Planes aren't the only thing flying out of Brussels Airport in Belgium. Like most other modern airports, Brussels Airport contains a slew of shops, offering everything from coffee to magazines to perfumes. But no other airport has what Brussels Airport offers: the busiest chocolate store in the world. The Belgian Chocolate House sells more than 882 tons of the sweet stuff every year, or roughly 3.3 lbs per minute.
The assortment includes iconic brands such as Godiva, Leonidas, Neuhaus, Corné Port-Royal, Marcolini, Galler, Starbrook, Dandoy, and Destrooper. Although Belgians consume around 17.6 lbs (8 kg) of chocolate per capita every year, the majority of the homemade kind is shipped elsewhere. And there's a strong basis for its popularity. Since 1884, Belgian chocolate has been required by law to live up to certain standards, including containing at least 35 percent pure cocoa, and no artificial, vegetable, or palm-oil based fats. If you love chocolate but hate the ridiculously high prices, here's a tip you can use to save money - buy in bulk. It's not uncommon for sellers and suppliers to offer their products at a much lower wholesale price, so take advantage of that.
More about beautiful Belgium:
- For 589 days in 2010-11, Belgium went without an elected government because of a dispute between the Walloon and Flemish regions; the span is a record for a democratic nation.
- Belgium produces so many brands of beer that you could drink a different one every day for four years.
- Belgians love their comic strips, but the whole world fell in love with one of their creations: the Smurfs, which came to life in 1958 through the pen of author and cartoonist Peyo.