my self guided chocolate tour.

since my guidebook (the kick ass rick steves) suggested i do my own chocolate shop tour, i decided that i should definitely take his suggestion. Around the grand place, there are many chocolate shops, but the big 4 belgian chocolatiers are on one street!

stop one: leonidas.

stop two: not pictured - neuhaus
stop three: a random chocolate shop (there are tons!) - they had a sign in the window to try their chocolate fountain - for free!! oh yes, free is good!

stop four: godiva. the lady behind the counter was so super nice. i'd decided on two different chocolate pieces to taste. a caramel and a macadamia nut one.

and i was trying to converse in my terrible french and she was so nice and she was asking me if it was my first time to belgium/brussels and i said it was and how much i was loving it. so... she said she had a gift for me. what?! gifts?! i love gifts... that means freeeeee! and with that she put a milk chocolate strawberry filled cone like the ones above in to my bag! those things were like 6e too which was like 3x what i'd spent on my two measly pieces of chocolate.

with all my chocolate loot: several single pieces from a few different of the chocolate shops (plus my dumon chocolate from bruges), i sat myself down in the square to taste test. i had 3 or 4 pieces plus my whole chocolate strawberry cone to devour. ALL delicious. i highly highly recommend the whole browsing through the chocolate shops and conducting your own tasting tour!!