Photos corresponding with this entry can be found here.
(94) is Saturday, 10 April 2010
We're getting to that point in my abroad experience where I will go quite some time without staying in one place for more than a week. Which, as we're about to see, can be pretty rockin' awesome.
I got up way too early to make the bus at 6h30 at Opera Garnier, but I met up with a few friends from the Vassar-Wesleyan program. Here's the cast of this weekend's episode:
Corinne
Lucien
Molly
Max
Carryn
Jean
Me
We took a 4-hour-or-so bus ride (which featured a gorgeous sunrise, unlike the cloud-ridden one to Mont-St-Michel) that landed us at the south end of Bruges at 11:30 or so. First thing was a historical guided tour of the little city. It was okay... kind of obscure (included a nunnery, former poor housing run by another nunnery, and one of the canals). It was good to get a feel for the city, though, and we ended in the big square with the clock tower (where I'm given to understand most of the film In Bruges takes place). We now had three hours to spend as we chose.
We went back to the tiny little alleyway the tour guide had pointed out. While we didn't see the chocolate shop she mentioned (those were all on the various streets), it did have this neat little restaurant we decided to try. It started as a door with no clear view of the interior. But we go in. And then there's this classy-looking bar with a few indoor tables and, a few few steps later, a wooden patio with 20+ tables right on one of the canals. I'd recommend Eetcafe, but I can't seem to find it on the internet or tell you how to get there. Their house beer wasn't bad and I ordered a lasagna (don't ask me why) that was the best I'd had to date.
We then found a chocolate shop. Beautiful little place (check out the Facebook link at the top of the entry for proof) with really wonderful chocolate (and a free sample!). Unfortunately, I didn't get the name of this one, but you know the great thing about Belgium, and Bruges in particular? Walk into pretty much any chocolate shop that doesn't look like a chain (or one that does, if you prefer) and you'll almost certainly find great chocolate.
Back at the square, a few of us decided to go up the clock tower. Take the elevator if you can't deal with steep staircases. I'm 21 years old and reasonably healthy, and I still felt like James Stewart in Vertigo.
But the view from the top was great. It wasn't entirely panoramic, because they were renovating a bit of the top level,* but we still saw the city as well as a few energy windmills just outside it (am I the only one who thinks they look cool?). We found our way back down, back to the bus to meet up with the rest of the group and head to Brussels.
Bruges is an adorable little place. Although I wouldn't recommend spending more than two or three days there.
(94 ½) starts at 6 PM that day, upon our arrival in Brussels.
After settling in at the (inconveniently located) hostel, we found our way to the square at the city's center, which is rife with impressive large old buildings (see photos). We wandered for a bit and eventually found dinner: the biggest freaking pot of mussels I've ever had. And there were fries, of course-- this is Belgium. Moules Frites-- ask about it at the next bistro you go to.
After dinner, we found a bar we'd been recommended at the hostel; you can find Celtica here. Cheap local beer (or any kind of beer, really) and a lively crowd. We had a drink or two. I tried the local stuff. I think I like blonde people a lot better than blonde beer.
Well, I might as well spoil the ending: I spent this weekend trying beer and trying to like it-- I really did-- but it's just not my thing. I'll give it another shot when I go to Germany, but if I don't like it there, then that's that.
(95) is Sunday, 11 April 2010
We had most of the day to do as we pleased in Brussels. The seven of us headed for a reputed flea market away from the center of town. I had never really spent a lot of time at flea markets before, but I have to say I enjoyed it. It was a game "What will I find next?" I mostly looked but didn't touch, although I did end up spending a euro on this cool old key I found amid hundreds of others not quite like it. I don't typically go in for souvenirs for souvenirs' sake, but I liked this little guy. I imagined somebody else buying such a key and then going on a mysterious adventure trying to find the door it once opened.
We strolled back toward the main part of town, passing a few beautiful churches and cathedrals.** We even stopped into a little park with a fountain with frogs mating in the pond. Carryn saw fit to pick out one or two of the... shall we say "unoccupied"?... amphibians for a closer look.
Next stop: the Magritte museum. I love Magritte (most fun you may ever have on a google image search). Whenever I don't understand art or am not immediately taken with it (usually modern), my tendency is to simply laugh. Magritte and Surrealism make this delightfully easy. Each painting, odd without help, is teamed up with a title that has so little to do (at face value) with the image that I just can't keep it together. It's wonderful.***
So, exhibit's done, and we head down the hill from the museum to near where we had beer the previous night. It was long past lunchtime, and it is now long past time I explain to you the five food groups of Belgium:
--Chocolate
--Waffles
--Fries
--Beer
--Seconds
We got fries (that's frites in French, remember) and burgers at a sidewalk place and sat down to enjoy. I can't speak for everyone, but my burger was really just an excuse to make a meal out of the fries. We then moved one storefront over for waffles (welcome to Belgium), which needs no excuse ever. Fresh Beglian waffle with vanilla ice cream, strawberries and powdered sugar. Party like a rock star. We then went across the street to a chocolate shop for which the hostel had given us coupons. I got a few things to try and a little box for my host family.
After that, a few of us found-- are you ready for this? 'Cause I wasn't-- ruins in the middle of Brussels. Better yet, these were an indoor museum. Lucien was super-excited about this in his adorably enthusiastic way because he thought it was going to be like Indiana Jones. So, we went into a government-run (that's English for "legit") museum and bought tickets for the exhibit. The woman gave us a code to put in to get into the ruins. I think that set the tone rather nicely for this.
Well, we got down there. I don't really know how else to say this, but: Lucien's enthusiasm had been completely justified. The best part was that there weren't many boundaries. You just explored... great deal for 3 euros, and definitely goes on my list of Best Places to Play Laser Tag in Europe.
It was about 4:30 by the time we finished, and we had to get back to the bus by 6. We found another bar that had a HUGE variety of beers and a really cool converted-brewery sort of atmosphere. Delirium is a pretty big place, nestled away in a cul-de-sac amid a few alleys of restaurants (not unlike Paris's Latin Quarter). Right here if you're curious.
Here's the real reason I put "Seconds" on the list of food groups: I would very much like to come back. And next time, I'm going to see the Atomium.
-Andy
------------------------------------
Footnotes
* I don't know why they picked now, but about 1/3 of Europe is under renovation this semester. Saint Chappelle in Paris, this tower, and other things I would visit later. As Judy Bachrach (my best friend's journalist mother) would explain later, there's a great travel article to be written called "Except While You're Here," a guide to essential European attractions under renovation during your visit.
** I've been in Europe for four months now and I still don't know the difference.
*** On a serious note, I don't mean to make a mockery of this. I really do like Magritte and Surrealism, and there were even two or three paintings that spoke to me. Not literally. Although, if any school of painting would...
No comments:
Post a Comment