[Note - this blog post takes its inspiration from The New York Times standard '36 hours in [destination]' travel writing style].
SATURDAY (January 5th, 2013)
-7AM-
Check-in on the Eurostar for a quick 2 hour train ride from London to Brussels and make hit list of things to do!
-10:15AM-
Arrival at Brussels Midi Station - a quick 2 stops away from the old town centre.
-11AM-
Grab a bag of 10 freshly made chouquettes (pastry puffs dotted with sugar) at Bakkerij Charli, a cute bakery run by a former Michelin sous chef. Their breads looked amazing and their home made jam is supposedly top notch.
-11:30AM-
Check-in to the Welcome Hotel - a little funky, somewhat tacky but well located hotel in the old town.
-1PM-
-2:30PM-
Grab some dessert and espressos at Maison Dandoy, a local biscuit shop known for their fresh, made to order (not reheated) waffles in the old town. They offer 2 types - Liège, a chewy brioche dough waffle with melted sugar pearls or Belgian, a light and airy waffle dusted lightly with icing sugar. We opted for the Liège, knowing full well this was not our only waffle stop on this trip. Kanu figures his lifelong love of waffles must have come from the three years spent living in Brussels as a toddler (Mum confirmed this)!
(We did come back to Dandoy the next evening before catching our train back to London - did full justice as the pictures below testify)
-3:30PM-
Take in the full beauty of Grand Place - the central old town square, which author Victor Hugo described as 'the most beautiful square in the world'. The square is anchored on one side by the massive Town Hall with a stunning tower and a row of 'guild' houses and famous estates on either side. Guild houses were sort of industry association hubs for various professions who controlled trade of their goods in the city - butchers, brewers, cabinetmakers, bakers etc. Each adorned their buildings with statues and art that represented their trade or principles in some way.
-4:30PM-
Visit the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert - a glass covered bourgeois shopping arcade filled with bespoke jewellery, furniture and chocolate shops. Needless to say, it's more of a look-don't-buy type of place but still very pretty!
-5:30PM-
Although we'd loved to have tredged right on, getting up at 5:00am hit our bodies hard so a short rest and relaxation session at the hotel was required - hello thirties :)
Head over for dinner to La Fin de Siecle - a non descript, un-signed restaurant known for good food and great ambience! The verdict - Beef cheek stew was so so (unfortunately beef cheek was just too stringy for us), Rabbit in Kriek (a Belgian cherry beer) delicious and the beer - smooth and strong!
-9PM-
Stroll Brussels by night - walked by the tiny and strangely old faced Manneken Pis (peeing boy - the Belgian sure do have a funny sense of humour) without any crowds, saw the Grand Place illuminated by lights and checked out the goodies at the Christmas market where mulled wine (and harder stuff) keeps the party going late into the night.
-11PM-
.... lets just say it was our anniversary ;)
SUNDAY (January 6th, 2013)
-10:00AM-
Get ready in the morning and find my hubby of 7 years has bought champagne and orange juice to start our day with home-made mimosas!
-12:00PM-
Visit Marolles District - a traditionally working-class neighbourhood walking distance from the old town that is gentrifying with loads of vintage furniture shops, galleries and bars. The main street leads to a massive square that is home to an open-air flea market on Sunday mornings. Browsed all sorts of old random household knick knacks laid out on the ground - cups, glasses, books, clothes, trinkets and even a vintage miniature iron waffle maker used on open flame. Thought we may stumble upon some classic gem of an item to buy, but it wasn't so.
-1:00PM-
Break for lunch at Restobieres restaurant near the flea market. Tuck into a local dish called 'waterzooi' - chicken in a stew of leeks, potatoes, bouillon, cream and egg yolks. It was quite tasty - hot, light and nicely flavoured. Washed it down with a local beer and ended with a chocolate mousse and we were good to go.
-2:30PM-
Walked by an enormous classical looking building - the Palais du Justice (court house) - that spans what seems like an entire city block. This was one of the largest building in Europe in 1883 when it was completed, but understandably not very popular at the time given it required moving people and demolishing a part of the existing neighbourhood. Very imposing and characterful building though, with great views of the city from the top of the hill on which it sits.
-3:00PM-
Visit the Victor Horta Museum - the house of a famous Brussels architect who was an early pioneer of the Art Noveau movement. The house is located in an upscale neighbourhood that has a few other Art Noveau houses dotted along some of the side streets. Horta's house is a medley of curvy lines - windows, iron staircase railings, ceilings, skylights - and soft warm colours of brown and peach. The rooms are decorated with pieces of furniture (lamps, beds, tables) designed by Horta himself in the same style - all looked quite modern for over a 100 years ago!
-4:00PM-
An obligatory chocolate break at the flagship boutique of chocolatier Pierre Marcolini - a glitzy shop in Sablon - definitely a posh part of Brussels. Apparently he is the only Belgian chocolatier who controls and oversees the entire process for his chocolates from 'bean-to-box'. Scoured the glass encased goodies and picked up a bag of 6 chocolates for 'now' and a box to take home.
-7:00PM-
Back at Brussels Midi station to catch the Eurostar back to London!
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| Vijiti showing off her Christmas market goodies (cake moulds) |
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