I’ve done this part of my trip times before, and for many reasons Belgium is like a second home. I should be able to do this trip in my sleep. But for some odd reason, this leg of my journey is turning me upside down. I can no longer brag about being immune to jetlag because for the third night in a row, I’ve fallen asleep around 1am only to wake up at 4, and by wake up I mean wide awake with no chance of falling back to sleep. Which means I want to crash around 2pm the following day.

It’s also very warm and sticky here right now, so that’s probably affecting how quickly my body can retrieve its normal internal clock. Right now I just feel like a sluggish vampire in Belgium.

But sleep deprived or not, I am here to reveal my latest workhorse of a purse that I’d hinted about last week. As many of you “orange lovers” out there guessed, it is indeed the Hermes Massai bag in the smaller size.

It makes a perfectly comfortable messenger bag, and the pebbled togo leather molds to one’s body. Did I also say it is extremely light? I don’t think it would look too cute overstuffed, but on the road it will hold maps and all my other necessities.

So where am I in these pictures? Somewhere on the grounds of the Citadelle in Namur, where there are lovely homes…

chapels with priceless views…

and hotels with gorgeous gardens and restaurants…

Tomorrow I will reveal the bag that broke three of my purse rules only to become one of my favorite little treasures. Meanwhile, think I’ll try napping now and hopefully feel more like myself by dinner.