As teased in my previous post, I took a day trip to
Brussels, Belgium, while in Amsterdam for a few days. It's about a 90-minute
train ride from Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport to Brussels Central and I bought
my round-trip ticket for €80 (about $98). If you have been reading my previous
posts, then by now you should be tired of my repetitious tips about taking
advantage of cheap deals to neighboring countries you are visiting. There's
virtually no country I visit without making a stop to another. This trip was
yet another example of this type of travel.
I had about seven hours to spend, which was by design.
There are train trips by the hour from Amsterdam to Brussels, so you can start
as early as 7 a.m. The return leg doesn't have as many trips, and the last
train back during the period I was there was about 7:10 p.m. So be very careful
about not missing the train back, unless you plan on spending the night in the
city. A lot of the popular stops to make are situated around the Grand Place, a UNESCO-heritage
recognized square, close to the city central. The City Hall and Museum of the City of Brussels
are on this square. These two sites were not open to tour on the day I visited,
so if you want to get the beauty of this place in all its glory, such as its
famous Flower
Carpet displays, then you should plan your visit for late summer or early
fall. I heard the square looks magnificent at night, but since I had a train to
catch, I didn't get to check this out either. But there are plenty of notable
sites in the vicinity.
Everard t'Serclaes' Monument
Located on the Rue Charles, about 0.3 miles from the center of the Grand Place, this monument draws some traffic (though not as much as its nearby neighbor, the Manneken Pis.) Everard Serclaes, was a famous resident of Brussels, who as a lord, liberated the city during the 14th century war against Flemish troops. In 1897, a monument was erected in memory of the city's liberator, and today the sculpture is synonymous with granting the wishes of those who touch or rub on it. When I stopped by, it was relatively quiet and empty, save for the school kids surrounding it with their notebooks, taking notes as if it was a school project. They stayed in front of the monument having discussions until I finally had to ask them to step aside. What? I'm not coming all the way to lose out on the supposed good luck it brings when you touch it. I touched it all over for extra luck...then used my sanitizer after. Ha!
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| Move out of the way kids, I want some good luck! |
Tintin
Mural
Heading toward the Manneken Pis from the Everard t'Serclaes, you will pass by the Tintin Mural, which a fellow traveler friend of mine had told me about. Not necessarily billed as a tourist attraction, although TripAdvisor will have you believe this since it has its own page dedication, it doesn't hurt to pass through this street as you head to one of Brussel's most recognized sites. But, feel free to skip it altogether because it isn't much to look at. Graffiti at the base of the statue has destroyed its beauty. I was disappointed by it.
Heading toward the Manneken Pis from the Everard t'Serclaes, you will pass by the Tintin Mural, which a fellow traveler friend of mine had told me about. Not necessarily billed as a tourist attraction, although TripAdvisor will have you believe this since it has its own page dedication, it doesn't hurt to pass through this street as you head to one of Brussel's most recognized sites. But, feel free to skip it altogether because it isn't much to look at. Graffiti at the base of the statue has destroyed its beauty. I was disappointed by it.
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| Base of the mural has been ruined by graffiti |
Manneken
Pis
For a monument so widely recognized, the Manneken Pis is located in an unassuming corner of the street on the same lane as the Everard t'Serclaes and Tintin Mural. Brussels official site describes this statue as the emblem of the city's rebellious spirit. If you're lucky, you might turn up to the Manneken clothed in one of its more than 900 costumes, dressed for a special occasion. I wasn't. But then again, maybe I was. I prefer to capture images in their full glory. No pun intended! Its history stems from it serving as a symbol of Brussels' development of a drinking water distribution system in the 15th century. Its legendary status grew when it survived the bombardment of Brussels in 1695. It has survived several thefts and damages, and today what tourists stroll up to take pictures of is a replica. The real thing is housed in the Museum of the City of Brussels after restoration from damage sustained after a successful theft and recovery.
For a monument so widely recognized, the Manneken Pis is located in an unassuming corner of the street on the same lane as the Everard t'Serclaes and Tintin Mural. Brussels official site describes this statue as the emblem of the city's rebellious spirit. If you're lucky, you might turn up to the Manneken clothed in one of its more than 900 costumes, dressed for a special occasion. I wasn't. But then again, maybe I was. I prefer to capture images in their full glory. No pun intended! Its history stems from it serving as a symbol of Brussels' development of a drinking water distribution system in the 15th century. Its legendary status grew when it survived the bombardment of Brussels in 1695. It has survived several thefts and damages, and today what tourists stroll up to take pictures of is a replica. The real thing is housed in the Museum of the City of Brussels after restoration from damage sustained after a successful theft and recovery.
Indulge in Belgian waffles
When in Rome...err...Belgium, do like...you know how that goes. I haven't been the biggest fan of waffles since I was first introduced to it in the U.S. It's probably because my first taste was thanks to Egg-O frozen waffles. But, as it is the most synonymous food, besides chocolate, to eat in Belgium, there was no way I was leaving without sampling some. OH MY GOODNESS!!! It was amazing. I had mine plain from this shop by the Manneken Pis and it was soooo good even without toppings. Please believe me when I say you have to try some waffles when you visit.
Parc du
Centequanaire
After making my rounds around the Grand Place, I had about four hours to spare so I headed to the Parc du Centequanaire just for the photo op. It is an impressive structure, shaped like a U, and was commissioned by King Leopold II in 1880 in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Belgium's independence from the Netherlands. One side of the building houses the Military Museum. I didn't go in for a tour, but walked the grounds, which is well maintained and offers breathtaking views of ponds, well-manicured lawns and everything in between. I could only imagine what it would feel like walking or running through the park grounds in the spring. It was so cold and windy as you can see how much I struggled in my videos.
After making my rounds around the Grand Place, I had about four hours to spare so I headed to the Parc du Centequanaire just for the photo op. It is an impressive structure, shaped like a U, and was commissioned by King Leopold II in 1880 in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Belgium's independence from the Netherlands. One side of the building houses the Military Museum. I didn't go in for a tour, but walked the grounds, which is well maintained and offers breathtaking views of ponds, well-manicured lawns and everything in between. I could only imagine what it would feel like walking or running through the park grounds in the spring. It was so cold and windy as you can see how much I struggled in my videos.
Atonium
After reading the less than favorable reviews, I was hesitant to go to the Atonium, commissioned in celebration of the World Fair of 1958. I still had time to spare before catching my train back and its accessibility by metro won me over. I initially wanted to go to the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the world's fifth largest church, but it involved getting on a train, two buses and a significant bit of walking to make it to the church. With only about two hours to spare, and not wanting to spend a lot of money on Uber, I opted to go to the Atonium. And I'm so glad I went because it offered the best spots for memorable photos. Having both the Be.Welcome sign (Belgium's equivalence to Amsterdam's I.Amsterdam sign) and the huge metallic atomic balls, this should be the iconic/most photographed part of Brussels. While the Manneken-Pis is nice, it could've been located anywhere in Europe, and is more of a symbolic structure. The Atonium should be more recognized as a landmark that leaves no doubt that you are in Brussels. You don't need to go in to appreciate its beauty. But if you do, please come back and leave a comment on your thoughts since I didn't make it in.
Note:
Accessible by metro from Central Station. Take the 1 or 5 to Beenkant and
transfer to the 6, taking it to Megrode.
I took the train back to Brussels Central and caught the 7:10 train back to Amsterdam. There were many more places I wanted to visit that I couldn't, so I would suggest spending the night in the city and taking the opportunity to get breakfast in the city and make a few more stops. I am already thinking of going back to Brussels and those delicious waffles.
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| Goodbye Brussels. Until we meet again. |
