The day I’ve been waiting for this whole trip – arriving in Brugge! Don’t get me wrong – I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every single day that I’ve been away. Each day has had something magical about it – whether it was visiting a castle, taking part in the London Book Fair, meeting the team at Amazon or walking the streets of Paris eating pain au chocolat. But today…today is the day for chocolate!

Brugge, the land of more than 50 chocolate shops, where Michelango’s Madonna and Child rests, where history is seen on a daily basis, where despite the large amounts of crowds, there is peace in each and every street.

Did I mention the chocolate?

I said goodbye to Paris and my friend I was traveling with and stood on the cold floor of Gard de Nord while waiting for my train. I glanced through the images on my camera and realized just how fortunate / blessed I am at this moment. How many authors live their dreams in such a short span of time? How many watch their dreams play out in front of them as they wonder how it all happened?

Coming to Brugge is special for me. It’s almost as if this is ‘my’ time. In the land of chocolate. I realize it’s a complete indulgence, but…sometimes it’s okay to take time for yourself. That’s what I’m doing here. On this trip, in this town. I’m a so blessed to have a husband who was okay with me taking the extra time, even while he laid our floors in our kitchen and took care of our children for 12 days.

It’s almost as if, for these next few days, I’m a princess 🙂 And if you saw the room I’m staying at – you’d have to agree. It’s a room I would have loved as a child. Romantic. Pretty. It’s all pink and white with a bath tub and shower that will make your knees melt 🙂

Don’t worry – this won’t go to my head. Even though I haven’t written all week, the itch is back! I’ll tour the canals by boat and then the city by horse carriage and then segregate myself in this room with a pot of tea, some chips (that’s fries) and I’ll start writing 🙂 There’s something about this place that gets the creative juices flowing!

Now – I know you want to hear all about the chocolate! Literally every street I walked down had at least 1 or more chocolate shops! Some of the big names – like Godiva and then ones like Juliette’s, Chocoholic (my favorite) etc.

Did I buy any? OMG – I think I might need another bag to fit it all in! I bought at least one piece at each shop. I swear I ate about … no, I’m not going to tell you. I won’t be that cruel. Needless to say – I enjoyed every single bite!

Until tomorrow …