• In 18th century Belgium, one pound of chocolate was worth 15 loafs of bread.

 Perhaps most importantly, I was able to discover why Oaxacan chocolate tasted so gritty.  For many years, chocolate was drank rather than eaten because it is so difficult to grind it more smoothly.  Then, in Switzerland, “conching” (pronounced conk) was invented.  A giant kneading machine applies both pressure and heat for long periods of time, which gives chocolate the smooth taste we are used to today.

I also enjoyed a delicious Belgium waffle off of a street stall (really, really good!) and a number of Belgium beers.  My favorite: Hoegaarden witbier.  Definitely worth a try if you find it in the States.

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 Anyway, I know a few people are wondering what I do when I’m not chasing after chocolate.  In Cologne, I visited a giant, beautiful Gothic Cathedral that somehow remained standing after extensive bombing in the city during WW2.  I did climb to the top - 509 steps! - and was rewarded with a beautiful view over the city, through lots and lots of chickenwire.  Ah well. 

In Amsterdam I actually spent an evening walking around the red-light district.  It was awkward, but incredibly interesting at the same time.  Apparently, the black lights that adorn a few of the windows indicate whether one of the prostitutes has undergone the transition from male to female - and the number of lights indicates exactly how far along this transition is! Sadly, I did not take part in the “Happy Ho” tour (offered by a few travel agencies) where you get a pole dancing class and your picture taken in one of the red-lit windows.  Sorry!  Amsterdam really is a beautiful city, once you get away from the Vegas-esque neon lit marijuana cafes and hordes of annoying tourists.

 In Belgium, I mostly mourned my computer’s death.  I also went out to the disappointing beer museum and bought chocolate truffles and french fries (actually invented in Belgium!)  I made my way to the north as quickly as I could, as I didn’t really like Brussels very much.  As a city, it’s very modern and bureaucratic, with a tiny area swarmed by tourists, complete with inflated prices and all the rest.  Bruges, my next stop (and the next place I’ll write about!) was much more pleasant.

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My former boss suggested I include links for purchasing some of the candy I write about.  Here are a few:

Haribo Maoam Fruit Chews (I believe this is the same or similar to these.)

Mexican Obleas (as I wrote about here.)

Dutch salted black licorice (linked here… ew!)

Hope you enjoy it!