Shauna K 12/8/24 Shauna K 12/8/24

In My Edinburgh Era

The Eras Tour experience coupled with a 3-day food and culture guide

(The first half of this posting will detail the Eras Tour Concert, while the second half will be a detailed Food & Culture writeup you can skip down)

If we haven't met before, hello I am Shauna, and I have been a fan of Taylor Swift since the very beginning. I can simply say that I remember where I was when I was fourteen years old driving home from a family vacation. We were almost home, crossing over the Bear Mountain Bridge (poetic, I know) and a song came on that stopped me in my tracks. Staring out the window the peak of my angst, I heard Teardrops on My Guitar for the very first time. I remember feeling so seen, and after the song ended begged my parents to turn the volume up so I could hear the name of the girl singing.

As we drove through the tollbooth, the radio announcer said, "And that was Taylor Swift singing her new hit, Teardrops on my Guitar," and I took a mental note in that very moment. Keep in mind, I had never more than held a guitar before, and certainly was never instrumentally inclined, yet it didn't matter. Despite this, the singer managed to connect directly to me and my situation of unrequited love I felt for some guy that went to my High School who did not care about me.

As the years went on, her name kept coming up- from Our Song, to Love Story and You Belong with Me, I kept connecting to her music. I smiled so hard when I heard Today was a Fairytale driving home from my first date with my first real boyfriend and his dark gray T-Shirt; to screaming and punching my radio when I heard Mine driving home from our breakup. It was Taylor's way of expressing deep longing in such a relatable way that hooked me. I am a woman who loves deeply, and pines after people when I start crushing hard. When you pine hard, you fall harder when things don't work out, since I think Ms. Swift and I have this in common, you already know how I feel about the music that connects to her deep despair.

As I listened to her music era by era, new installments kept coming up in my life. Dancing to the 1989 earworm, Shake it Off, I befriended my now good friend Heather and we bonded over our mutual love for Taylor’s work when she finally mentioned the obvious- let’s go to a concert sometime ! Due to scheduling confilcts we devastatingly missed the 1989 Tour, but due to Heather’s determination, we got tickets to the Reputation Stadium Tour. We went with our friend Holly and had a truly amazing experience, complete with Fearless performed as a surprise song (to which I sobbed for its entirety). At the time, when she performed a tour she would spend most of the set list performing the featured album- in our case, Reputation. At the time this was a huge disappointment to me, who was really only there to hear her older songs, especially the songs from Speak Now. We only got one song from that album, and I didn’t appreciate the incredible experience of seeing this legendary tour as I should have.

As the years continued to pass, we landed at Midnights. Without question, this one was my favorite (I know, unpopular opinion). I was going through the biggest heartbreak of my life, and this album was integral in my healing. Shortly after releasing the album, Taylor announced The Eras Tour and I knew I needed to go. A 3 hour love letter to her entire discography, complete with outfit changes and surprise songs. I needed to go, and I needed to make a dress to honor it. As we know, history was not kind to the fans, and I was one of the casualties. I was unable to see the show in my city and I was gutted. With no other option, my friend Heather and I made a pact: put in for a bunch of European cities, and if we got tickets, that was the destination.

We ended up getting a code for Zurich, despite the number of feelers we put out there. And although it wasn't really a location on my radar, I was hopeful about tickets. Before the tickets went on sale however, Heather's coworker was able to hook us up for 3 tickets in Edinburgh-- the city tied for first on my list. My mom had just stayed in an Air BnB in Edinburgh City Centre, and was able to put me in contact with her hosts. We got a really good price, and were not up-charged for the tickets at all. Once our flights were booked, we had to wait 11 long months to see her.

Because Taylor Swift is such a big star and demand to see her is so high, only large stadiums can accommodate crowd demands (for reference, our stadium held over 73,000 people per night of the tour). Where I live, the closest stadium is in NJ which is easily 2 hours away, and parking is impossible both coming and going from MetLife stadium. This concert was located in Murrayfield Scottish Gas Stadium which is not far from City Centre. Our Air BnB was walking distance from Waverley station which is a big travel hub. The trip was pretty easy in terms of steps, train out of Waverley to Haymarket (10 mins) and then a tram from Haymarket to the venue which only took 20 minutes because there were so many people going to the same place. The crowding continued to be an issue after we arrived at the venue because it took a long time to make a short walk from the station to the stadium. We thankfully made it just in time to hear Paramore start off.

I will say that I heard so many horror stories about people not being able to make it into the concert that I definitely internalized it a bit. I had multiple stress dreams of our tickets not going through or worse, people sitting in our seats that felt so real. In those scenarios, we missed the concert and I was holding back a bit of panic as we got our tickets scanned and found our seats. You can imagine my horror when there were people sitting in our seats upon arrival. I had the most impossible time holding it together when we told these people that they were in our seat and they more or less dismissed us. Thankfully my much calmer friend was able to talk to them and let them know they were simply in the wrong section. Crisis averted.

Because we got there so close to time, I didn’t have a moment to walk around and trade bracelets and see everyone’s creative outfits. I made my dress, inspired by her famous Enchanted Cupcake Dress, that I wanted to show off a little, but I already know I need to wear it again. Although we planned it initially, ultimately we didn’t have time to make bracelets the night before like we planned, which was really sad. Prior to the concert, I made a bunch of them— so I gave a bunch I would have traded to my friends, which brought me so much joy in my own way. I gave a few to some little kids who complimented my outfit, as well as a few of our seat neighbors. We met a sweet fan from San Francisco who was traveling solo and sitting in front of us. She had a purple Enchanted bracelet that she insisted I took because it matched my outfit, and I gave her a Wonderstruck I had made in return.

Seeing Paramore was such an added bonus since I’ve never seen them live before. I was happy that I knew so many songs, and loved Hayley’s presence and energy. I love that they have such a long and beautiful friendship, and that Taylor herself requested Misery Business to be added to the set list a few weeks before our show, despite it being permanently removed from their rotation for many years. Feminism off, Misery Business on, period. I cried multiple times during Paramore’s performance, it was extraordinary.

Then. The countdown. We knew we were close when an especially tall cart disguised as a janitor’s cart came by. Any fan following the tour knew who was in there, she wasn’t fooling us. We cheered and screamed. My anticipation went through the roof when Lady Gaga’s Applause started to play. Just the opening chord was enough to know she was about to start, just as she does every show. We got a clock on stage with a countdown, then Taylor Swift’s disembodied voice slowly singing a simple sentence: “It’s been a long time coming..” Full on tears. She will never know how true those words rang for us. It really was such a long time coming, a year of careful planning, saving and anticipation. So many things working in our favor leading to the moment where my friends and I were in the room with Taylor herself. I’ve been a fan since the first album, a tour encompassing her entire musical discography up to present is simply too much for me to process. Being surrounded by people who felt that way, was just incredible.

She played so many fan favorites and I had so much fun as she came out for each era seeing which outfit she would wear for our show. I was particularly partial to the outfits she chose for Speak Now and 1989 and was secretly hoping we’d be the first show to get the new Rep outfit. After 10 years of friendship, Heather and I got to take it back to where we started by looking eachother in the eyes and jumping around uncontrollably to Shake it Off. To make it even more special, Taylor acknowledged it was her first time performing in Edinburgh in 10 years. I felt so lucky to be celebrating 10 years of friendship practically to the day at the same time.

In the middle of the tour, Taylor released her 11th album, The Tortured Poets Department— something that wasn’t even announced when the tour began. She began the European leg of the tour in Paris and debuted the TTPD set of the show. To fit it in she did cut some songs from every era— most notably Long Live (pour one out). Despite a few losses, we got to be some of the first to experience this new era live on stage. Our friend Holly even dedicated her outfit to the newly appointed era. I was the most happy with the inclusion of But Daddy I Love Him into the set.

But the moment of truth always comes down to the surprise songs. Now, please keep in mind I was monitoring them very closely prior to the show to manage my expectations as best as possible. Her discography is so massive, which leaves the roulette of songs and mashups insanely dicey. As expected, she had done a few of my precious favorites leading up to my concert so I wasn’t expecting to hear them but I tried to stay positive.

My romantic life has been a bit tumultuous these past couple of years, and I think I’ve especially leaned on Taylor’s music because of it. Her storytelling ability hits a sweet spot of being both specific and relatable that you can really connect to it. I was hoping for some frothy, happy surprise songs to be honest. If I could have had my pick I would have loved to hear Message in a Bottle, Superman, Guilty as Sin?, King of my Heart, Paris, The Great War, long story short, Jump then Fall, Our Song, imgonnagetyouback or I Can See You. My friend mentioned it really wouldn’t be a complete Eras tour without an inclusion of the Debut album (only available in surprise songs, as she sadly doesn’t have a section for Debut on the set list). Additionally, unlike other cities where she has a city or location referenced in a lyric or title (Paris, London Boy, Welcome to NY— or the more subtle references of Sweet Nothing, False God, and Maroon), Scotland is never referenced in her discography— so we had no clue what was coming.

Now, my girl Taylor gave me some relatable numbers for sure, but not in the way I envisioned at all. Our first song on the guitar was Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve— which if you know me and my past at all you understand why this particular song is personally a very hard listen. I was happy for the Midnights representation and thankfully didn’t cry because she paired it with the sensual I Know Places. The mashup was a bit weird but I do love both songs, even if one is harder to listen to than the other.

Then came the piano. Within 3 words of ‘tis the damn season, I was sobbing. I didn’t turn to look at my friends once, it was too much. I feel like this song caught me off guard when I first heard it, and by the end I was deeply connected to it and crying. It kind of became a song I would listen to if I needed to expel some sadness and cry, it was very current for me when I first heard it, and related a bit too much. She mashed it up with Daylight, a Lover staple that I adore so much. Unfortunately the floodgates were long broken by the time she started it so I was just a mess watching my bracelet turn from yellow to pink. It was extra special because we were the first show she performed almost entirely in daylight due to the elongated summer days in Scotland— something she commented on a few times during our show. Four songs connected to 3 past relationships was a lot to mentally process at a live concert. At the same time, it felt a bit symbolic and healing, like I left that part of my past behind in Scotland and could finally move forward. I was grateful for the breathing space between the surprise songs and the closing Midnights set where we all went absolutely crazy. Bejeweled is such a bop, and I loved seeing the whole stadium’s bracelets shimmer in time with the music. She was very generous with this era and I am grateful for that. After she performed Karma and took her bows, I cried because it was over, smiled because it happened and stated simply: “let’s do that again.”

I wish I could say leaving the stadium was as easy as getting there but it was honestly insane. The merch lines did move fast, so we all bought some shirts among other things. But the crowds started to get really bad in b the way out. Several trams that were expected to run were not running and there were thousands of people ahead of us attempting to leave the venue and catch the same trams. The sun was officially down at 10:30 when the show ended which meant it was COLD. Even with a sweater and a hoodie over my outfit and it just wasn’t enough. I also was wearing somewhat uncomfortable shoes that I had already been standing and dancing in for hours, so waiting in line on steep concrete stairs that wasn’t moving was.. not my favorite. It ultimately took us 1.5 hours to catch a tram due to the combination of limited service and heavy crowds. When we finally passed the turnstile to get on, I was pushed through the crowd involuntarily without moving my legs, it was one of the scariest things I’d ever experienced. The tram ride itself took only 30 mins total and dropped us pretty close to Waverley station after 12:30 am. A sweet drunk person came out of a restaurant right as we got off and called me Ariel so it cooled my otherwise heated mood. We probably got back to the Air BnB around 1, but I couldn’t fall asleep until at least 2 because the music from the concert was still reverberating in my head. I was on such a high that I wanted to go to 10 more shows and watch the movie on the plane. The unfortunate thing was that I had to get up at 6am the next morning, which was actually insane.

History & Culture

**The Royal Mile**- the impossible to miss main strip that goes through the charming city of Edinburgh. This is where you’ll find many gift shops ranging from Tartans and wools as well as more touristy items like magnets and souvenirs. There are so many beautiful historic buildings and churches as well as pubs and restaurants. There are many paths and stairwells that lead to this cobblestones street and if you follow it to the end you will reach the castle. It does get busy pretty much right at 10 am, so we got up really early for a photoshoot to commemorate our trip. My friend Heather found flytographers and we chose to book Kim who was incredibly kind and patient with us despite cold weather, tired models and minor rain. She made sure we got a variety of backdrops and that each group of photos we took looked unique. She also gave us a large selection of pictures as well

as a fast turnaround time.

**Edinburgh Castle**- we booked the last time slot for the Castle so the crowds weren’t too crazy, the negative was everything was closing so we rushed to the top and worked our way down. On this trip I learned that a Castle was designed as a fortress for soldiers in battle, whereas a Palace is where royals typically live. You can tell I had not learned that lesson yet based on how I dressed haha. Regardless, because of its placement at the top of the city the view of Edinburgh is unmatched. Even though they were closing, the staff was incredibly kind to us and let us get all

of our photos before departing.

**Victoria St-** the original inspiration for Diagon Alley according to the Scots, and a must for any fan of the Harry Potter franchise. After having seen Portobello Rd in England I’m not 100% convinced but there’s definitely a strong argument in favor of Victoria Street. The road isn’t long but is lined with Harry Potter inspired shops such as Elephant House (where you can try glitter butterbeer), the Museum of Illusions, John Kay’s bookshop which inspired Flourish and Blotts as well as Harry Potter gift shops where you can buy Hogwarts and character merch (I ended up buying a Gryffindor scarf that was made in the same mill as the scarves portrayed in the movies). Chalmers, a cashmere shop used to be home to the Joke Shop that inspired Weasley Wizard Wheezes. Although the store is closed, their logo: glasses and a mustache remain. Getting photos here is tricky for many reasons. Considering this is the most photographed street in the country, it is packed with people during normal business hours. Additionally when empty, it is a complete incline which makes it a little challenging, we also had issues with lighting at our

arrival time and had to use a flash.

**Greyfriars Bobby Statue**- This adorable statue is dedicated to Bobby, a Skye Terrier from the late 1800s who’s owner passed away early into his life. Bobby survived his owner by 14 years, and is famous for sitting by his owner’s grave at Greyfriars Kirkyard for the rest of his life. He was buried there, not far from his owner’s grave- it is clear that both in the past and present, Bobby is beloved by the city of Edinburgh. What touches my heart is that this story is one of a few famous stories that inspired the tearjerking masterpiece, Jurassic Bark from Futurama. There is a statue of Bobby just outside the Kirkyard that visitors can rub his nose

for luck.

**Harry Potter Walking Tours**- run by diehard fans of the franchise, these tours take you through a couple of spots that inspired components of the books. I of course showed up dressed up in full Beauxbatons attire, which went over so well. Our tour guide, Alastair was so happy and told me he had never seen someone take the Beauxbatons approach, but I clearly belonged there. My house is Gryffindor, and as the guide went through trivia questions, everyone was encouraged to raise a hand and answer them to win points for their respective house to be tallied at the end for the House Cup (My house won, much to the chagrin of our Slytherin guide). The tour takes you through Greyfriars Cemetery, where JK Rowling used to walk regularly when she was writing the novels. Through the cemetery you see the names of real people that inspired character names from the books. You also get to see the cafe where the first book was written and the hotel where the final book was completed as well as the real school that inspired Hogwarts. The tours encourage you to bring a wand that you will use to perform a real spell which I loved. We finish the tour at Victoria street where each store’s significance is outlined in detail. The tours are advertised as free, but the tour guides are really dependent on tips to keep the tours going and encourage a 20£ donation which

was beyond worth it.

**Princes St Gardens**- beautiful greenery with sweeping views of Edinburgh Castle and the Victorian Gothic monument dedicated to Sir Walter Scott along with the city. We were lucky enough to come in June and we were able follow the paths to see the beautiful flowers. With close proximity to Waverley Station and City Centre, these beautiful gardens were basically unavoidable, and we had no complaints. We went back practically every day to take beautiful photos all

around.

**Highland Tours**- the morning after the concert, we woke up at 6am yet again to catch a bus up to the highlands. I was exhausted and a bit grumpy but it was so well worth it. Our guide was the sweetest, and our driver somehow safely got our large tour bus over so many twists and turns. I personally did not feel comfortable driving a car on the opposite side of the road without having driven in a few years so I knew a tour would be the only way to get up to the highlands. We were able to

see so much including:

Glencoe- although we didn’t see the surrounding town, our guide stopped our bus and gave our group a few minutes to marvel the beautiful mountains of Glencoe. This was our first venture into the highlands and it was simply mindblowing. We were so high up already and the air was so clear, I wish I could have kept taking it in before we left— it didn’t even feel real.

Glenfinnan Viaduct- although it’s a national landmark for Scotland to the point that you can find etchings of it on their pound notes, that’s not why I was there. As any keen movie goer would know, the Hogwarts express follows the Glenfinnan Viaduct to Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films. There is usually a train that goes over the viaduct that you can sometimes see on the tour. The group let us know ahead of time the train wasn’t running on the day we selected but we didn’t need it. It was spectacular on its own, even if we got intensely rained on on the way back to the bus from there.
Loch Shiel- located directly across from the viaduct, was the sparkling Loch Shiel. This spot was a filming location for the Triwizard tournament in the Goblet of Fire but it looked completely different. There was something really special about this spot and its sweeping views.
Local cafes for breakfast and lunch, our guide took us through the towns of Blairdrummond and Glen Nevis where we were able to stretch our legs and get food from the cafe in town. There was also a local market onsite that sold grab and go prepared foods, groceries, souvenirs, beers and wine. The food was made with local meats, cheeses and produce which made it extra special. I was able to get a mushroom and cheese pastry and the best vegetable soup along with some cute souvenirs and post cards and a beautiful view.
Pitlochry- we were given the most time to explore the charming town Pitlochry for a little over an hour. We had just enough time to do a quick walk and grab a bite at one of their restaurants. We settled on a little spot right on their Main Street where I had wonderful authentic Scottish smoked salmon on toast. It really blew me away, and I had to fight myself from scarfing it down. Although the tour was a long day, I wish we had more time in Pitlochry, it was really so special and sweet.
Highland Cows: if you walk through Edinburgh, you will see artwork and photos of these cuties everywhere. Our guide made sure to stop at a farm where we could see one up close and say hello. Sadly we didn’t have more sightings, although he was hoping to find them in a few spots. I’m just glad we saw them at all!

As we drove up the highlands our guide shared so much history as we went through each town and passed noteworthy landmarks. He also shared some traditional Scottish Music with us while we drove up to the highlands. Additionally, he could tell there were a lot of Harry Potter fans in our group and pointed out some lesser known filming locations such as the Forbidden Forest as we drove by. As we got to each destination he really let us go our own ways and choose how much time we spend doing what. He gave recommendations and told us what time we needed to return to the bus. On the ride back down to the highlands he provided a clipboard and asked each passenger to write a song down (as long as only 50% were Taylor Swift songs) and then he put each of them into a playlist and shuffled them. It was really nice hearing everyone’s different musical tastes and it made the long ride down go quicker. We got back to Edinburgh around 4pm and still had time to do a few more things before turning in for the day. It was more or less an 8 hour day but it was the perfect mix of action and relaxation. I definitely needed to catch up on sleep after the concert so the long stretches of bus ride were beyond welcome.

Food

**Dishoom**- In general I like to connect to my small piece of Indian heritage when I can. UK territories are known to have amazing Indian cuisine and I feel like it’s my way of connecting when I’m on colonizer soil. Dishoom specifically is a restaurant I’ve had my eye on since planning my 2020 trip to London that never was, enhanced by multiple friends of mine hyping it up. Named for the sounds boxing gloves make when a fighter strikes a punch (dshoom-dshoom) according to my Dad, the restaurant itself had an upscale vintage charm. Having our first meal in Edinburgh just felt right to me. What I love about this restaurant group is that each location has one specialty item that’s only available on that one menu. For us it was a black lentil dal that I ordered. Overall the experience was great and helped us get our bearings in town, I of course picked up some incense for a friend of mine who’s a big fan.

**Tollbooth Tavern**- our number one landmark for the trip as our Air BnB was located right behind it. On the outside is beautiful tollhouse from 1591 that has been turned into a bar and has been in service since 1820 On the inside, the vibes were so cozy and inviting, completed by the beautiful windows and walls lined with books. We ended up going twice for drinks and light fare, and learned that you can order a half pint of beer or cider rather than a full. It’s so convenient if you’re not sure you’re going to like something and fear commitment, or you’re like me and you want to try as many different local drinks as possible without overdoing it. We stopped by right before leaving for the concert where I enjoyed a local favorite dessert called a Cranacen which I absolutely loved— an almost parfait with

raspberries, oats and whiskey cream. The best !

**Brewhemia** on our first day we walked the area surrounding our AirBnB and Brewhemia immediately demanded our attention. We ended up going on our last night of the trip for dinner. The restaurant and taproom was MASSIVE, boasting multiple floors with Instagram photo traps galore. We shared many laughs and Thistly Cross ciders as we celebrated the last night of the trip. Our server was the sweetest ever and gave us a bunch of recommendations in both Edinburgh and the surrounding towns for our next trips back. It made leaving even harder because there was still so much to experience there, especially foodwise. My friends got an actual dinner while I had bread and (incredible) melted cheese. In addition to a multi floor dining room, there was also a performance space inside. I popped over for a few minutes to listen to some live American country music and Go-go

dancers dressed as different Taylor Swift eras.

**Hot Toddy**- we walked by several times before finally being sold on their Taylor Swift themed cocktails. Considering Guility as Sin? was my #1 most listened to song of June, it only felt right to order the Passionate as Sin drink. Especially since I am obsessed with passionfruit hehe. The restaurant was covered in live plants to really build the ambiance, each plant with its own name tag so we really got a feel for who they were. The people who worked there were super nice and the prices

were pretty reasonable considering the sticker price for a craft cocktail in NYC.

**Laila**- I’m not gonna lie, we chose this place for the aesthetics. My friend Holly and I are particularly partial to a pastel vibe and Laila definitely delivered with every detail. We were able to make an early reservation before flying out, since it had been hard to walk in on previous days. We had a nice brunch complete with “pink” avocado toast and unicorn lattes. This spot is definitely for the girly girls, and its

location at the top of Cockburn street really cements its aesthetic charm.

Tips + Closing Thoughts

Scotland is finicky with its weather and we honestly got really REALLY lucky on our trip. I went in June, which is typically one of the warmer months— but Scotland is so far north that it doesn’t mean the same thing as June in the states or even other parts of Europe. Being closer than expected to the Arctic Circle, meant colder early summer days so be sure to bring hooded jackets, warm tights, and pants for a comfortable time. Even with all of those things considered, I was still cold and ended up buying a warm scarf that I rarely took off the whole trip. Temperatures ranged from low 40s to mid 50s, which felt very different in sunlight or shade. The other interesting part that I didn’t factor in is that because Scotland is so far north, the length of daylight is different than the states, and varies more drastically depending on when you go. In our case, it stayed light til about 10-11pm which was unexpected since back home sunset took place around 8:30. Keep in mind if you go closer to the winter season you might deal with shorter days than you are used to, so you should factor this in and plan accordingly.

Additionally, there is high chance for rain in Scotland. We only had 2 hiccups with this, but neither instance had much of an effect on the trip. Thankfully, when we did have a downpour, we were headed for a long stretch on the tour bus. Weatherproof clothing and umbrellas are advised but having boots was such a lifesaver. Especially with the copious amounts of cobblestones, hills and stairs.

Going to a foreign city during a monumental concert like this was kind of special to be honest. Since this was Taylor’s first show in the country for 10 years so many stores and restaurants were so excited to have her in town. We saw some beautiful window displays, little references and themed cocktails I couldn’t help but feel so welcome as her fan. There were so many people with Eras merch around town and in the airport. In fact, on our way out we befriended a few Swifties in the airport who went a different night than us. I loved their enthusiasm and learning how they found her music and what their favorite eras and songs were. I ended up making 20+ bracelets while I was on the plane and made a special one for each of them. There was a bit of solemness in the air at the customs line since the journey was over for so many of us. I decided to give away the remaining bracelets to random people in the line wearing Eras merch to brighten things up. I gave my last bracelet to this sweet family who ultimately were on both my flight coming and going from Edinburgh, as well as the tram ride to the concert. They were so sweet and it was the best way to close out a beautiful trip. The female comradery was unmatched throughout the entire experience. Overall, Taylor Swift’s continued ability to connect to so many people through her music will never cease to astound me. I feel so lucky to be alive at the same time as her, and to share the magic of her music with so many people.

Shauna K 11/17/23 Shauna K 11/17/23

I went to Belgium..?

What an exciting thing to get to talk about! But why Belgium? Well, I wanted to go on a trip with my Mom who is an avid world traveler. While I love to go to places that she’s been, there’s just something very special about going to a new country with someone, and experience it for the first time together. After all, this is my first international trip (if you don’t count Canada) since the pandemic, and I really wanted it to be special. So where hasn’t she gone that I wanted to go?

In October of 2019, I was at the Met with a good friend and I was a little buzzed. As we were looking at the art, we found a piece that was from Belgium, and next to it was a map. He enthusiastically explained that there is a medieval town in Belgium that people don’t talk about nearly as much as they should. My phone was dying, and to remember, I took a photo of the map itself, and sent the photo to my Mom. I knew I had to go to Brugge.

Fast forward 4 years?! And I was listing places off left and right and there was my ace— Belgium. We had decided that we would spend some time in Brussels, the capital city, and then make our way to Brugge. We had booked an Airbnb a little out of the way and the train to Brugge was relatively quick and easy. We toyed with the idea of going to one more place in our 4 full days and ultimately decided on Amsterdam for reasons I’ll get into later but yes, I am a huge nerd.

Day 1.

So after a very long flight, customs and an Uber we made it to Brussels! The hardest part was the fact that we took off around 9pm my time and landed in the morning in Brussels. I took a 2 hour nap, which honestly wasn’t enough and we walked roughly 30 minutes from our AirBnB to the Grand Place—the central square of Brussels.

Every moment I spent in the Grand Place (pronounced Grahnd Plahce) was literally magical. The gold adornments, intricate sculptures, and reliefs on each building blew me away every single moment I spent there. Considering it is a 360 viewing experience, it is nearly impossible to capture everything in a photo all at once. The biggest negative is that because it is the most “touristy” part of the city, there are your typical Hard Rock Cafes and Starbucks shoehorned into some of the beautiful architecture— it’s just done in a way that its almost not noticeable. Somehow touristy has much more charm than it does in my home of NYC, or even Rome or Dublin for that matter. Additionally, there was a graduation happening in the Grand Place, that made it a little more crowded, but I did the best I could with my tripod and some patience from my mom.

We took a historic tour that included Chocolate and Waffles, and I wish I absorbed a little more, I was just so exhausted. Our tour guide was SO sweet and enthusiastic and I really learned so much despite my tiredness. Some key highlights of the tour include:

**Overview of Grand Place History and Architecture-** he went into detail on each building, its significance in history, and the meaning of many sculptures in the square. For example, the flag for Brussels is red and green which was why those colors were so prominent across the Grand Place.

**Le Funambule**- we learned about the unique way waffles are made in Belgium, and why they can seldom be recreated in the states. The plain presentation was most practical because locals can walk with them and keep their hands cold in the winter!

**Mannaken Pis**- strangely the most “touristy” thing we saw on this tour was the 17th century bronze statue of the Peeing Boy, who often wears a different outfit more or less every day. Apparently each outfit is requested on behalf of a charity organization, and there is a nearby museum where you can view some of them across history. I just found it so funny that such a beautiful little city was just covered with Mannaken Pis merch. We were lucky enough to see the statue with 2 unique outfits as well as unclothed, and even a parade of locals led by a mini statue peeing into the crowd? (unconfirmed; we’re pretty sure that’s how they commemorate a new outfit?)

**Poechenellekelder**- we walked by, and our guide had recommended us to stop by later. Basically, it was a restaurant that had a bunch of vintage marionettes sprinkled through.

**Royal Gallerie of Saint Hubert-** this was a beautiful upscale shopping center that evokes similar feelings to famous arcades in London, Paris and Milan. It also happens to be a great place to find an Uber if you need one! I really liked walking around here, and wished I had time to sit at one of the cafes.

**Mary Chocolaterie-** Inside of the Royal Gallery, we were introduced to one of the staple Belgian Chocolate brands, Mary to try pralines (different than the US). Each chocolate is made by hand daily— and it is the original recipe of Mary Delluc herself, who’s sweet story you can find here.

After the tour we went off on our own and visited the aforementioned Poechenellekelder for a quick lambic and a rest. Prior to coming to Belgium I had developed a love for lambic beer which originates there, so I wanted my first drink in the country to be just that. I was a little sad that it was the usual Lindemanns this time, but somehow it tasted better because vacation. To many the marionettes may have been cool and interesting, but I couldn’t help being a little scared of them..

We grabbed a legit dinner in the Grand Place, and got to watch a bunch of kids graduate which was super fun. Lots of excitement and confetti! It started drizzling right before our food came, so we sat under an umbrella and ate our Moules Fritte outside as many of the other Europeans did. What I found most interesting, was that because Belgium is such a central, country and often a travel hub, we watched our server who spoke both perfect English and French, slip perfectly into Dutch when needed. And here I can barely speak perfect English!

Day 2

Finally got some sleep and was ready to start day 2! We made it back to the Grand Place early to check out the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula. The building was as architecturally beautiful on the outside as it was on the inside. Something cool my Mom always tells me is that when you enter a new church for the first time, you should make a wish! I really like that tidbit, so I always do :) My mom likes to light a candle for a loved one in churches as well so we did just that while marveling the incredible Stained Glass inside.

After visiting the cathedral, we actually went back to Le Funambule, because although the plain waffle was wonderful we had to try one of the specialty waffles. They also had buckets of nutella that I literally could not stop thinking about for one minute. Of course I got a waffle with strawberries, whipped cream, and nutella— while my mom got one with strawberries and bananas. I don’t know how fruit seasons work in Europe, but I didn’t expect October strawberries to be SO juicy and delicious. The whole thing was amazing, but with the whipped cream it was super filling.

When we went to Italy in 2017, my brother insisted on buying Pokemon cards because he felt it was important to get them in different languages as we travel to new countries. On the flight to Belgium I asked myself— well how am I supposed to do that here?! In my search for a perfect magnet and some postcards (bc I collect), we stumbled upon a little Japanese store in the middle of the Grand Place that had so much nerd stuff it made my heart sing. Of course I marched right to the front and asked what language their cards were, to which they replied “French” and I slammed my card down right there (probably). I was just so happy to see so much fandom representation in the store, and I had a VERY hard time not grabbing the SDS sodas because you rarely see merch for the series.

After a quick stop at a nearby cafe for an espresso, we made our way back in the direction of our AirBnB. My boss has a friend local to Brussels, and highly recommended the markets they have on weekends (we chose Flagey), that I would say are larger scale Farmers Markets you’d find in the US. This was easily such a highlight for my mom and I both, as we enjoyed local wine and oysters for crazy low prices. We also brought home some local cheeses, wine and a baguette to take back with us. One of the cheeses we found was a Mimolette, which I weirdly remembered as someone’s answer on an interview when I asked their favorite cheese.

We ended up going shopping for a bit because I needed to get better shoes to keep trekking on. I was hoping to find them in my tried and true Primark, H&M, and Forever 21 and when it felt like we lost all hope, we found a local fast fashion equivalent in Bershka. Additionally I found the Danish Brand Flying Tiger and SCREAMED because I haven’t seen one since their NYC locations closed, to my own heartbreak. I had to grab a few things from there as well, because I have no idea when I’ll make my way back into one. The rest of nice was super chill because we had to wake up super early for the next day.

I should mention at this point that I’ve been talking about this entire trip for months now to pretty much anyone who would listen—my friends, co-workers, VP, etc. After telling every single person who had been to the country, the feedback was always the same: “Brussels is fine and everything, but you’ve GOTTA go to Brugge.” At first the feedback was comforting, but when you hear it 100 times, it begins to become a little worrying. If everyone goes there, is it really going to be that charming? Are we about to head into Duloc hell with Times Square level crowds? Only time would tell. Additionally, we felt a little cursed because there was a marathon happening that weekend, beginning in near Brussels, and finishing in Brugge. We weren’t sure how it would affect us, but we knew it wasn’t gonna be good— we agreed the best thing to do was to keep the expectations low.

We had to wake up SUPER early for the next two days, to maximize our time in Brugge. We took a morning train out of Brussels-Zuid towards Brugge. Shortly after leaving the city of Brussels, the scenery quickly shifts to open farmland with precious cows, horses, and sheep. The train ride was more or less an hour long, and it was a beautiful ride.

Getting off the train in Brugge was just magical. I felt my fears leading up to the trip melt away right as we left the train station. Immediately, you can feel the difference in the architecture right away. Since it was still early the streets were relatively empty, so I was able to get some nice photos upon arrival. This is my preferred way of taking photos, so I can get it out of the way and continue to enjoy my day without having an impending shot-list.

There were some cute shops, ranging from souvenirs, to cafes and even a Harry Potter themed store— which of course immediately brought me joy. I loved walking into each of these stores to see all of the different trinkets they had for sale. Some were hidden behind small alleyways, while others were on the main stretch.

One of my favorite initial spots we checked out was the Gruuthusemuseum. Due to time constraints, we didn’t have the time to go inside, but the exterior and the grounds surrounding it were truly spectacular. It really felt like a medieval castle. I of course got some of my favorite photos of the day there— one of my highlights was just spinning around like a maniac in my flowy skirt right outside.

After some initial sightseeing, we were getting a little cold and a little hungry, so we made our way to the Markt (Main Square), that’s usually pictured on most postcards. I was the most excited to see this iconic square and I can’t say I wasn’t a little disappointed. The square and the architecture were both absolutely sensational— the problem was that the Marathon finish line was set right there. Parts of the square were blocked off, there was loud booming music, the crowds were out of control, and the most egregious: not only were there port-a-johns, there were open air urinals (dixi’s if you’re wondering) mere feet from the iconic buildings. Additionally, the Basilica of the Holy Blood was covered in scaffolding, and the Belfry Tower was partially obstructed by the Marathon from some angles. Could it have been worse? Yes, of course, we were half expecting it. But it was still disappointing nonetheless.

After several failed attempts to get some photos in the Markt, we settled on dining at Le Panier D’Or to try to make the best of an unfortunate situation. We had some nice Onion Soup and a beer and tried our best to enjoy people watching. The servers were so sweet and hilarious— at one point they were in competition to take the best photo of my Mom and I, which had us cracking up.

Once we finished up, we walked around and noticed immediately that some of the shops near the Markt were very different than the first few stores we stopped into. There were quite a few commercial businesses respectfully hidden in these historic buildings. I definitely wasn’t expecting a Dunkin’ and a McDonalds, but the whole thing was just funny juxtaposition to me.

From here, we spent some time at the Church of Our Lady of Brugge for a few reasons. Obviously the architecture and stained glass were amazing. Although my mom grew up a bit religious, I wasn’t raised that way so it’s always interesting to go to a place, albeit multiple places like this with her. She likes to donate a little money, light a candle, and say a prayer. Since my brother and I are both at a bit of a weird place in our life, she made a point to write out some manifestations for us in her words: “and leave them all over Europe.” It really means a lot to be honest, considering I am always feeling so awkward in these spaces.

The most special part about visiting this Church was the fact that there was a live piece from Michelangelo. Madonna and Child of Brugge was sculpted by Michelangelo and was his first piece during his lifetime to leave his home country of Italy. Not only was the sculpture absolutely sensational, his style is immediately identifiable. Although there is so much happening around this piece, it is just captivating, it’s the only place your eyes can go. It was just a wow moment, in such an unexpected place.

After departing from the Church, we grabbed a quick tea to warm up and a waffle of course. At that time there was a Pokémon Go Community day event happening for Timburr, so I was simultaneously and frantically trying to catch all my shinies with limited service. Fatefully this seems to happen when I go to Europe, because the first Charmander event was during my trip to Dublin. Thankfully in both instances, I got two and was happy with the circumstances.

…And then we headed to Brussels again for round 3

We left Brugge later in the afternoon, since we had done everything we really wanted to do while we were there. We were also cold and it was a little rainy, with my hair that means its time to go.
The ride was pretty quick and painless, and because I am me I am always reflecting. Amidst reflection, it stopped raining for a bit, and I said out loud: “Huh, this would be perfect for a rainbow, I wonder if we’ll get one!” And on command, we rounded a corner and there it was, right over the corn fields and cows. I practically erupted in tears. The more I looked over at it the more vibrant it got— and I was the only person on this very quiet train ride getting SO excited about it.

It was a FULL one, not just a piece. Eventually I couldn’t contain myself, and I went down to the first level of the train and took a bunch of photos. I even got a few people to turn around and get excited about it too. I felt like this was my main character moment. My life has felt so uncertain for a while now and especially after such an amazing day, I always take these moments as signs that everything is moving in the right direction.

Once we got to Brussels, I needed to get a scarf, because I couldn’t take the aforementioned cold anymore. I may have been cold but man was I super picky, none of the street vendors had the right color to thickness ratio I needed. There was actually a seemingly endless little mall right by the Mannaken Pis where I finally found my perfect scarf that I think I am gonna wear forever. We also had to pay our boy one more visit, where we got to see him without any of the excess clothing and actually see the statue on its own which was cool.

Since shopping always works up an appetite, my Mom and I agreed that Italian food was the way to go and stumbled into a restaurant near the Grand Place. It was such a nice time and the food was so good. I’m so basic but I really do go crazy for a good authentic spaghetti pomodoro and a bottle of Italian red.

Even though we JUST had dinner, there was only one thing left to do— Fries. My mom was at first adamantly against this, but I insisted because they were invented in Belgium and they’re pretty famous. I was also subject to seeing the cones from La Friterie for the entirety of the trip and had to give in to the pressure. Goddam, did they deliver. Despite having had a full dinner, they were both delicious and not filling, if that makes any sense. Even my Mom who was very skeptical changed her mind on the dime when she tried them. 100% worth it. Plus it gave us an excuse to have one more night walk through the Grand Place, all lit up, sans graduates for one last time. It was just perfect.