At check-out today, the hotel clerk asked us what we thought of the weather. Kinda reminds us of fall at home….jeans and a light sweatshirt weather. Guess they’ve had a spell of colder, wetter weather recently. Normally it’s warmer and nicer here in the summer. Who knew? We enjoyed Amsterdam anyway! Now on to Brussels!
1st Official Eurorail Trek
Today started as a day of rookie transportation mistakes. We always say we’ll try to take the train instead of renting a car. Now we remember why we prefer the latter even though we came out even by the end of the day.
- Kate & Joe 0, Rail System 2…Strike 1: We forgot to check the Sunday train schedule only to learn that the train leaves once per hour from Zaandam to Centraal. Strike 2: Finally found a place where Pin/Chip cards are almost exclusively used yet we can’t seem to ever figure out how to use ours. Maybe we’re swiping it wrong?!
- K&J 1, Rail 2: the luggage lockers in Brussels Central were super easy to find and use. We got 2 suitcases and a tote in one locker for 4 euros for the day! Maybe the trains are user-friendly.
- K&J 2, Rail 2: Ticket sales clerk directs us to the wrong platform…good thing we know how to read these Euro train schedules!
Brussels…the 8-hour tour
Brussels is somewhat low on must-see sights, but high on eating. Yet, somehow, we managed to spend 8 hours here! Definitely worth a day trip to walk around and eat! Side note: Not sure if homelessness and poverty are high here, but beggars are noticeable just about everywhere here…as anxious for the Belgian treats as all the tourists.
Highlights:
- Cathedral Sainte Michele: This Gothic Church was like something out of the Middle Ages complete with the Crusaders’ cross on every pillar, and stained glass windows depicting all things medieval including kings, queens, knights, and castles. Attended 12:30pm Mass in French…excellent pamphlets with today’s readings and songs. Only problem…I can’t pronounce French to save my life! Organist was top-notch…nothing like hearing Mozart and Bach at Sunday Mass!
- Grand Place: Wow-factor totally sets in when you round the corner and step into Brussels’ main square. The Gothic décor of the buildings around you is stunning! Kinda like Madrid’s Plaza Mayor meets Munich’s Marienplatz. The Town Hall was so tall, I couldn’t even get it to fit in all of my pictures.
- Manneken-Pis: The peeing boy fountain is so much smaller than all the pictures make him out to be, yet he’s a superstar! Today he was naked so no neat costumes, but it was entertaining to see anyway.
- Upper Town Walk: Some of our favorites included Notre-Dame du Sablon’s beautifully dressed statue of Mary in lace, the statue of Gerardus Mercator in Place du Petit Sablon (leave it up to the Belgians to think of logical ideas like the world as a sphere/globe and fine chocolates), Place Royale & Godfrey de Bouillon statue (leader of the 1st Crusade), and the outdoor summer music festival in front of the Palace Royale.
Food:
· Subway: Day 3 and we already broke down and got Subway. Bottom line…it’s all about the value….and the fact that we thought it was a good idea to have something in our stomachs besides chocolate and fries.
· Neuhaus: One of Brussels’ upscale chocolate shops and supposedly the creator of the praline. 100g for 5.50 = worth every Euro! Rich and delicious, especially on Grand Place!
· Gaufres…Waffle Factory vs Funambule Waffles: I’ve already forgotten about Amsterdam’s pancakes and I’ve moved on to smaller, but better things: fresh, Liege-style waffles with chocolate! The batter here even has pure sugar baked into i! So delicious! Final Verdict: Funambule for the better chocolate and price!
· Friterie: Friets with curry ketchup…a tasty treat! Which is better…mayo or curry ketchup? Next time…we’re trying both together!
Language: Although people know English, it certainly isn’t the preferred language…typical of French speakers. Might have heard Flemish, too, but we didn’t recognize it.
Unfinished Business: Carpet of flowers on the Grand Place every other August (picture oriental rug made of flowers covering the square), European Parliament headquarters, Atomium and Mini-Europe, mussels for Joe…and of course more waffles, chocolate and friets!
Lodging: Etap Hotel Brugge…very convenient for train travelers, small but clean budget hotel, uncomfortable bed, easy bus ride to the center (1.10 Euro each way)
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