Hasselt, Belgium – On the Road 2017: Day 6

It is the last evening for us here in Hasselt. It has been three nice days here in Belgium, but tomorrow the adventure will continue in neighboring France. How about today? This has been a day for relaxing. We decided to sleep longer than normal and we have spent the day taking short walks here in Hasselt as well as exploring our future destinations. Champagne, anyone?

Hasselt Had More to Offer

Hasselt might be quite small, but it does have a lot to offer. We spent our first day here walking around in the center and enjoying the Japanese garden. Today we extended the walks in the center to the more charming streets. But before the walk, we went for some breakfast and Jesper finally got to eat a waffle in Belgium and not only in the Netherlands. We found a cozy cafe for breakfast that had waffles with strawberries. As mentioned it has been a really calm day and Hasselt itself has felt a bit sleepier today. There were not many people on the streets.

Belgium: Impressions So Far

We visited Brussels a few years ago but sadly we didn’t have time to really see the country. This time it feels like we have gotten a better understanding of both the country as well as the town. Our verdict? We do like what we have experienced, everyone is friendlier than we had expected and people are relaxed. There is also the feeling that people are out on the streets a lot more than at home in Sweden. The bars and cafés are open and full of people and there are terraces almost everywhere if one wants to stop for a drink. That is something we really appreciate when arriving in a city, how easy it is to find someplace to eat or have a drink.

Our only problem has been with the payments in stores, restaurants and other places. The Japanese garden only accepted Maestro cards. The grocery store only accepted Belgian credit cards and the same problem reoccurred at a pizzeria. We have been unable to find any explanation, but have been lucky to have cash as well. So here’s a tip for other travelers to Belgium: check if your credit card is working in the country and bring cash, just in case.

The prices have been a bit higher than we expected. Food and shopping costs are about the same as in Stockholm.

Our Stay With Bram Through Airbnb

We have been lucky to spend our four nights in Hasselt in a room offered by Bram. He and his girlfriend have been friendly hosts and they have made us feel welcome in their home. A large, cozy room and a lot better internet connection than the one we had in Lübeck satisfied us during our stay. The advantages of this accommodation include the short distance to the city center as well as the washing machine.

Tomorrow we will continue towards France. We are thinking about two stops along the way. First in Namur here in Belgium and later on in Sedan just across the border in France. See you again tomorrow.

Join us on the road through Europe here!