Grand Place
Eddie and I said that if he got well that we were going to take a yearly pilgrimage to Brussels to celebrate. We had been in Brussels in June 2003, our last big trip before he knew he was ill. I decided that I still wanted to go there, though not in celebration. So Britt and I went here together. We took a cab to the Gard du Nord in Paris and then took the Thalys (Belgium) high–speed train to the Midi Station in Brussels (1–hour 20–minute trip). I told Britt that since I was there last year that I really knew how to get around the city. She believed me––little did she know. The first test was finding the subway in the Midi Station, which we did. Britt was not too happy when, with my directions, we ended up on a train going in the wrong direction, and at the train’s last stop, we were told to get on a different train. But we did finally get off at the right Metro station and walk right across our street to our hotel, the Sheraton Towers. Britt used her Starwood miles to pay for three hotel nights and she got us an upgrade to a huge room. After checking in, we were on our way to the Grand Place. We asked the concierge for directions and he said to walk down the street to the Metro stop (we found out that there was one line going from the station across from the Sheraton and a different line much farther down the street). I asked if we could take a tram there and he said yes. We went over to the Metro station across the street to catch the tram. I really do not know how we got on a tram going in the wrong direction. I thought I had done well reading all the tram signs. We began to realize that we were on the wrong tram as we kept going and going and nothing looked familar and I then asked a passenger if we were. He said yes and told us to get off the tram and pointed to a spot on the street to wait for the correct tram. This we did, but then on the second tram Britt saw a tram map that told us that we were again going in the wrong direction. We asked another passenger for directions and got off the tram. But just to make sure that the directions were correct this time, I went up to four people on a bench and asked if anyone spoke English––one did, who confirmed the tram directions. I was just interested in “saving face” and getting us on the right tram and did not pay too much attention to the neighborhoods that we were finding ourselves in, but Britt noticed that we had been in highly Muslim neighborhoods and she was somewhat concerned that perhaps we would not be very welcomed there, especially when I asked in my American accent for directions. But no one bothered us and we got off the tram at the Bourse (the Belgian stock exchange building) stop, which was the name of the Metro stop that Eddie and I got off at when we took the Metro to the Grand Place. But where was the Bourse––I didn’t see it anywhere. So I asked for more directions from people on the street––they were Belgians who spoke English and were so kind in being concerned about us not being able to find our way and gave us explicit directions to the Grand Place. And we finally found it.
Grand Place
Grand Place
The Grand Place is considered to be the most beautiful square in Europe. Some of the buildings in it date back to the end of the 14th century, but most were built at the beginning of the 17th century. They are built in the Flemish Renaissance style. This photo is of the Maison du Roi, built in 1536 and redesigned in 1873. It was once the residence of Spanish monarchs (Belgium was once under Spanish rule). The Mannekin Pis musuem is in this building (more about Mannekin Pis in another album). There are two movies of the Grand Place. Eddie is in one of them. Go to Movies, Western Europe, Belgium, “Grand Place, Brussels” and “Eddie at Grand Place, Brussels.”
Grand Place
Grand Place
A closer up view of the Maison du Roi.
Grand Place
Grand Place
Gilded facades of the trade guild buildings.
Grand Place
Grand Place
More gilded facades of the trade guild buildings.
Grand Place
Grand Place
Hotel de Ville. The Hotel de Ville dates back to the end of the 14th century. It was built as a town hall (it is not a hotel).
Grand Place
Grand Place
Close–up view of the Hotel de Ville.
Grand Place
Grand Place
Another close–up view of the Hotel de Ville.
Grand Place
Grand Place
Another close–up view of the Hotel de Ville.
Grand Place
Grand Place
Another view of the Grand Place. The crane was in the same spot last year! In the summer, the Grand Place is full of tourists and the sidewalk cafes are filled. Brussels has a festive atmosphere in the tourist season, but off–season, which was now, it lost part of its allure. This is one city and country that you will want to visit at the same time most other people are.
Grand Place
Grand Place
Another view of the Grand Place. I have made a slideshow of some of my photos of the Grand Place. Go to Slide Shows, Western Europe, Belgium, “Grand Place, Belgium.”
Grand Place
Grand Place
Britt and I had lunch at this restaurant in the Grand Place. She tried a real Belgian dish called Waterzooi, which is a stew of chicken or fish boiled in their stock with cream and white wine added. Britt had the chicken Waterzooi and said it tasted much like a chicken pot pie without the crust.
Grand Place
Off the Grand Place
On one of the streets right off the Grand Place are small restaurants with outside tables serving Middle Eastern, Chinese, etc., food. Food is much cheaper here. Eddie and I had something in a pita when we were here.
Off the Grand Place
Off the Grand Place
This is the same street as in the last photo, but in the other direction. You can see the spire of the Hotel de Ville.
Off the Grand Place
Brussels City Tour
Britt had lost all confidence that I could get us anywhere that we wanted to visit, so she insisted that we take the Brussels Get–on and Get–off City Tour Bus, which we did. We saw some sights from the bus on our way to Avenue Louise. This is of the Eglise St–Jacques–sur–Coudenberg, which has an 18th century facade. We have now reached the Upper Town. Brussels has a Lower Town, where the Grand Place is located and also our hotel, and an Upper Town, where we now were.
Brussels City Tour
Brussels City Tour
I don’t know what this statue of called, but it is where you can get a good view of the Lower Town.
Brussels City Tour
Brussels City Tour
We got off the bus at Avenue Louise. This is the area where Eddie and I stayed last year. We walked past the street where we ate most of our dinners. The tables on the street are in front of a wine cafe. All of the many other tables that were there in front of the restaurants last year seem to have been put away until next touist season.
Brussels City Tour
Teddy L
This is the main place I wanted to revisit. Eddie and I ate almost all our breakfasts here when we were in Brussels (our hotel was just down the street). We also often stopped by again for coffee and pastry on our way back from sightseeing at the end of the day. The same shop clerk was still there. Britt and I had coffee and pastries here. I am a big pastry eater and I guarantee that Teddy L sells the best pastries in the world.
Teddy L
Teddy L
The street side window of Teddy L.
Teddy L
Teddy L
Display of pastries inside Teddy L.
Teddy L
Brussels City Tour
We got back on the city tour bus. This photo shows the old and the new in Brussels.
Brussels City Tour
Brussels City Tour
This arch was to be building for the 1880 Art and Industry Expo, but wasn’t completed until 1905. It is at the Parc du Cinquantenaire.
Brussels City Tour
Brussels City Tour
The Atomium. This was built for the 1958 World Fair. Today, it is a small museum.
Brussels City Tour
Brussels City Tour
Chateau Royal, the Belgian Royal Residence.
Brussels City Tour
Brussels City Tour
Street scene of Brussels seen from the bus. One of the stops for this bus was the Place Rogier, right next to the Sheraton, so we got off here. Britt asked the concierge for a recommendation for a restaurant for dinner. He told us to go to the Fish Market, which is an area with many seafood restaurants. We took his advice and had a very good dinner there.
Brussels City Tour
Another Close-up of the Palace
Close–up of the Palace of Septimius Severus.
