Perhaps the most charming city from my trip, Brussels was the most different from the three cities I visited. Unlike Paris and Amsterdam, Brussels doesn’t feel like such a tourist destination hot spot. It’s a working city. As the capital of the EU, there’s a lot of business that’s going on. Tourism isn’t quite as prevalent, and I kind of liked how it felt as though the city was less touched by it. Walking through the streets, I passed for a local. It was only when people realized that I didn’t speak French that they learned I was a tourist.
While I was in Brussels, I took a very different approach to seeing the sights. Instead of checking off a list of things I wanted to see, like I did in Paris and Amsterdam, I spent much more time just wandering the city and walking around. Of course I hit some of the important sights, but my favorite part of Brussels was running into things along the way to my intended destination. It was a much more relaxed and informal approach to seeing the city, but I was only in Brussels for one day.
After taking the train from Paris to Brussels, I checked into my hostel. I stayed at the Meinenger Brussels City Center hostel. It was easily the nicest hostel I stayed in on my trip. Just on the other side of the canal, it is a short 15 minute walk to Grand Place, which was top of my list of things to do in Brussels. The central square of Brussels is lined with decorative buildings and a few restaurants. Later in the evening, I even had dinner in one of the restaurants in Grand Place. The square is stunning during the day, but it is even more beautiful at night when it is all lit up. I only wish I had been there to see the flower carpet. Every two years, the square of Grand Place is filled with a carpet of flowers. Perhaps I’ll come back to see that.
Near Grand Place is Manneken Pis, a landmark bronze sculpture of a boy urinating into a fountain. It is a well-known statue for Brussels, and attracted quite a crowd. I was surprised to see as many people as I did at the little statue. It has quite a history with the Belgian people and has been there for hundreds of years. The original statue currently resides in a museum, but a Manneken Pis statue still stands in the original location.
Part of why I wanted to go to Brussels was because I really wanted to try Belgian waffles and Belgian chocolate. Well, I killed two birds with one stone and had Belgian chocolate on my Belgian waffles! At one of the street waffle vendors, I ordered a Belgian waffle with Belgian chocolate and whipped cream. Per a friend’s recommendation, I also ordered a hot chocolate. Not only was my sweet tooth more than satisfied, but it was easily the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had. It was rich and sweet and perfect for the cold day and all the traveling I had been doing. That sugar boost surely put me in a great mood.
Walking around the city, I came across little gems like wonderful street performers and quaint shops. I made my way to Sablon, which was my favorite part of the city. It was cute and a lot quieter than the city center. Along the way, I came across the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula and Notre Dame du Sablon. These two churches aren’t quite as grand as Notre Dame in Paris or Sacre Coeur, but they are both beautifully detailed. We truly don’t have churches like this in the US, and I wish we did.
For breakfast the next morning, I visited the original Le Pain Quotidien. I had been to the one in Westwood and Newport Beach plenty of times, so eating at the original one that had been there since 1990 was particularly special. It was quiet for the morning, and everyone there was reading the paper with their breakfast. I read one of my books while I enjoyed my breakfast bowl.
Because I planned to take the train from Brussels to Amsterdam that afternoon, I was working with a shorter time frame and only had time to visit the Brussels Comic Strip Center. It is a smaller museum, but it is still an interesting way to spend a morning or afternoon. I’m not a comic-buff, but I particularly enjoyed the section where I learned about how the comic books are made and designed.
I wasn’t sure what exactly to expect from Brussels, and it was nice to get a taste for a slightly smaller city. Although I don’t think I would return to Europe solely to visit Belgium, I would definitely visit again if I was in a nearby country. Even though I was only there for one day, I fell in love with its charm and will likely be back again some day.
xx
Emily
