Briefly Belgium

We arrived in Brussels on the train from Amsterdam on Wednesday night at Central station. We weren't sure where to go and as it was an unfamiliar city, we decided to go to the taxi queue. It was rush hour and we weren't sure but it seemed like the taxi driver took us a long way around but what can you do? Now that we are familiar with the immediate area, we know we could walk in about 15 or 20 minutes but when things aren't all that straight forward, taxis are the easiest. The driver was very congenial and chatted to us about things to do and see in the city as well.

We checked into the Ibis St. Catherine. The check in person was a bit off putting, i found, maybe there was some communication issues, i don't know. They weren't rude but they weren't exactly bend over backwards helpful either, compared to the staff in the Tulip in Amsterdam who handed over maps and brochures unasked. We also asked if breakfast was included and for some reason i thought she said it was and told us the hours. Turns out it wasn't and we were charged 15 euro per person for the two mornings we had breakfast in the hotel. Ah well.

Our first order of business was to walk out and find Grand Place, the main square with the grand Town Hall and all the marvellous guildhalls and buildings. We walked out into Place St. Catherine with it's old and sooty church stands. Seemed to be lots of restaurants there which we kept in mind for later.

It wasn't too far to a main street and we saw a big building that looked impressive with a large front staircase and arches all over. Turns out that used to be the Stock Exchange, called the Bourse and now houses the Bruxelle museum. This is on the corner of a little street that leads into the Grand Place and which is lined with shops and cafes. Plenty of touristy type souvenir shops in this district as well as shops with lace and chocolate and beer.

We made our way over the cobbled streets and entered the square. Wow!!!! The Stadhuis (town hall) spire soared over us and the buildings all around the square had gilded touches and decoration. Many of them are from the 17th and 18th century. The large structure facing the Town Hall is the Maison du Roi and the stone work almost looks lacy! There were lots of people of course, most of them looking up and taking photos. You want to watch your possessions as there are plenty of pickpockets around here. Many of the guildhouses have restaurants in the main level. The Town hall has a tourist information centre in it as well. By the time we got there, that was closed as it was around 6 p.m. or so.

We took many photos and then decided it was time to find food.

We walked around a bit but ended up at a cafe right on the main street by the Bourse. Probably a real tourist trap but Le Grand Cafe had a good menu and it wasn't *too* expensive and it was convenient. (see review). We enjoyed our meal and then decided to go back into the Place to see the square all lit up after dark. Even more wow!!! Very impressive! We had to admit we were far more impressed with Brussels' main square than with Amsterdam's Dam Square.

We aren't spending a lot of time here. Tomorrow we're spending the day in Bruges, which everyone says is amazing. Friday morning, we're visiting the Museum of Musical instruments and if there's time, taking a city bus tour.

It's about an hour by train from Brussels to Bruges from Central station. The weather is overcast but not really cold and later on it was really nice. At the train station, we bought all day bus tickets and rode into the city centre. It's a bit congested by the station but there's a park like setting to one side and it probably isn't too far a walk. Also near the station it looked like there was a fair set up with a large observation wheel.

Anyway. We went into the centre, got off one stop too soon but that was ok. We walked along a busy street looking in shops. We arrived in the main square, the Grote Markt i.e. Market Square with its tall belfry tower on one end, a law court building and lots of guildhouses. Some are old, some are newer or renovated in the old style. Bruges used to be the most important city in Flanders but as the canals were filled in and trade went elsewhere, it floundered. Now, tourism is the major source of income for the city and it shows. The streets have a lot of touristy shops, souvenirs as well as chocolate and lace which draw in the tourists as well.

Even this early in May, the Market Square was covered in tourists gawping at the buildings. People were streaming in from all the lanes leading in. It reminds me a bit of UK cities like Bath and York that are crowded with tourists in the centre. There are horses and buggies that you can hire to tour the city from here and they're all lined up near the centre where there is a statue of two burghers from the 14th century. The restaurants with outside terraces that are all around the square are probably scandalously high in price. Still, it's very pretty and the large buildings are nice to look at. The Belfry is over a building that used to be a cloth hall. There are bells in the tower and often there is a caroline concert. I've seen this on a Rick Steves travel show about Bruges and it would be kind of neat to hear.

Also in the belfry building is a Salvadore Dali exhibition and since he's one of Graham's favourites, we decided to go in. It's a one room gallery with some of his sketches and a few sculpture and there was a temporary exhibit of the paintings of Amanda Lear, who was apparently one of Dali's muses. There was a couple of her paintings that i actually liked.

There's a small street that leads through to the other large square, the Burg where the Stadhuis/Town Hall stands and a few other buildings including the Basilica of the Holy Blood in one corner. We headed for there but it was closed between noon and 2, at least today. We decided to find some lunch first while we waited. We tried one restaurant that was right on this square but the menu really didn't appeal to either of us so we didn't stay.

We walked out of the square through some quaint smaller courtyards but not one of the restaurants there had menus that suited either our tastes or our budget. They all seemed to be somewhat fancy. This led us to a canal and across the little bridge, we saw a few more places that were more casual and had better choices so we picked one of them, called Matinee (see review) where i finally had a chance to try Belgian mussels. They were pricey, I thought, but you do get a big pot of them and they were very good, I have to say. We also had Belgian waffles for dessert and when they're freshly made with all the sweet toppings, they're exquisite!

This was close to where at least one tour boat company is based, for canal tours. I had seen the boats earlier and i wasn't sure i would like them. I thought they were all small seats crowded in the middle of the small open boats but when we came out of the restaurant, i could see one that was waiting to be filled and there were bench type seats around the outside of the boat and i would be a bit more comfortable on those. Right. That decides it. The price was pretty good too, less than 7 euro per adult for a 30 minute cruise given in several languages including English. The only thing that was a disadvantage to sitting on the sides is that you are twisting your body around to see what's behind you!

The sun was mostly out by now so it was a really pleasant trip. The guide was good as well, but unfortunately I don't remember much in particular about what he was saying about the buildings and history.

We were done there by 4, enough time to see the Basilica and, we hoped, to find the Chocolate Story museum. The church has two sections, a lower Romanesque chapel and an upper Basilica. The chapel had low stone ceilings and little decoration but was dark and peaceful and calm. Upstairs the basilica proper was painted and gilded and colourful with pillars and arches. Apparently Joseph of Arimathea had wiped the blood of Jesus off and a piece of that cloth is now housed here as a Holy relic. There's a history of the Basilica here. The Basilica is an explosion of colour and there's also a huge silver sculpture in a side chapel.

There is no photography allowed but i did take a few stealth shots. I know, i know and some people were blatantly taking pictures too. I didn't take any in the lower chapel but i did in the colourful upper one.

From there, using the map we'd bought from a station vending machine for 50 cents, we found our way though the little streets to the Story of Chocolate, a museum that details the history of chocolate making. Belgium is famed for its chocolate and, having tasted some of the handmade chocolates, rightly so! But we got there about 10 minutes before it closed so there wasn't enough time. Rats. Just as well, maybe, because there were a lot of school kids cluttering up the shop and getting underfoot and if they'd been touring the museum it would have been annoying.

We didn't think there was much else to do since most attractions would be closed at 5 so we decided to get some chocolate and leave. We sat in a sunny square for a bit first, and then on our way back to the Market square, we looked into one chocolate shop that had tempting items in the window. It was called Prestige and it also had scrumptious cakes and pastries displayed and a tea room in the back! Well! We were ready for a brew so this was perfect. The tea room was elegant and most of the patrons seemed to be older women, dressed very chicly, with snobby looks on their faces. One even had a posh little lapdog! The drinks and the cakes we chose were yummy and the rest was well needed.

We didn't buy chocolates there, though, but we did find a little brick building just off the market square called Dumon which has been featured in several well known travel magazines and guide books and they were quite proud to tell us that, too! The shop is on two levels with the showcase of all the really tempting chocolates on the entry level. I'd like a small assorted box, please. "Yesssss......" she answered, as if to say "and what else?" We were out of cash so had to buy 20 Euro worth to use the credit card. Not really a difficult decision! The chocolates were definitely worth the publicity! Nom!!!

We got the bus back to the station, found a bank machine and had about 20 minutes to wait for the train which was air conditioned, nice and cool after a day out in the sun.

So.. Bruges... Very pretty, lovely architecture. Chocolate and lace shops everywhere. Lots of restaurants in the centre but most of them are expensive and/or a bit on the posh side. Best to walk away from the centre a bit for food, in retrospect. Hordes of people. Must be awful in summer with the bus tours lining up. Chocolate really is to die for. Definitely worth a visit, though and might be nicer at night when most of the crowds have cleared out.

As we were walking through the streets of Bruges, looking for chocolate shops, we passed one window with a very elegant and tempting display. The name of the shop was Prestige. We went inside to see what the prices were like and discovered it is also a patisserie with tempting cakes and pastries! Oh wow! They also have a little cafe/tea room in the back which is very elegantly decorated. We didn't buy any chocolates but picked out a cake and sat down with a hot brew and enjoyed the decadence. The little cafe does serve very light lunches but the attraction really is the sweets. It wasn't really that cheap but not scandalously expensive either and boy, is it definitely worth a treat!

It's a very short walk from the market square so it's easy to find. We paid 11.80 euro for two hot drinks and two pastries.

There are a lot of restaurants in Bruges that focus on seafood and a lot of the restaurants are quite posh and fancy. We wanted a restaurant where we'd feel comfortable and which had a menu that had some good food but nothing too gourmet. We finally found Matinee on the side of the canal just behind the Market Square. Apparently it's a family run place which always seems to make for a nice atmosphere and indeed, this had it.

It's bright and a good size. Tables and also banquette tables along the side. There are two levels with small outdoor seating areas both in the front and in the back amid a garden setting. There was even a songbird chirping from the back of the restaurant. The menu had quite a lot of variety including some seafood and mussels with about a half dozen different sauces. The service was very good, the staff very nice and accomodating.

I had the mussels which are served in a cast iron pot with a smaller pot for the shells, and of course the frites which were perfectly cooked. Graham had steak and fries and said it was also very good and cooked just as he liked it. We had fresh and crisp Belgian waffles for dessert that were just perfect! I think this is the kind of restaurant i'd definite visit again. The price was a little high but not as high as some of the others in the area. Cost for two lunch meals with soft drinks and dessert was a little over 50 euros.

When we arrived back from Bruges, still tired and our feet aching, we trudged down the hill from Central Station through the narrow streets, looking in some of the shops. We stopped in one so i could buy some souvenir presents for people. Graham decided that since the Mannekin Pis was the most famous symbol of Brussels, he wanted to see it. I did tell him it's a lot smaller than he'll expect but he wanted to see it anyway. We ended up walking a long way around to find it, when it was actually just a couple of blocks from the Grand Place. Oh well! There it is and luckily the crowds around it weren't too thick. Graham took one look and said "Is that it?" Well yes, i did say it wasn't much.

The little statue of the boy peeing is only about 18 inches to 2 feet tall. I don't see what all the fuss is about really. It all seems to be a bit "tee hee naughty statue!". Apparently there's a bar right across from it called the Mannekin Pis and a type of beer called the same thing with a replica of the statue as the beer pump. From what i was told, the beer is pretty awful. No surprise. You see little replicas of the statue all over the place and lined on shelves in the souvenir stores. Apparently he often wears a little uniform or clothing that various groups and countries make and donate and there is a little museum that has all the outfits on display. Again, nothing i'd be bothered with personally.

From there, we tried to find our way back to the hotel. We did get a little turned around but found our church, our landmark and went to the hotel to rest our feet for a bit. That's one thing about the centre of Brussels (and Bruges) .... it's cobblestones everywhere, not just the streets, but the sidewalks too and that's desperately hard on your feet and legs! Later on we went back out to find a restaurant and discovered that most of the ones around Place St. Catherine were either seafood places which didn't suit Graham or very fancy/expensive and we didn't want that. We ended up in a little Chinese place which was unassuming but quite good in the end. (see review for Hong Kong Delight).

In the morning, we went to the Musical Instrument Museum and took a cab there to save our legs and a bit of time. That was really brilliant and not very expensive either, just 5 euro per person. (see review). We spent a happy hour or two in there wandering around listening to all the different kinds of musical instruments from different countries and different cultures, some instruments were very, very old and traditional. Some of the pianos were painted, one of the upright pianos looked like a 1940s radio. There were old fashioned types of bagpipes, i'm not even sure if any of them were the familiar Scottish type but pipes are quite an old instrument that may originate in Egypt. We had a coffee in the rooftop cafe and peeked out at the city wide views from there. In summer when the outdoor terrace is open, it must be spectacular on a sunny day.

From there, we hoped to get in all or most of a city bus tour, the hop on hop off kind. They leave from the front of Central Station so we headed in that direction down the hill through a park in front of the Museum of Arts. One bus was just leaving and the other sitting there had no driver and no idea when one would show up. But another tour company was parked a little way away so we went there. He was leaving shortly so we bought tickets and went up to the top. The weather was cool but a bit sunny. We weren't sure if we'd have time to do the whole tour but we went anyway.

The tour route for the one we chose turned out to be a better one than the other company as this one went through the newer parts of brussels first and out to the outskirts where the Atomium is. That was built for the World's Fair in the late 1950s and looks like a giant molecule. It has some exhibitions and a cafe at the top and the main attractions are the views. It's 9 euro per adult to visit with various discounts and 1/3 off with the Brussels Card.

The tour also went through a more modern part with big new buildings made of glass and steel along wide boulevards lined with more modern shops. We passed through a nice park and also by the Royal Palace. By the time we got to Grand Place, we thought we probably wouldn't have time to do the rest of the tour which may take at least another 45 minutes. We had to get back and get our bags and get to the train station. When you take the Eurostar you have to check in and go through security and not knowing how long that would take, being early was better than rushing.

We got off the bus at Grand Place and walked back to the hotel, got our bags from the locked luggage room (we had checked out this morning) and got a cab to Gare Midi(South) where the Eurostar terminal is. Turns out we were there quite early so we went to a cafe to get some lunch. The first one we went to didn't have much choice but the next one did and we had a really nice baguette sandwich, some cakes and coke and got some snacks for the train.

We checked in, found our seats and settled in for a comfy 2 hour ride into London. Brussels was all too brief, but we had a taste of it. It might be nice to go back again and see more of it. The side trip to Bruges was still a good idea even though it took time away from Brussels because it was a lovely day there. I guess it's better to have a taste at least, and if we want to go back again someday we are at least more familiar with the city and can be more comfortable with it.

My partner is a musician and we both love music and history. What better museum than to see musical instruments from years past and many different cultures? We found this museum one of the best and most fun! There are three levels of exhibits, instruments of all kinds and you get a headset that kicks in and plays the music and sounds of many of the instruments on display as you near the cases. Probably works by infared signals.

The first level has folk type instruments from all over the world. Another level focuses on strings and there are also keyboards and brass/horn/reed instruments. Most are behind glass and some of the larger pieces are out on display. There are lovely painted pianos and a grand mirrored room reflecting the harps and grand pianos on the third level. It's all very interesting and the cost isn't very high, just 5 euro per adult. There's a lift for those with mobility problems, an interesting gift shop, an a cafe on the sixth floor with good views over Brussels. You can even see the shining globes of the Atomium in the distance. The building is really different, tall and thin with arched windows and decorations around it. It used to be a department store, Old England and is in the Art Nouveau style.

It's a good idea to check your coat because we found it a little warm going through the museum. You can take photos without a flash if you have a camera with a high ISO setting.

The museum is closed on Mondays, Open 9:30 to 5 weekdays and 10 to 5 weekends. Free admission every first Wednesday of the month from 1pm onwards. It's part of the larger Royal museum of Arts and History and you can purchase a pass to all of these.

We thought an Ibis would be a fairly good value for central Brussels, nothing fancy but would have everything we needed including a lift and ensuite facilities. Some hotels might be a little cheaper but plenty were more expensive too. It was a bit pricier than we usually pay but not too bad considering it was a pretty decent location, walking distance from many of the attractions and the Central Station.

We took a taxi from Central station because we were a bit unsure where to go at first. But to find it, you can just exit the station and walk downhill. Once you come to the Grand Place square, exit out the opposite side by the Bourse Bruxelles museum. Cross over and walk down the street just to the right of the Bourse, a couple of blocks. You'll come to a large square with a church, which is St. Katherine. Pass the church on it's right and near the back of it is Rue Joseph Plateau. the Ibis is up that short street.

The check in staff wasn't entirely friendly but weren't rude. Borderline i'd say but not as helpful as some in my experience. When we checked out, they do have a locked room for the luggage but you can rent lockers in it if you want. We didn't and just left our stuff in it and it was ok.

The hotel was ok, but we probably would choose something else next time.

Unique Qualities: The room was a good size, king size bed. The bathroom, however, was quite small and in order to get out of the corner shower, you had to open the bathroom door because the shower doors opened up right against the bathroom door. Not a whole lot of room to move around but adequate.

We thought breakfast was included, when we asked if it was, the desk clerk told us the breakfast hours. Maybe one of us misunderstood but in the end, we were charged 15 euro per person for the buffet breakfast, standard hotel cost but it wasn't expected. When we checked out, we didn't argue the cost because we figured there was crossed wires somewhere. The price we paid was 140 Euro per night for a weekday mid May stay. They may have weekend specials and deals on occasion. The Ibis that's closer to Grand Place is even more expensive, though, which is why we picked this one.

The Place St. Catherine is a great place if you're a seafood fan. Lots of restaurants specializing in that and there is a Metro stop there as well.

City centre Brussels has lots of choice for restaurants. We were still unfamiliar with the area on our first night in Brussels. We walked a bit along The Bourse to find a restaurant and this one was on the corner, across from the Bruxelles museum and near the entrance lane to the Grand Place. As a result, I'm sure it gets a lot of tourist traffic and probably groups. The restaurant is a good size, bright and airy with lots of windows and and outdoor terrace for nice weather. I'm not sure the terrace would be all that comfortable as it's on a busy main street and the noise and smell from the traffic would probably be intrusive. Inside, there are two levels and the wait staff are brisk, efficient and friendly. They have an English menu and a lot of choice.

They have a set price menu for 18 euro and a gourmet set price menu for 23 for the more adventurous. They have Belgian specialties as well. There are vegetarian options but not a lot for people with American preferences. That's ok if you are willing to try different things and there should be something on the menu to please.

I had the carbonnade which is a beef stew in a dark gravy sauce made with wine. It came with Frites (fries). My partner had a burger which came with a fried egg on top but no bun! He was a bit surprise! We sampled some of the lovely Belgian beers which we really enjoyed. Belgium has a reputation for excellent and wide varieties of beers and rightly so!

On night two in Brussels, we had returned from a long day in Bruges, tired and footsore. We went out for a late dinner and walked around Place St. Catherine but all the restaurants seemed to focus on seafood. We didn't realize at the time but this area specializes and was a fish market in the past. I don't mind but my partner isn't keen on seafood so we had trouble deciding where to eat. We also noticed that a lot of the restaurants were expensive or fancier than we were comfortable with. Being tired, we didn't really want to wander too far afield in an unfamiliar city/neighbourhood. We walked a little further up St. Catherine street where we'd seen a few Chinese restaurant signs when we were passing before, but most of them seemed closed aside from this one, the Hong Kong delight. That was pretty much what decided us.

The restaurant is fairly plain inside, but the menu has a lot of variety and the price wasn't too bad, pretty much average for most Chinese restaurants and of course you get a good size portion for your money. Each dish definitely enough for 2 or 3 to share. There are some exotic items on the menu, not to many people's tastes but there are plenty of more conventional and familiar Chinese dishes, too.

We had rice, a sweet and sour pork and a chicken dish and couldn't finish it all. It was well cooked, tasty though the chicken looked a bit pre-processed and pale. It was hot and filling and we both enjoyed it. Best of all it was a short stagger to the hotel and with tired feet, we went back satisfied.