ReLeAsInG tHe CrAzIaN...: Brussels, Belgium

Thursday January 10, 2008

Now with the holidays over, Cathy gone back to Toronto and F.Do back at work, I am off to explore the rest of Europe (or at least what I can afford to in terms of time and money)! First stop, Brussels, Belgium!

Let me just begin that I was sexually harassed ALL DAY long! From the moment I stepped onto the train platform to head to Brussels to the moment I headed back to Amsterdam, I was hooted, hollered, propositioned and even proposed to, from one man or another. It was an exhausting day. Other than this slight annoyance, I thought Brussels was beautiful.

On the train, heading to Brussels from Amsterdam which was approx. 2.5 hours.

BRUSSEL'S CENTRAL STATION

I failed to find the tourist office to pick up a map of the city. However, who needs a map when there are signs all over the city! Brilliant, just brilliant!

CATHEDRAL:

The nondescript ally that leads to the Grand Place. You would never think that something great was just about to appear...

...then viola GRAND PLACE!!! It is the central market square in Brussels. It is surrounded by guild houses, the Town Hall, and the Broodhuis (Bread House).

Town Hall:

Guild Houses:

Broodhuis:

Maison des Ducs de Brabant (House of the Dukes of Brabant):

The backside of Grand Place:

Next stop, Manneken-Pis:

MANNEKEN PIS: for such a famous statue, he was quite the little guy!

The next few pictures are random pics of Brussels. You see, I got lost for a good few hours. Probably the reason why a map is highly recommended in a foreign city!

Cobblestone is everywhere!

Walking on cobblestone is not attractive (similar to walking in snow). There are times when I think I got the hang of it and then the leg does that ankle-bend, like you're going to fall but you catch yourself at the last second.

Oh no... the ghetto... great just what I need...

Whew, back to a somewhat looking main street...

Yay, an important looking building. I'm back in the city core.

To celebrate surviving the Belgian Ghetto, I decided to have a Belgian waffle.

BELGIAN WAFFLE:

Waffle with Nuttella. OHHHH YEAAAAAHH...

Ok this is a rather disgusting picture of my gluttony. There is chocolate all over my face and chocolate just pouring over my thumb!!! But boy was it ever worth it...