My visit to Brussels, capital of Belgium
Date: Saturday 07 Octobre 2000 - Sunday 08 Octobre 2000
Accompanied by: Afonso and Antonio (braziliens), Petra (Czeh) and Johann(Belge)
We left at 0630 Saturday morning for 5h in the car. The only stop was a surface with the length of the A1 motorway which did not smell very good... We arrived at 11h at the apartment of Johan, an apartement full with his memories of the countries where he has lived.
First, grocery shopping at the hypermarket(Carrefour style)... 1FF being equal to 6.14bef, we were busy calculating and converting. Moreover, it was necessary to withdraw money, etc. Since I had not memorised my credit card code, I exchanged 100 francs French with Johann but they did not remain for long in my pocket!
A long walk of 3h to show us the European Parliament and other majestic monuments. Unfortunately, Afonso was hungry since the second hour!!!! Finally, the arrival in the centre town and we installed ourselves before a sanwichery. I had a Hollandia (cheese + salad sandwich) in order to have space for the famous waffles of Liege or Brussels later. I was not disappointed....
A quick visit to the toilets at Quick (Belgian fast food resto) cost me 10BEF but miracles of miracles, a lady cleaned the toilets after each use! Incredible.
Towards the gallery: a shopping centre with glass roof. The bookshop pulled us in with the tomes of architecture, culture and art, but chic and expensive.
The GRAND place next. We arrived just before the lights were switched on in the surrounding buildings towering around us. A girl with red cheeks in fancy dress carrying a large bear under her arm with a large wall cupboard around the neck. Her 21st birthday, perhaps?
Having long been attracted by the small red mailboxes I had been spotted along the way, I decided to take a photograph of one next to a delicate statue of wishes (swarming with tourists touching it to grant their wishes, I think). A Monsieur begins to tell me that the Belgian Post is the oldest in the world. We discuss and it turns out he was once in Singapore! At Hotel Omni Marco Polo, he remembers the Singapore Sling (a cocktail) and the Raffles hotel. Really lifts my spirits.
We was advised to return to a restaurant under the GRAND place in 45 mins to wait for a table. We continued our walk towards the Menneken Pis. Look here for a description and the history in English!
A bookshop of old books saves us from the cold. The treasures inside for less than 100BEF seem like good buys. I found some well-known French books I'd been looking for and I bought two of them. Whether I will understand them is another matter…
The tourists like us everywhere. Easily drawn into the stores open until 23h30. Delicate laces hang on the walls, obviously not hand-made according to Johan. I'm as naivë as ever.
The restaurant does not love us too much. We live and since we insist on eating typical Belgian cuisine. We end up at Leon's. Not the top of tops but we are tired. Yohan, as the host, takes the mussels. Antonio, a carbonnade, Afonso and Petra a chicken with respberries and me, pork blood sausages with apple purée, which I found delectable.
We begin a discussion on the coarse words in French, heard ever so often. We make comparisons, we defend our stand, except me, tired from the charged itinerary I've had from the day before... On to an Irish bar to continue the discussion. A pop into the subway station to check out the hour of the last subway. But, p *(coarse word in french), it's really cold sitting outside the bar. We climb the starts and there is too much noise for good to get along. Generally hit by fatigue, we make our way for the metro station.
The metro tickets are valid for 10 journeys, or 10 people, hence Johan uses his card for all 5 of us. An electronic board shows the current position of the trains and the waiting time expected. I'm impressed
Finally, to bed! Large dodo(sleep) envisaged...but I wake up at 8am anyway.
Sunday morning, a large breakfast to start the day, with Italian and Belgian bread, gouda cheese which is not sold in France, dark chocolate, butter, jam, milk, fresh fruit and fruit juice. Miaf, miaf (Yum yum)! I learn for the first time that trouble has erupted in the Middle East one week ago, thanks to CNN. More than 40 cable channels in almost all the residences in Belgium, including the Spanish channels, French, English etc...
Today, the atomium, a gigantic structure representing the atomic structure of iron built for the World Exposition in 1958. Towering over us, it celebrates industry and scientific innovation. On the first floor of the first atom, a panoramic sight in fine weather (nope, we were not lucky, it's autumn!) An exhibition of French and Flemish (Dutch) comic strips graced the other balls.
Behind the entrance tickets, a discount for the pizzas at Pizza Hut. We pass by it but it is flatly refused by the host. More second hand books and we chat with the vendor who prefers Paris to Brussels! He feels that in Brussels, one judges you by your clothing and your appearance. Hmm, I do not agree completely. I find Brussels quite cosmopolitan and the people polite and gracious towards me. But who's the judge? Doesn't racism exist everywhere? Inevitable, right?
Onward to an Italian restaurant close to Johan's, but first a (quick) stop at Leonidas to buy Belgian pralines and truffles (chocolates)! Taste and pleasure guarantied!
In the restaurant, the owner assures us that the taste of a pizza cooked in a wood-fired oven is unique. I ordered a Sicilian which was too salty, probably because of the anchovies but it wasn't all that bad. I am, as they say, like a pig to whom one gives pearls, i.e. don't know how to appreciate the fine things in life. I must get accustomed to the new tastes and experiences around me.
We leave Brussels at 9pm, 2h late according to our schedule but satisfied and happy. The ambience in the car reach a peak during the traffic jam of 4km we faced. Impossible to find a steady stream of French songs on the radio Sunday midnight.
Voila, my weekend at Brussels. Comments and suggestions? Tell me at hsieng@chez.com
Links:
Tourism with Brussels