Brussels

I'm back in Leuven now. My trip to London was exhausting and I'm looking forward to a couple of restful days before school starts up again. My next few posts are just going to go back over what I've been doing here in detail as I promised in my last post. I started this post 4 days ago, but then orientation began and I didn't have any time.

I got to Brussels on the 27th. I had a found a cheap bed and breakfast to stay in on the internet. The accommodations were minimal: a bed, a desk, a shared bathroom. I opted out of the breakfast part of the deal to get an even better price. The host, Wim, was very nice though. He had studied Law at Leuven as well and his son still lives there. He was Flemish, i.e. from the Dutch part of the country, but speaks fluent French and passable English. He was actually the only Flemish person I met in Brussels which is dominated by the French speaking inhabitants of the country.

As I mentioned in my last post, I hadn't slept at all on the flight over so I was completely exhausted. I just couldn't stay in though. I wanted to get out and see some of the city. Brussels has a nice subway, though small, but, since I wanted to see the city, I decided to walk. This wasn't the best decision since it was well below freezing out. Even bundled up with my hat and scarf I had to hold my self back from shivering.

I don't regret the walk though. Brussels is a maze of narrow, winding streets and old, beautifully ornate buildings. Sculpture, which is my favorite art form, crops up throughout the city, sometimes in completely unexpected places. I must have come across at least seven different statues just on my short walk that day.

The one pictured at left was tucked into a little ring of trees right next to a broad modern avenue and was one of my favorites. I discovered beautiful statutes like these all over the city. I'm not sure what this statue commemorates. The inscription was in French and the language barrier was a constant problem for me throughout my visit. It's so frustrating not being able to communicate or understand simple things like menus or signs. It really made me want to learn French.

After walking a little bit further I realized I had been going in the wrong direction and ended up taking the subway to Le Cinquantenaire, my destination for the day. Frankly, I was glad for the excuse to take the subway so I could warm up.

This little picture of Le Cinquantenaire really does not do it justice. Click on the pick for a bigger image. This amazing archway, which cars still drive through, was commissioned by King Leopold II to mark the 50th anniversary of the independence of the Belgian state in 1880. Attached to it are two giant stone halls that were originally built to house an exhibition of all things Belgian. Now they house three large museums, none of which I saw. The Belgian flag is hanging in the middle archway and the statute on top is of the raising of the national flag. If you can see the person near the middle archway you can get an idea of jut how massive this thing is. The gentle slope below the archway is covered by a disappointingly run down park, but it also had several nice statues.

At this point, I was freezing again so I headed back to the subway. On the way, I met my first waffle vendor. I'm not sure exactly what they do, but these waffles are fabulous. The edges are coated with a sweet, slightly carmelly sauce, and the smell, which is spread throughout the city by its numerous waffle vendors, is nearly impossible to pass up. This was only the first of many waffles I had while in the city.

At this point I was so exhausted that I went back to the B & B and went immediately to bed, even though it was only 8 pm.

I didn't wake up until almost ten the next day. Feeling quite refreshed, I took the subway to the center of town which is the oldest part of the city. I followed Wim's advice and got off at the top of the hill and worked my way down.

The subway lets out on a beautiful park, Parc de Bruxelles, laid out in the formal French style and including loads of statues. It made for a beautiful walk to the Palais Royal (for those who don't know French: the Royal Palace), which borders the parks eastern edge. The park, pictured at left, was beautiful, despite the lack or greenery and the fountains being turned off for winter.

It was impossible to get a good picture of the palace. It was to massive for me to get the whole thing in one shot and the light from behind obscures the picture, but it's the best one I've got.

This part of town was pretty ornate. Right around the corner, the Church of St. Jacques sur Coudenberg borders a cobblestone traffic circle that surrounds a statue of one of the leaders of the first crusade.

From here I headed down towards the oldest part of the city and the building Brussels is most known for. The Grand Place is at the heart of the city. Anchored by the Hotel-de-Ville or Town Hall (pictured below) and lined with guild houses built in the late 1600s it has served as the city's center since the marshland on which it sits was drained for use as a market in the 1300s.

On the other side of the Grand Place, across from the town hall, a number of guild houses line the square. Built in the same period, they are equally beautiful, if not as large. This one was my favorite.

A couple blocks a way, Brussels most famous fountain splashes before a constant sea of tourists. My friends Tymberly and Tristan might recognize their corkscrew based on this diminutive little man. Whenever a dignitary comes to town, it is a tradition that they bring an outfit for the little fellow. Here is dressed as a baker.

A few blocks North of the Grand Place the opera house where the Belgian revolution for independence began celebrates the 250th anniversary of that event. The opera, the Mute Girl of Portici, so inspired the audience with its nationalist themes that they poured out of the theatre to raise the local flag against the Dutch, signaling the start of the rebellion. Who said theatre is just for entertainment?

After touring around the center a little bit more I went up the only hill to the art museum. It was rather disappointing. Their sculpture gallery and modern art wing were closed, which left little but scenes of the crucifixion. They can be beautiful, I admit, but after a few hundred of them it gets a bit tiresome.

That night I went out to a big party. It was held near the canal in a catacomb like structure called the Caves of Cureghem under a square that was once a vast market. Goods used to be stored there before shipment. It was really very beautiful, and I met several nice guys from the French speaking part of Belgium. I stayed out until the subway started running again at 6am. It didn't help my jetlag, but I had a great time.

By the time I made it home to go to bed my trip to Brussels was half over. Luckily, the next half wasn't so intense, but I'll save the rest for another post.