I never had the habit of visiting those lovely towns in my own country. Growing up in Europe, it was easy to travel. From city trips to Berlin to holidays in Portugal, everything was easy. Why explore your own country when there are so many other countries to visit, right? I think many of us are guilty of this (unfortunately!).

Having travelled a lot, I’m starting to appreciate the things my country has to offer – yes I’m talking about the chocolate and beer, but also the history! In Perth (Australia) I once joined a guided city tour, and they were talking about a historic monument – it was 100 years old… In Belgium my granddad’s house is older than that.

So I decided to visit Dinant, a medieval town in Wallonia, the south of Belgium. I was ready to explore this hidden gem, walk through the historic streets and of course try the local beers. Have a read, and you’ll understand why you should visit Dinant too!

Dinant’s story

Dinant’s story is one of many battles. First of all, Dinant has been there a long time. The first mention dates from the 7th century. Isn’t that amazing? I love walking around towns and realising it has been here for ages!

Dinant was exposed to quite a few battles in the Middle Ages, as it had a strategic location on the Meuse river. Also in World War 1 there was a lot of destruction, when French and German troops fought for the town in the Battle of Dinant. 80% got destroyed. But just as every place that saw destruction, it got rebuilt and is a beautiful place to visit now!

Because exploring is always more fun with two, I asked my friend Sarah to join the party! Here’s what we got up to!

1. Being a nun at Hotel La Merveilleuse

La Merveilleuse means wonderful. It used to be a convent, which is kind of a monastery for nuns. Hello Saint Lieselot! I behaved, because you never know if those nuns are watching from above…

If the nuns had rooms like this, life was pretty good… It turned into a hotel in 2008, and I absolutely love what they did with the place. The wood in the rooms and peaceful interior match perfectly, add some historic artefacts, and you get a real feel of the monastery.

There’s also a cave complex underneath the site, with a passage of 6km and three big rooms. Doesn’t that sound right out of a James Bond movie?

What I also loved about visiting Wallonia again, is talking in French! The receptionist at Hotel La Merveilleuse was incredible nice, and happy to let me speak French. He offered to speak Dutch, but I refused! Poor guy

Hotel La Merveilleuse also has a sauna, which is open to public. Sarah and I treated ourselves on a sauna and wellness visit in the morning. Girls will be girls!

2. History lessons at the Citadel

The Citadel of Dinant is this impressive building, towering high above the town. You can walk up many stairs, take a cable car or drive to the top (note: the cable car doesn’t run in winter).

When we entered the citadel, it started raining… (that’s Belgium for ya…), but we didn’t let it change our mood or plans!. A lot of the Citadel visit was inside, making it accessible in any kind of weather – and no one is going to die from a splash of rain anyway.

You walk through cool halls with visual effects showcasing the Citadel’s history. I was surprised by how interesting and fun they made it. Sometimes the history of a place can be told in a boring way, which was definitely not the case here.

You’ll learn a lot about World War 1 in an interactive way. You see pictures, read heart-breaking stories, and ‘experience’ an attack. On top of that it is literally on top of a mountain, so you get a great view.

Follow the tour all the way to the end, as there is something really fun at the last part. I’ll give one hint: you’ll get dizzy!

Entry fee is only 8.50€ and gives you a few hours of fun and exploring. Find more info on their website, as they also offer deals with boat tours. And if you’re really in to old buildings; another castle you can visit in the area is Ruines de Crèvecœur.

3. Mussels at Chez Bouboule

A local favourite is Chez Bouboule, a restaurant known for tasty mussels. They’ve been serving mussels for over 50 years, and are also referred to as: “The King of the Mussels” – definitely my kind of place.

I couldn’t pass on that, right? I’m a huuuuge mussel fan. It’s my go-to dish every time I visit my family in Belgium (thanks Dad for making the best mussels and fries at home).

Chez Bouboule offers 40 different ways of serving mussels, I went for mussels with garlic. It was as I expected: perfect. I finished the entire pot, all 1.2kg… And I don’t feel bad – there’s no stopping me when eating mussels.

You can have a browse on their website. It is in French, but this way you already get a feeling for their food.

4. Maison De Sax

Who would’ve thought that the inventor of the saxophone was born in Dinant? It’s true! Alfons Sax was born in 1814 in Dinant.

La Maison de Monsieur Sax (literally: The house of Mr. Sax) is a little, free museum, teaching you the history of the saxophone. Don’t expect too much though, it’s very small. But it’s a nice quick stop if you want to learn more about the invention of the saxophone.

5. Tasting Leffe beer!

Belgium is a country of many beers, often brewed by monks in abbeys. That’s no different for Leffe.

Monks in the Middle Ages started brewing Leffe, to check if the water was potable. The filter process made sure the water was free of epidemics like typhus. An added bonus was that it was tasty – lucky us!

Because there are still monks living in the The Abbey of the Notre-Dame Leffe, only guided visits are allowed. There are also other places to learn more about the history of Leffe (and to taste it of course!).

Maison De Leffe is a great stop for a taste of the beer and of the history! It’s located in Hotel La Merveilleuse, so you’ll get a feel of the old nun monastery too.

You can also visit one of the beer shops in town and take some beer home, or drink one (or two) at Café Leffe!

6. Couque de Dinant

The Couque de Dinant is probably the weirdest biscuit I’ve ever had. This biscuit can be dangerous, if you don’t know how to eat it.

That’s because… it’s hard as stone! No kidding. The bakers use only two ingredients: flour and honey, making it very hard. They don’t even use water! If you try to bite a piece off, you’ll seriously lose a tooth.

Because I don’t want this to happen to you lovely people, here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Break off a SMALL piece of the Couque de Dinant
2. Place it in your mouth and let it get gooey – Don’t chew!
3. Wait a few minutes until you feel it getting softer
4. Start chewing
5. Enjoy! (You’ll taste the honey now)

This biscuit is obviously not for the impatient one! The recipe goes back all the way to the 15th century, when the people of Dinant didn’t have a lot of food. They made some sort of dough with ingredients they did have: flour and honey.

7. Chateau de la Poste

A 20-minute drive from Dinant you’ll find the beautiful castle Chateau de la Poste. When you’re driving through the gates, you’ll feel like you’re starring in a royal movie. Can you already see your prince or princess waiting?

The hotel is quite large, with 42 rooms, but it didn’t feel crowded at all (did you see how big that castle is?!). There is a lot of space, beautiful dining rooms and a large outside area to discover. Sarah and I spent the night in a room on the corner, meaning we had two windows giving us a nice view. Lucky us!

The room is compact, and has everything you need. I loved the large mirror, decoration and modern style! The bathroom and toilet were a bit small, but definitely good enough. The only thing I missed was some tea in the room.

After my princess sleep and some sunrise photography, Sarah and I had a big breakfast. The breakfast was beyond impressive. I could’ve stayed all day, just eating food. Of course, that isn’t princess-like, so I watched my manners…

Chateau de la Poste is located on a huge domain – seriously huge. We went for a stroll after breakfast, through the forest and past lakes, taking in the fresh air (no rain that morning!).

Read about another cool hotel I stayed at in Belgium: my stay at Europe’s most sustainable hotel! 

Practical Information to Visit Dinant

How to get there?

Brussels to Dinant is some 100km, with many options to get there!

Car: the highways in Belgium are well maintained and easy to navigate. It will take you an hour and fifteen minutes. Try to avoid rush hour though, as there might be a lot of traffic on the road!

Train: the train from Brussel-Centraal to Dinant takes two hours, with one transfer. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride through Belgium. You arrive in the centre of Dinant and can walk easily to your accommodation. It will cost you 13,40€ one way. Buy online or at the counter.

Bus: Belgium has a good network of busses, but I wouldn’t recommend taking the bus from Brussels to Dinant, it will take you a long time and you’ll have to change busses a lot. If you’re already in Wallonia, you could take a TEC bus. From Namur it will take you an hour. But I’d still recommend taking a train, as that will be faster.

Where to sleep?

It’s not because Dinant is small, that there aren’t a lot of accommodation options available. I had a great experience at the two hotels I stayed at (see above), but if you’d like to have another look, check here: hotels Dinant.

So next time you’re travelling through Europe, don’t just DRIVE through Belgium. Please, make a stop and visit Dinant! Enjoy the food, drinks and history in cute little towns like Dinant!

Disclosure: When I was visiting Belgium I really wanted to explore my backyard, so I reached out to Wallonia Belgium Tourism. They hosted me on this trip, but all opinions are as always my own. I had done my research and suggested what to do, so you can count on it being true! Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, which supports this site without costing you anything extra. 

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Worldwide 2016 hasn’t been the best year with terror attacks, Brexit, wars, Trump and the climate change, but I don’t want that to keep us down. There is so much beauty on this planet and we should strive to keep it that way. Get to know your region, country, state, continent and once you fall in love with it you will want to fight for it. In 2016 I’ve explored my new home country even more and fell in love (even more). But there is still so much left to discover!

Looking back at my photos, I realise how much I’ve done. So here is my 2016 highlights in photos.

1. Sunrise Roys Peak Walk – March 2016

I’ve done Roys Peak in Wanaka a few times, but when some friends visited me in March I got convinced to do it once more. Nico and I had only one condition: to do it for sunrise. We woke up at 3am and started walking. It was an unforgettable experience and it is amazing to discover a place you’ve been plenty of times before in a new light.

2. Weekend in Wellington – April 2016

I spent my 29th birthday in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand. Such a lovely city and thanks to my boyfriend I got to discover all the cutest and quirkiest places!

3. Autumn in Otago – May 2016

The entire country changes when autumn kicks in. The colours just blew my mind. Here are a few of my favourite snaps: autumn in Otago.

4. Precious Belgium – June 2016

2016 was the year that New Zealand started feeling more and more like home, but it also made me miss my home country Belgium a bit more. Therefore in June I visited my amazing family and friends, went to a friend’s wedding in the Belgian countryside and enjoyed a lovely (and busy) time drinking beers, wine and talking. Those three weeks in Belgium were amazing, but definitely not enough – so I’ll have to go back in 2017.

5. Dunedin Wildlife – July 2016

New Zealand has a rich wildlife and I am falling more and more in love with it. This year I was able to be part of an amazing instameet in Dunedin. I profiled some of the nature organisations and made this little video: https://theworldisacircus.com/2016/07/video-wildlife-in-dunedin/

6. September 2016: Skippers Canyon

Nico and I try to get out exploring every weekend. One weekend we went to Queenstown to discover Skippers Canyon. I realised I am a wimp and scream very easily I end up doing (almost) everything, but with such a tiny heart! Nico made a little video with the drone of me climbing up one of the cliffs.

7. November 2016 – Grampians

As you can see, most of our travels have been in New Zealand – that’s the cool thing about this country. You can work and live here and still travel all the time. We did go on a little holiday to Australia – exploring the Great Ocean Road and the Grampians in Victoria. One word: MIND BLOWING.

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What a year! Let’s see what 2017 brings… I can promise you it will be very exciting!

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I don’t know why, but I just love the view of a house in a square, with an entrance gate and a patio in the middle.  I guess I’ll need a lot of money before I can make that dream come true. But I just love the set up. That’s one of the first reasons why I fell in love with Kasteelhoeve Wange.

The farm chateau is a little green paradise lost in the Belgian countryside. It has a lot of charm, keeping the history of the farm alive and visible. Did you know “Chateau de Wanghe” has been around since the 13th century?! Unfortunately it got destroyed at one point, and this version was rebuilt in the 17th century, when warlords and generals would stay here to prepare for battle!

I was so lucky to spend a weekend at the farm during my recent holidays in Belgium. My friend Eline was getting married in the idyllic countryside and decided to gather the family and best friends together for a cosy stay at Kasteelhoeve Wange. Very good decision Eline!

I love how the farm incorporates the mix of history and modern. The building is historic and a bit rusty outside and neat, simple and classy inside. The farm is lost in nature and surrounded by acres of orchards and fields and there even the odd horse that likes to say hello.

But isn’t only visually beautiful, it is also sustainable. And that’s where it differentiates from other hotels. It has even been awarded as the most sustainable hotel in Europe in 2016. The focus of this years’ award was on water waste management and Kasteelhoeve Wange does that splendidly!

The farm purifies its wastewater with a biological treatment plant. Waste water is purified in an entirely natural way. They also have a basin of 100,000 litres which collects the rainwater. And in the courtyard there is a natural spring, producing roughly 7,500 litres of water every day. This way they reduce the environmental impact of a guest’s stay. I think they definitely deserved that award!

The rainwater that has been captured is used for the natural swimming pond. And it is cleaned by special plants in the pont, isn’t that amazing? It’s not only ecological, it’s also beautiful. It’s a win win!

Oh and before I forget: the breakfast is delicious!! Everything organic and just yum!! Fresh eggs, home made jam and bread, fresh fruit, what do you want more when waking up in the countryside?

If you’re looking to escape for a weekend of busy life and open to some tranquillity and quietness, this is the place to be. Re-energise or have a lovely weekend away with family and friends.

Have you stayed at sustainable hotels before? Is it important for you that your accommodation cares about nature?

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I never expected this, but the weather is so good. During the day it’s sunny and 28 degrees –  can you imagine, coming from 0 degrees at night in New Zealand? I especially adore the long days! I wake up every day at 6.30am (jetlag?), see the light through the curtains and think it’s 9am. It feels like I’m tricking the world, by flying from a NZ winter into a Belgian summer.

The long days make it possible for me to stuff a lot of things in one day – which is pretty convenient at the moment! Yesterday I managed to have three coffee&beer dates and go shopping in between. I definitely prefer these long days above the darkness at 6pm in New Zealand.

What caught my attention is that my fellow Belgians are so friendly. I had always in my mind that New Zealand is the friendliest, but I was happily surprised to get a few random smiles and talks in the coffee shop.  Or maybe I changed and I am more approachable now?

However it could be better apparently. I saw a story on the news (where I used to work ) that people aren’t saying hello to each other anymore . Check out the link below and try to do better and smile to that stranger in the street! It’s just so easy to be nice to other people.

Zeg eens goeiendag tegen een vreemde!

Regarding feeling home in Belgium I don’t know yet what to say. I have a lot of contradictory feelings. It feels good being with my family and walking around in my beloved Leuven and Antwerp. I just don’t know if I could see myself really living here again. And if you don’t see yourself living here anymore, is it still your home? On the other hand, New Zealand doesn’t feel like home home either, because I don’t have my friends and family there. Looks like were coming back to the same conclusion: my family and friends have to move to New Zealand!

And I’m seeing those friends and family non stop these holidays. It’s such a great feeling to hug your little brother again, go shopping with your mum or drink a glass of wine with some girlfriends.

I am experiencing one problem though. I’m not used to driving on the right anymore… A year and a half I’ve been driving in an automatic car on the left. They’re almost all automatic in NZ. When my parents picked me up at the airport my heart made some jumps (and I was only in the passengers seat!!). Can you imagine how I felt when driving myself? It kills me to say, but I’m driving like a granny at the moment.

I’m also loving the french fries, the beers and the cute little cafes , but I do miss the mountains and stunning nature.

And for my non-Belgian readers: French fries are from Belgium!!

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And I have no idea what’s still there, what’s cosy and delicious. It’s a very weird feeling, as I used to know the newest spots in town. Now I need to rely on Google..

After almost 1,5 years in New Zealand it’s finally time to visit my lovely home country, time to inhale the history of our cities, eat good mussels and fries, go to Ikea, drink the best beers and most of all catch up with my friends and family!

Rollercoaster 

I am so nervous and I don’t really know why. I’ve been looking forward to this moment for months and now it’s here. I guess that would make everyone nervous, right?

Besides the nervous feelings I’m also very excited. Although I’m away every weekend on a little New Zealand adventure, it’s been a while since I took a long flight. And it’s a loooong flight.  Four planes in about 36 hours. But that’s all easy peasy thinking that I will see my family and friends soon again.

This week my little brother (11) told my dad out of the blue: “I am so happy dad”.  Dad: “Ah, why is that son?” – “Because my sister is arriving Saturday”.

That makes me melt like an ice cream on a hot day. Mix that with the sweetest emails from family and friends saying they’re so excited that it feels like they’re expecting a baby and it’s almost like I’m being ‘reborn’ (I love my weird family); emails that they’ll spoil me like crazy and can’t wait to go shopping with me (YES!); people taking time off for me and messages to plan some bubble cava time – and you find me with a big smile even thinking about all that love!

I’m also curious how it will feel to go on a holiday in Belgium. Will it feel like a holiday? Or will it feel like New Zealand was just another life and Belgium is still my home? That’s for me to find out and I will keep you posted!

I think it’s obvious there is a rollercoaster of emotions going through me

What I know for sure is that I will behave like a tourist when I’ll be visiting Belgium. I’ll go to cities, cafes and restaurants to feature them on the blog. There is just too much beauty in our little country to ignore that.

Have you ever been on a holiday in your home country? How did it feel? Any advice for me?

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You never imagine it can happen this close to home – or let’s say home.

Although I live fulltime in New Zealand, Belgium is still my home. Belgium is the place where all my friends and family live. Luckily none of them got hurt during the explosions on 22nd of March, but 32 other people were less lucky and died.  And I didn’t start yet about the hundreds who got wounded.

It is horrible. After all these attacks I hear more and more people talking about cancelling their trips to Europe, or to Turkey or Egypt (it’s a long list). And that’s horrible too.

Should we let terrorists dictate our life?

No.

To all the scared parents out there who aren’t happy to see their kids travelling to ‘dangerous’ countries: Instead of being afraid, be proud of the strong individuals they’ve become. Individuals who aren’t afraid of being out there, of facing the world.

I know, we all know, it happens, terrorist attacks. We hear horrible stories in the media, people being killed, families ripped apart, but always remember: the vast majority of the people have a good heart and are more than happy to welcome you into their country.

Countries where there have been attacks see a big decline in tourism, while it is mostly those countries who needs tourists the most. So don’t cancel your trips.

Don’t let the terrorists win. Don’t let them decide what you do. Where you go or don’t go. That moment we let fear control our decisions is the moment that the terrorists win in destroying what little hope remains in our world.

Some numbers might help

If you aren’t convinced yet, let me talk to your rational side. The chance to die in a terrorist attack is negligible. You don’t have to believe me, but believe the numbers.

Drowning in a Bathtub: 1 in 685,000
Dying from a Heart Disease: 1 in 5
Being Murdered: 1 in 18,000
Dying from a Car Accident: 1 in 18,585
Dying from Choking on Food: 1 in 370,035
Being Struck by Lightning: 1 in 576,000
Dying from a Cancer: 1 in 7
Dying from a terrorist attack: 1 in 9,300,000

You are 14 times more likely to die in your bathtub than in a terrorist attack! Does that mean you should stop taking baths? In my case it is probably even higher, because I dare to fall asleep while bathing. But I still love taking baths! And I still love to travel, although the world ‘gets more and more dangerous’.

In two months I will be flying to Belgium. And I can’t wait to go. Not a single cell in my body is afraid. I want to be there to be with my friends and family and I will visit Brussels to see, feel and support my country.

Kia kaha, kia toa

In the Maori language Te Reo they have a beautiful expression for difficult times: Kia kaha, kia toa. Stand tall, stand strong. We need to remember to stay strong, even after such a horrible event. We need to stay ourselves, be strong and especially can’t allow those terrorists to get to us.

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My first days were amazing, seeing my family and friends again. A nice brunch at my brothers place with my brand new nephew, a big BBQ the day after with the rest of my family, drinks and food with my girls, a bachelor party for one of my girlfriends that’s getting married, and so on. Moments of happiness!

But, there’s always that but. I can’t put my finger on it, but it feels weird to be back. First of all it doesn’t feel like I’ve been gone for ten months. Which feels strange, because SO much has happened in my world and for everyone here their daily life just went on.

The first day I arrived in Belgium, I realized how crowded Belgium is, how many houses there are in such a small place and how there is a lack of impressive nature. I think I got a bit used to New Zealand I guess the rain and the traffic jams are not helping me to adjust either.

But I don’t want to complain! I’m a happy person. And other plans are being made – more about those later! I look back on my travels with such happy memories. I am so thankful for all the good times I had, the beautiful people I’ve met, the adventures and the nature that amazed me.

If people ask me if I changed, I say I hope I did. I met so many good and generous people, that would do so much for their friends and people they just met, like me. I find that remarkable and actually the only way to treat others. When I arrived the 1st time in Sydney for example, I could stay at a friend of a friends place for a whole week(which is a luxury in Sydney), while he was at his parents for Christmas. I had never met him, we just sent some emails. He left me an amazing room, with towels, soap and an instruction letter.

Believe me, if you’re living from your backpack, camping, always on the road, and suddenly someone takes care of you, that is a wonderful feeling. You appreciate it so much more. Other people also opened their doors last minute because I didn’t have a place to sleep. Everyone is so very chill and has zero stress of strangers in their house. I consider myself as a good person, but meeting all of them I felt like I still had a lot to learn. It maybe sounds stupid, but I will try to be a better person

I guess I also grew as a person. There are moments where you just have yourself and you feel a bit lonely. Those moments you get to know yourself better. I’m sure it only made me stronger and appreciate what I have in Belgium. And most important: those moments don’t outweigh the great times I had.

Conclusion: I am truly happy and proud that I made that last minute decision of traveling for almost a year. If you’re in doubt, just do it! You won’t regret it. Or if you want to have a talk about it or some more information, just contact me!

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