Belgium and Beyond

From Paris I caught a bus, which was about 20% the price of the train. I thought it was a great deal until we started to leave Paris and it became apparent that the driver didn't know how to get out of the city. It's always a bad sign when a passenger has to get out of their seat and give the driver directions.
Once on the motor way, we had relatively few incidents and arrived close to on time. I couldn't get a room in Brussels for the first night, so I flipped the stops and headed to Antwerp. This proved to be a great decision as it was the home of the second best hostel I stayed in and had an amazing vibe. It was such a cool place that I knew I would stay another night as soon as I stepped out of the metro. The place I stayed was called De Heksenketel, and was the most chaotic yet charming hostel I have seen. It was really a pub with two dorm rooms on the floors above. Half the bathrooms were outside, and there was Flemish folk music playing until 4 in the bar, but the folks staying there were super nice and enjoyed playing new card games. The owner was also incredibly accommodating. Even though I didn't have a reservation for the second night, he worked it out for me to stay despite it being totally booked, by making room for me in his employees' quarters.
As for the town itself, it was one of the most aesthetically pleasing places that I visited, with cobblestones, a river view and little car traffic. The big landmark was the cathedral of our lady located in the center of the city and featuring several Rubens paintings. There was also the Grote Markt, lined by guild halls and centered on the Brabo fountain. Perhaps most important were the culinary selections. The traditional foods included amazing french fries, Brilliant chocolate, the best beer in the world and of course, Belgian waffles. With all these options readily available, I found it hard to believe the Belgian folks weren't each the size of a small Corolla. I definitely put on a pound or two while I was there.
Beyond the food and the surroundings, I found Antwerp to simply have a very laid back and open way about it. It was a good break after the massiveness of Paris. Great for meeting people, and perfect for a stroll around on your own, and exploring used record stores.
After my second night, I went back to Brussels. I only had the evening there, since I stayed back in Antwerp for as long as I could. It worked out well though, as there wasn't a whole lot to see in Brussels. The biggest draws were the Grote Markt square, similar to the one in Antwerp, but on a much grander scale, with incredibly opulent guild halls, and the Mannequin Pis, which is as weird as it sounds. What else did I do while I was there? More fries and chocolate of course.
All in all, Belgium was one of my favorite stops. The food, culture and surroundings all made for an amazing place. I'd like to get back there at some point soon.