The Easter Bunny is not Belgian

Okay, we know it has been a few days since our last post and we are deeply sorry. Our only excuse is that we've been gorging ourselves on Easter candy, specifically the chocolates (we throw the peeps in the garbage - they look cute but they're horrid.)

And you should be happy our faces are smeared in chocolate, because it really inspired us. As we were sitting, happily licking our fingers and feeling the sugar high rush through us, we thought, wouldn't it be even better if these were really good chocolates? All due respect to Hershey (and we did mention their hotels last week) but if these were really divine chocolates of the gourmet kind, no kid would have had a chance of getting their hands on any. It almost turned into a fistfight as it was.

And so, today we take you to Belgium, whose city of Bruges has a chocolate museum, God bless them, called Choco-Story. While we unhappily note that they enforce some silly rule about looking with your eyes, not your hands, blah, blah, blah, we still think it's worth a visit.

Unfortunately we have to inform you that, unless you are already in Belgium or really desperate or spontaneous, you will have just missed Bruges' 2nd Annual Chocolate Festival, which ends tomorrow. But now that you know it exists, you can make plans for next year. In the meantime, there are enough chocolatiers and chocolate tours in Brussels and Bruges to satiate your chocolate fix.

Where to stay? We recommend the Hotel Amigo in Brussels, a Rocco Forte hotel and member of The Leading Hotels of the World, which has a Children at the Amigo package that includes:
-up to 50% off the children's room
-a welcome basket in your room filled with "goodies and sweets"
-full buffet breakfast in the restaurant or breakfast in your room
-a Bvlgari amenity for the children


Hotel Amigo entrance, copyright Rocco Forte Hotels

Hotel Amigo also offers a family lunch menu and has a special play area with TV, DVDs and art materials for the children. Of course, you'll probably be busy enough outside, exploring the wonderful culture of Brussels. Kids or no, you'll have to find a way to sample some world-renowned Belgian beer, and the country's beautiful lace is definitely worth examining (and bringing home).

Just don't forget to bring us some chocolate.

Hotel Amigo's Children at the Amigo package is available on weekends until April 30 2007 at a rate of 375 Euros a night (approximately $494) for two adjoining or connected Classic rooms for 2 adults and 2 children. The package is for one night; additional nights may be added. For more information or to check availability and/or book this package, click here.


copyright Rocco Forte Hotels

Are Chicken Fingers on the Menu?

The Pyramids of Giza

Find a babysitter for December 12, 2008. Apparently that's when top chefs from around the world will be flown to Egypt to cook a dinner beside the Pyramids of Giza. This announcement comes on the tails of last month's $25,000 per person dinner in Bangkok, which was the first in the Epicurean Masters of the World dinner series being planned by the Lebua Hotel in Bangkok. With this event being relatively cheap at just under $10,000 a head, it's still being touted as a Millionaire's Dinner, but who's to say you can't just bust open the retirement account and live it up for once, if that's what you want to do?

And what, exactly, does this have to do with traveling with children? Maybe you have a son or daughter graduating from high school or college that you want to splurge on. Or, it could be a really expensive way of getting your toddler to finally try something new for once. Who are we to judge? We're just providing the facts.

Just one thing: if you need a chaperone to accompany either the teen or the toddler to the dinner, please let us know. We can make ourselves available.