TBT - Bruges

A few years ago, I had a free weekend, and fancied a trip, so I booked myself a train and went to Bruges for the weekend.
I almost had to cancel the trip due to a last minute work thing, but luckily, it all worked out in the end, and my boss didn't have to refund my holiday.

My solo trip to Bruges was the first time I experienced what has now become the norm for me - ordering a tea and getting it brought to you on a tray, with a snack.

I was so pleasantly surprised, I took a picture of it and texted my mum about it. This was a long time before I had a phone that was in anyway capable of taking decent pictures (I could have borrowed my work blackberry, but that wasn't much more than blurry pixels at the best of times...)

See, you have to realise, that I've been used to the Swiss way of receiving cups of tea in cafés. Which is just a cup of hot water with a teabag on the side. Sure, there's nothing wrong with it, but when you're used to people who order coffees and espressos getting a little piece of chocolate with theirs, but never getting anything with your tea, Belgium was a pleasant surprise - I always get something here, whether it's a little wafer filled with whipped cream, a biscuit, mini muffin, croissant, chocolate... and it's always pleasant.
I don't always eat it, the biscuits often go into my handbag for future food-emergencies, but it's wonderful to be treated the same way as everyone else.

And of course, it being a trip to Belgium, I had to get a hot chocolate somewhere.
I can't remember the café I went to (and I tried to find it last time I was there, but no luck), but it was cosy and creaky, with old wooden furniture and cushions everywhere.
The hot chocolate arrived deconstructed, with a little chocolate pot of chocolate chips to dunk into the milk and melt in yourself.

I remember starting with just a few at a time, trying not to overdo the chocolate, and then just going for it and dunking the whole pot in, as it just wasn't going chocolaty enough. 

It was nice, but, as I often do, I forgot I'm a little lactose-intolerant, and after all that milk, I wasn't feeling tip-top.

Still, I was glad I got a decent hot chocolate.

Boekhandel Dominicanen, Maastricht

Last week I met up with a friend I hadn't seen in years in Maastricht, and took the opportunity to go to one of my favourite places to drink tea - Boekhandel Dominicanen.

I really should have taken pictures of the place, because the setting alone is worth the visit.

The café is situated at the back of a bookshop (already a great thing), inside an old dominican church.

It is beautiful!

You even see the gravestone of one of the people buried there a couple of centuries ago as you head down to the loo. Not sure what the occupant might've thought of that, but after haunting an empty church, it's probably nice to have something to read.

Anyway, onto the tea!

They serve loose tea in teabags, in a strainer. I found it odd at first, as I couldn't figure out why you'd put a tea bag inside a strainer, as that would just take longer for the tea to infuse. 

Which it kind of did. 

It took aaages. My friend was surprised at how long I left it in, as she's used to me barely dunking the bag in before I take it out (pour boiling water over a PG tips bag, and if you drink it without milk or sugar, it's strong and bitter very quickly...)

So I took it out, and realised that it was an open bag filled with loose tea, and not just a regular tea bag. 

That helped.
The tea was delicious, and went very nicely with the chocolate muffin I had on the side. (you can see it through the mug, just). I was distracted by being with my friend that I didn't really take note of what it was (some sort of Ceylon) or how much it cost. But it was very reasonable. I mean, you're having tea, in a bookshop, in a church. I wish Hasselt had something similar.

The tea also came with a small chunk of nougat. Not a big fan of nougat, but not a big deal.

Friend had a massive coffee, like a pint or so. Impressive.

EDIT: I found the receipt! The tea was 2.15€. And the place itself is called Coffeelovers.

BONUS Tea -
For on the train ride back, I popped into the AH at the station and got a takeaway cuppa

Also, forgot to take note of the tea-bag...not the best day for taking notes...but a great day to hang out with one of my best friends.
Decent price and decent cup. Didn't spill and lid easy to stick on top. Will try to make a note of which tea it was next time, think they had a choice between own brand and Twinings, but not sure...