Brussels

One day in Brussels should include chocolate, waffles, beer, and ...fries? Yes, it's true... fries with mayo. I have been jumping from city to city these last few days because I wanted to see if I could actually make it to Ireland for about 4 days. It's looking good. I had originally wanted to go to Brussels to see some of the work of Horta, an Art Nouveau architect, as well as visit a museum in his honor here.
Unfortunately, most of the museums in Brussels are closed on Mondays, but there were plenty of beautiful buildings from that era along a walk I took that afternoon through the eastern part of the city.
The Hello Hostel has free maps with tips from locals about the city, where to go depending on what you like, and suggested walks. The organization that produces it is called Use It, and they are just beginning to be available in other cities. They also have a location in the city where you can go to talk to them personally, or just hang out and meet other travelers, with free wifi.
I went on a suggested walk that took about three hours. I did have fries (the Use It guide told me exactly where to go and even where to sit down and enjoy them), chocolate (again, Use It suggests: just buy it at the supermarket for 3 euro rather than going to their shop in the tourist center and paying 13 for the same thing...same with beer). I took a train to see the historical grand plaza/market place, before calling it a night (although it's not what I originally planned to do). Next, back to London.

Centraaaaaaaal!






The walk begins by the Madou metro station. This is the European Commission's Directorate-General For Education and Culture.



This used to be a little town called Sint-Joosten-Node, just outside of Brussels, which was eventually enveloped by the growing city. It also used to be a get away for the well to do of the city but is now one of the poorest sections of the city. People from 150 different countries live here!



Square Marie Louise Plein






Some of Brussels most beautiful Art Nouveau buildings are on Avenue Palmerston / Palmeronlaan.



Square Ambiorix Plein



European Commission



Parc Du Cinquantenaire Jubelpark









Arc De Triomphe









Place Jourdan Plein



Fries from a well known frikot, or "French fry shack", Antione. I wasn't brave enough for the heavy mayo... and no I couldn't even begin to eat them all.



Parc Leopold, which used to be the Brussels Zoo, and closed down in 1876 after all the animals died. Now it is a park ringed with a few museums.






Coming up on the European Parliament. Brussels is the headquarters of NATO and the capital of the European Union.



A back entrance, pretty underwhelming?


















Place De Luxembourg






De Meuse Square



Chocolate everywhere; I had already picked some up at a supermarket.



I then took the metro to the Beurs / Bourse Stock Exchange. The stairs serve as a speaker's corner for every protest march through Brussels. There are also plenty of cafes and bars around it, and great cheap Chinese food.






Grand Plac Grote Markt



The tourist with the map, so much for blending in with the locals!









I thought I'd check out a nice cafe or pub for dinner that night, and maybe try out one of the 500 varieties of beer Belgium is so well known for. I went back to the hostel to change and.... I woke up the next morning :) I guess it was a good walking tour!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad