Sandwiched between Paris and Amsterdam, Brussels, is like the middle child of Europe, often excluded, ignored, and/or neglected. Amsterdam has weed, hookers in the windows (although I guess most towns in Belgium have some type of red light district), canals, windmills, Ann Frankās House, etc… Paris has the Eiffel Tower, Mona Lisa, Norte Dame Cathedral and so much moreā¦..
Brusselsā¦.Ummā¦..Wellā¦.uuuhhhā¦..Mannekin Pis anyone? Brussels (the location of the European Union government) is often characterized by Anti-EU forces as a place devoid of anything interesting and that its existence is only thanks to bureaucrats whose sole purpose is it to make up stupid, pointless, mindless rules and regulations to impose on other EU states. Some do stop over on their way to Paris from Amsterdam or vice versa, but most just see it from their seat of the high speed train from Amsterdam to Paris!
The good news is Brussels is easy to reach, and is served by most major European airlines and a handful of western airlines. The airport has served as a life line to people like me who were desperate to avoid the absolute cluster fuck that is happening up north at Amsterdamās Schiphol Airport. Schiphol (or as locals call it āShithole) has been plagued by strikes, thousands upon thousands of lost luggage, 6+ hour lines just to get into the building and understaffing. Meanwhile, at Brussels Airport, I was able to get into the building with zero wait and only waited 30 seconds in security. In case youāre weary of going through any of the other big European airports, the capital is well connected with all major Western European cities by rail. Best of all, Central Station is right in the center making it easy to get to wherever you need in Brussels.
Besides Brusselās most famous (for better or for worse) landmark, the 55.5CM tall Mannekin Pis, what is there to do? If youāre a fashion diva like myself, then head to the shopping streets of Bruxelles, such as Dansaert Street in the center. Here and throughout the city you can find everything and/or anything your inner fashionista desires. Of course you will find the big name chains like Zara, H&M, Louis Vuitton, etc., but instead of shopping at these generic overpriced labels, hit up some of the second hand shops, especially the unique 2nd hand vintage store, Melting Kilo. Melting Kilo subscribes to a different concept than most stores in the world. Instead of paying for an item individually, you pay for clothes by the kilo! WOW! What a concept! So, be sure to have plenty of room in your suitcase or buy a new bag if you go shopping here. Melting Pot Kilo has two locations: the first one is on Rue Haute and the other is located on Rue des Poissonniers.
If you would rather shop at a big name luxury shop, get off at the Louise metro stop near justice palace. This are is known as the fashion flagship street with hermes and Louis Vuitton
In case you are bit more budget conscious, Porte de Namur street is home to cheaper shops like Primark. Primark can also be found in the center but according to Silva (which I can personally attest to), this area is quite chaotic and very crowded. So it would be best to stick to Porte de Namur street.
If fashion is not your thing, then dive into the world of the 9th art, comics. Many look down on this art form as childish, foolish and unworthy of being in the same universe as the other 8 forms of art, i.e. literature, music, sculptures, paintings etcā¦. But when you start to learn more about these famous French/Belgian comics (as I did when I went on a fashion walk around Brussels with a local photographer) you understand they are far from funny, light, airy childish cartoons, but rather works of art with deep story lines, meanings and symbolism that will challenge your thinking and give you a perspective on the vision of the world and foreign countries as seen by Belgiansā¦.Belgian comics are so ingrained in the culture that throughout the city you can find dozens of street murals dedicated to such famous comics as: The Smurfs, Spike and Suzy, The Adventures of Tin Tin along with dozens of other Franco-Belgian comics.
If you really want the full comic book experience, you can book a comic book walking tour in the city. One of the tours is led by my friend and photographer, Silva, who is a master photographer and has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to French Belgian comics . After your walk, go the Comics Art Museum for a look and when you have finished, go next door to āThe Reading Roomā where you will find a collection of over 3,000 comic albums translated into 36 different languages. Admission is free upon presentation of a ticket to the museum or ā¬0.50 in case you would prefer to only visit āThe Reading Roomā. Both The Reading Room and Belgium Comic Strip Center Museum are located at Rue des Sables 20 and open every day from 10AM – 18.00. Reservations are recommended but not mandatory.
Having lived in Croatia and other Balkan states for the past several months, I became accustomed to a rather homogenous population, in other words, mostly all white European Croatians, with some Bosniak Muslims sprinkled in. However, Brussels is an entirely different experience! It is the polar opposite, serving as a melting pot for the world and EU. Thousands of nationalities are represented in the capital and thus along with such a wide variety of ethnicities, you will find an amazing assortment of ethnic cuisines. According to my friend and photographer Silva, who has lived in Brussels for several years, the best ethnic food is always found in that communityās neighborhood. For example, Silva is Finnish, and stated there is the Finnish sea men church: Merimieskirkko near Maalbeek, which offers amazing Finnish food. If you havenāt tried Finnish cinnamon rolls, then you have not lived!! If you want to indulge in African culture and cuisine, best to visit Matonge, an eclectic mix of African culture and Belgian Boheme. If you are in the mood for Chinese culture and cuisine, the area of Dansaert has a bit of a Chinatown with an asian influence to it. For Brazilian culture, Schaarbeek is the place for a full cultural experience.
Brussels also has a very large Arab influence, thus you will find plenty of restaurants that cater to the Muslim community and the different nationalities. Probably the largest Arab/Islamic community in the city is the Moroccans. Due to its sizable population you can easily immerse yourself in the culture and find quality Moroccan cuisine. In the area of St. Catherine there is a very good Ethiopian place nearby, which was recommended by Silva. In Brussels you donāt have go very far outside the pentagon or the city center to find all these different cuisines. Most can be found within a kilometer radius, so if you are a foodie and live to eat, then Brussels is a dream come trueā¦ The only downside is that with such endless options, itāll be hard to determine where to eat.
After enjoying some ethnic cuisine, itās time for dessert!!! You will be in awe by the amazing sweets and temptations that await you on the streets of Bruxelles, especially the Belgian chocolate, the fries and the chocolate waffles with an unending assortment of toppings. In other words if you love sweets and chocolate, Bruxelles is an absolute dreamland of sinful comfort food that has the power to break the will power of any person! It took all my willpower to resist not indulging in all these wonderful delights, especially when you see every man, woman, child and baby walking around the city with either an ice cream cone, a Belgian waffle bathed in chocolate topped off with whip cream and strawberries or indulging in other type of culinary delight. Be careful š!!
Every city has its key landmark, and Brussels is no exception! In my opinion and in the opinion of the thousands of other tourists gathered, the most amazing and beautiful attraction in Brussels, is the cityās central square, āGrand Palaceā, which in the words of Silva, resembles Disneyland. However, unlike Disneyland, which is fake, built in the mid 20th century and will cost a fortune to enter, entry to āThe Grand Palaceā square is free and the buildings are authentic!
The square is encircled with Baroque Guildhalls and contains the over the top flamboyant city hall and the neo-gothic kingās house or Bread House. Here you will find large crowds and countless places to eat, but do not let the crowds intimidate you as you can easily move through the crowds and capture some good pictures, like we did. You simply need to look in the right places. During mid-August The Grand Palaceās beauty shines even brighter when the city rolls out the flower carpet. I have been told by locals that this an unforgettable experience. Unfortunately, I missed this grand tradition by only a few days.
Another quirky odd aspect of Brussels isā¦ā¦ā¦pissingā¦thatās rightā¦peeing. Here you will of course find the most famous little peeing man on the planet, the fountain, Manneken Pis, standing a whole 55.5 centimeters tall peeing into a pool. You canāt miss him as hundred upon hundreds of tourists gather to see him. During certain times of the year he is dressed in different costumes, which are on display for the general public at the Brussels City Museum. Millions of replicas and even street murals of this little man can be found in every single tourist shop and even at my hotel dining room they had a little replica on top of the salad bar. Due to his legendary status and being the symbol of Brussels, he has been the frequent victim of theft, vandalism and other heinous acts. Thus, the original(s) now can be found in a nearby city museum, whereas the current sculpture is from the 80s.
Butā¦..waitā¦thereās more!! In case you are not fond of Monsieur Pis, just down the street you can find his peeing sister, Jeanneke Pis. And whatever you do, do not forget about their pet, zinneke pissing dog.
If you would rather not waste your time pissing around or watching a tiny sculpture piss into a pool, take the metro to the southern part of the pentagon (the name for the center) and take a ride on The View Belgium. This wonderful Ferris Wheel has amazing views and countless opportunities for great photos. Nearby the wheel you will find some of Brussels most beautiful buildings such as: The Royal Palace of Brussels (temporarily closed but used to be open during summer and Brussels law courts.
Right in front of the Ferris wheel is Place Poelart, named after the famous architect Poelart who designed Justice Palace. Here you are treated to an amazing view point panorama of Brussels and Halle Gate. Unfortunately, The Law Courts of Brussels is under scaffolding but is still a sight to seeā¦
If you would rather be the one pissing instead of Monsieur Pis, there is a very unique place where you can unzip and let it flow! Just off Grand-Palace is Place Sainte-Catherine, or Church of St. Catherine. There lined up against the church wall stands a half dozen urinals where one can literally piss against a church. Itās free and may be rather therapeutic for those of you men who dislike religion or would just like to say you pissed against a church. Gross, profound, satisfying, sinful, artistic, disgusting, whatever your feelings, it is one of the more unique things about Brussels.
St. Catherineās Church
There are so many things to do in Brussels it is challenging to condense all of it into one article. However, do not fall into the same trap as I did or countless others do who think there is nothing to see in Brussels and itās best just to skip. But as I always like to say we live and we learn. I certainly have learned a valuable lesson and that is donāt always assume, and always keep an open mind, because stereotypes are just that, baseless nonsensical sweeping generalizations. Stay stylish and enjoy everything this grand city has to offer!!!!! Au Revoir!
Aldoren Travel 