Day 1 in Brussels

After successfully arriving at my hostel and unable to check-in yet, I had a lay down on the couch killing time until the 2pm walking tour. Bored and looking a bit shabby sleeping in the hostel lounge, I took a walk about the Old Town, exploring the little streets and shops.

There is a big area that is currently shut off to traffic, making a giant pedestrian zone in the centre of town. It's awesome! People rule the roads here, there are bands playing in the street and picnic tables set up for the public.

My biggest gripe about London is that if feels like it’s very commercialised / chainy. You can’t walk down a street or pass a corner without finding a Boots, Pret, Eat, Starbucks, McDonalds, H&M or Primark. The small independent businesses and ideas seem to be very well hidden, if they exist at all.

In Brussels, at least in the areas I saw, small independent businesses ruled. There was everything from record stores, assorted bookstores, galleries, a variety of cafes and eateries, waffle shops galore! Everywhere you turned there was something different to see. Maybe it was old, maybe it was new, but it was great.

At 2pm I headed to the Grand Palace to meet for the Sandman walking tour. Sandman tours are usually pretty good, but today’s wasn’t the best, but it was a tough crowd and it rained most of the time. Anyway off we went, exploring and learning all about Brussels!

According to the website we saw :- Grand Place, Town Hall, Masion du Roi, Comic Art Scene, The Stock Exchange, Manneken Pis, The Monnaie Opera, St Nicolas’ Church, River Senne, The Royal Square and Montn des Arts. We also saw the rene magritte museum, the museum of musical instruments and this giant garden looking down onto the city.

Cool facts I learnt:
Belgium holds the record for the longest period a country has gone without a government in power haha : 589 days! After a while the people had enough, so they took to the streets naked, just going about their daily business in order to force the parties to work together again

The cathedral is not straight as so many people were working on different parts

At the back of the Notre Dame you can see several different styles of architecture, that is because it was build over several centuries, due to no money

In the market we saw Karl Marx's house, the Beer Union house, the museum were the Nazi's once lived. We learnt about a statue that the French soldiers knighted when they were in town back in the day. Now every time a French solider walks past they must sault it haha.

I’m sure there were others, but I’ve forgotten

At the end of the walking tour the sun finally showed it’s face, so I had a walk about town, making my way back to my hostel to check-in and secure a bed. On the way I stopped off for a waffle and French fries (they actually say that every time). After a short nap I headed out to find a restaurant called :

Tonight I would be eating Belgium stew, which is like beef bourbinga, except made with beer instead of wine. And drinking the accompanying beer. It was a place recommended by the tour guide. It was delicious. Brussels, you go alright.Read more