Enjoyed some fairly spectacular lightning and thunder as we slept. Jo got up to watch the show.
After charting out routes via Google Maps and Routenet Routeplanner, we decided to walk from our hotel to la Grand Place. We diligently made pdf copies of the various maps and close-up of maps and then hurriedly scrawled the directions onto a sheet of paper.
Aside from the anxiety of trying to navigate without a good map through some less than upscale neighborhoods, we noted the accurate perception shared by nephew-in-law Dunstin that Brussels is a dirty city. There is trash almost everywhere. Can't really tell if this is due to lack of care by the residents or lack of city services to pick up the overflowing trash receptacles.
There are also very clearly defined ethnic neighborhoods. Starting from our hotel we went through the Arab-Islamic, African, and then Chinese areas until we hit the more Euro-American tourist center. With the trash, general disorder in the traffic (which also translates to the way grocery stores are "organized"), make-shift retail kiosks, several (women mostly) in full-blown traditional costumes of various non-European regions, coffee houses that were clearly men's only establishments; some of the neighborhoods we were unclear what country, or even continent, we were in.
After charting out routes via Google Maps and Routenet Routeplanner, we decided to walk from our hotel to la Grand Place. We diligently made pdf copies of the various maps and close-up of maps and then hurriedly scrawled the directions onto a sheet of paper.
Aside from the anxiety of trying to navigate without a good map through some less than upscale neighborhoods, we noted the accurate perception shared by nephew-in-law Dunstin that Brussels is a dirty city. There is trash almost everywhere. Can't really tell if this is due to lack of care by the residents or lack of city services to pick up the overflowing trash receptacles.
There are also very clearly defined ethnic neighborhoods. Starting from our hotel we went through the Arab-Islamic, African, and then Chinese areas until we hit the more Euro-American tourist center. With the trash, general disorder in the traffic (which also translates to the way grocery stores are "organized"), make-shift retail kiosks, several (women mostly) in full-blown traditional costumes of various non-European regions, coffee houses that were clearly men's only establishments; some of the neighborhoods we were unclear what country, or even continent, we were in.
The tour, even though self-guided, was wonderful. Unfortunately there wasn't much customer service during the tasting portion so we left with a sour taste, that wasn't attributable to the beer.
| After a wrong turn (corrected after pulling out the laptop, which at 13 inches now seems incredibly bulky and heavy - we now are a bit more appreciative of smart phones, iPads and other portable G5 devices), we made our way to the Brewery Cantillon for a self-guided tour of what is purported to be the only open fermentation lambic brewery still functioning in Belgium. They rely solely upon wild yeast to ferment the beer and bacteria to provide the unique sourness. Unlike all other brewers who are incredibly vigilant in preventing the wort from being "spoiled" by infestation, this brewery relies upon it, opting to cool the hot wort overnight in an shallow, uncovered cooling tun that is relatively open to the elements. |
| Then onto the Grand Place. Suddenly lots of American being spoken all around us. We looked into buying a better map but, at 10 euro, we balked. We roamed around, checked out the Maurice Bejart museum, went into some chocolatiers and then went to find A La Bécasse which features their lambics in a very small, hidden away pub that has at least as many locals as tourists. We had a lovely cheese/bread plate and a "Degustation Palette" sampler of their four house lambics and, since it had started raining again, had a "Melange" blending lambic and peach beers in a clay pitcher. We found our way to the Delirium bar/village/complex that holds the world's record for most bottled beers (over 3,100 different kinds). We enjoyed a couple beers on outside tables (still a little wet from the rain), meeting a man from Virginia whose over 100 member a cappella choir had just finished their tour of Europe. We took him to A La Bécasse and then tried to find Bier Circus. We arrived before they opened for dinner so took the Metro back (without clear maps or directions how to get to our hotel). We, of course, didn't take a direct walking route back to the hotel. The next morning we decided to take in the Royal art museums. We started with the Old Masters which also had "curator's choice" of the Modern collection which was closed due to asbestos retrofitting. About four hours later we were tired and sated (absolutely loved the Pieter Bruegel the Elder paintings as they connect with Jo's MFA research of the dance epidemics). Loved the Bosch's as well, although not as many represented. Brueghel and Bosch must have been eating the same moldy rye bread (permeated with ergot, the natural precursor to LSD, the hallucinogen that was prevalent during the time). The paintings are a trip. All in all, we are most attracted to the Flemish painters. Stopped into the museum shop for a few purchases and then walked towards the Grand Place. We found that our first impression of Brussels was a bit unfair. It isn't all dirty - just parts of it are. We had a lovely walk through parks that were clean and well maintained (though we thought their landscaping choices could have been better). Again by the Delirium, we had a cheese bowl and a beer. The novelty was gone and it seemed just a big tourist trap so we then made our way back to the Metro station and back to the hotel. We enjoyed our trip to Belgium but are glad to be going home to Riga. |