Recollection on Brussels
This was a piece of old article from FT, with the author describing Brussels beyond the touristic view, giving you a glimpse of the way of life and the ironic truth of Brussels...
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...the industrial Charleroi canal with a small and enthusiatic crowd, taking in a free jazz concert on the sodden remains of the Belgian capital's summer "beach"...
...while the French capital has its Paris Plage beach laid out along the well-heeled banks of the River Seine, the Brussels authorities long ago decided to bury their own River Senne in a concrete conduit somewhere underground...
Indeed there is no fantastic river view in Brussels, neither can you go for romantic stroll by the river, because the river banks are mostly occupied by industrial activities. And indeed Paris has its own beach in Le Touquet, which gains its identity by being 'part' of Paris, not sure if there are other Paris' beaches?
Mentioning about buried canals, have been to the Antwerp Underground to explore those once-glory-golden-age-canals. Indeed, most canals have been vaulted since the olden days, and all history then disappeared underground.
...while the French capital has its Paris Plage beach laid out along the well-heeled banks of the River Seine, the Brussels authorities long ago decided to bury their own River Senne in a concrete conduit somewhere underground...
Indeed there is no fantastic river view in Brussels, neither can you go for romantic stroll by the river, because the river banks are mostly occupied by industrial activities. And indeed Paris has its own beach in Le Touquet, which gains its identity by being 'part' of Paris, not sure if there are other Paris' beaches?
Mentioning about buried canals, have been to the Antwerp Underground to explore those once-glory-golden-age-canals. Indeed, most canals have been vaulted since the olden days, and all history then disappeared underground.
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Once the sun goes down, and when the people get out from office, (ironically) the shops are already closed, usually that is around 6pm. By then, only the restaurants and bars are opened, and these are some of the entertainments left.
Many times in the week, a few of us will chill out in the bars, sipping Hoegaarden blanche, crapping about life, moving from one bar to another, till the wee hours and we walk home then. I guess this is what it means by the 'pub-culture'.
...it boasts one of Europe's most spectacular squares - the Grand Place - but after that you are struggling to name many "must-see" tourist attractions...
...the Mannekin Pis, the famous pissing boy, is a suitably offbeat statue to sum up Brussels' spirit...
...then there is the Atomium, that monument to the nuclear age, miles out of the centre of town...
...there is a good fine arts museum, a compelling but creepy Africa museum devised by King Leopold II to showcase his Congo empire and a cheerful museum to celebrate Belgium's love affair with strip cartoons...
Very nicely written summary of the must-see sights! Not forgetting that the Musical Instruments Museum (MIM) is also one of the interesting museums around in town.
...the Mannekin Pis, the famous pissing boy, is a suitably offbeat statue to sum up Brussels' spirit...
...then there is the Atomium, that monument to the nuclear age, miles out of the centre of town...
...there is a good fine arts museum, a compelling but creepy Africa museum devised by King Leopold II to showcase his Congo empire and a cheerful museum to celebrate Belgium's love affair with strip cartoons...
Very nicely written summary of the must-see sights! Not forgetting that the Musical Instruments Museum (MIM) is also one of the interesting museums around in town.
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...the lack of specific things to see is one of Brussels' biggest charms...
...once you've done the Grand Place, equip yourself with a glass of Chimay Bleue beer on a street terrace and settle back and enjoy the city's laid-back and unrefined ways...
...once you've done the Grand Place, equip yourself with a glass of Chimay Bleue beer on a street terrace and settle back and enjoy the city's laid-back and unrefined ways...
...because this is Brussels, the authentic 19th-century bar atmosphere you encounter across the city is not some recreation of the past, but is simply the way things have always been...
Once the sun goes down, and when the people get out from office, (ironically) the shops are already closed, usually that is around 6pm. By then, only the restaurants and bars are opened, and these are some of the entertainments left.
Many times in the week, a few of us will chill out in the bars, sipping Hoegaarden blanche, crapping about life, moving from one bar to another, till the wee hours and we walk home then. I guess this is what it means by the 'pub-culture'.
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...the informality and shambolic nature of the city comes as a surprise to many who imagine the self-styled "capital of Europe" to be an anodyne place inhabited by eurocrats and dominated by concrete and glass office blocks...
...its real glory lies elsewhere, in the crooked and shabby streets of Ixelles and St Gilles, the stunning art nouveau neighbourhoods of Schaerbeek, the central African street life of Matonge, or the hedonistic nightlife around the old fish dock at St Catherine...
Indeed, there are not many high-rise buildings in Brussels, not high enough nor pretty enough to contribute to any skyline of the city. In fact nothing can beat the beauty of the Town Hall building from the Grand Place. Once you enter the Grand Place, it's just 'wow' and you will just stop to absorb everything you can see and feel. When I close my eyes now, I can still feel that kind of feelings, that is beyond description...
Mentioning about Ixelles, my good old neighbourhood...it will be a much prettier place if the construction works can be wiped out quickly! Ixelles, there is a church standing by the side of the square, many nice cafes and bars overlooking the lake, with willows spilling onto the side of the lake. It's just very comfortable to take a stroll along the lake... :)
...its real glory lies elsewhere, in the crooked and shabby streets of Ixelles and St Gilles, the stunning art nouveau neighbourhoods of Schaerbeek, the central African street life of Matonge, or the hedonistic nightlife around the old fish dock at St Catherine...
Indeed, there are not many high-rise buildings in Brussels, not high enough nor pretty enough to contribute to any skyline of the city. In fact nothing can beat the beauty of the Town Hall building from the Grand Place. Once you enter the Grand Place, it's just 'wow' and you will just stop to absorb everything you can see and feel. When I close my eyes now, I can still feel that kind of feelings, that is beyond description...
Mentioning about Ixelles, my good old neighbourhood...it will be a much prettier place if the construction works can be wiped out quickly! Ixelles, there is a church standing by the side of the square, many nice cafes and bars overlooking the lake, with willows spilling onto the side of the lake. It's just very comfortable to take a stroll along the lake... :)
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...everywhere does excellent food and you soon come to understand the city's reputation for combining French food with Germanic portions...
...Belgium has a Catholic sensuality and enjoyment of the good things in life often absent in the Protestant Netherlands to the north...
...to see what I mean, compare a meal in Dutch-speaking Antwerp and the bland fare on offer across the border in Amsterdam...
...Brussels - which lays claim to serving the world's best beer, chocolate and beer - should have easy access to the confessional box to repent for these guiltiest of pleasures...
Not forgetting the frites are pretty famous too! In fact, it's not so much about the frites, but it's the fact that there are many sauces that goes with it that makes it special. In a way, the sauces take precedence over the main frites itself.
Also my waffles too! :) It's warm and cozy to grab a steaming waffle from the road-side stall and munch your way through the cold winter evening...nice
*More details here*
...Belgium has a Catholic sensuality and enjoyment of the good things in life often absent in the Protestant Netherlands to the north...
...to see what I mean, compare a meal in Dutch-speaking Antwerp and the bland fare on offer across the border in Amsterdam...
...Brussels - which lays claim to serving the world's best beer, chocolate and beer - should have easy access to the confessional box to repent for these guiltiest of pleasures...
Not forgetting the frites are pretty famous too! In fact, it's not so much about the frites, but it's the fact that there are many sauces that goes with it that makes it special. In a way, the sauces take precedence over the main frites itself.
Also my waffles too! :) It's warm and cozy to grab a steaming waffle from the road-side stall and munch your way through the cold winter evening...nice
*More details here*
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