Monday, 29-July-2024, through Saturday, 03-August-2024
I’ve gotten to really enjoy my walks from the train station to whatever airbnb, vrbo, or hotel I’m staying in. It’s a nice switch-up; I’ve got heavy bags to keep my body occupied, and I’ve got a new city to gaze out over to keep my mind occupied.
It’s a nice change of pace after a long train ride, and one of the few chances I have on this adventure to really get a good workout with heavy(ish) weights… definitely a grand combo, and one that I found myself reflecting on as I walked from the Brussels train station, through town, to my rental unit for the week.
I didn’t really have any expectations for what Brussels would be like – Belgium isn’t particularly high up on the list of “countries they teach us about” in New England, and Oregon wasn’t any better with including Belgium or Brussels into popular culture. I knew about Belgian Chocolates, and waffles… but truth be told I didn’t really make those connections until I was walking.
As I passed through the streets, though, the connection became clear. Chocolate shops, waffle shops, one after another, all interspersed with the ubiquitous tourist stores. I saw signs for the Atomium, which I hadn’t heard of (but made a note to see), for the European Parliament (which was interesting, but not interesting enough to make a plan to see), and a plethora of gothic and baroque architecture.
Churches, government buildings, all of them – not quite the opulence of Vienna, but at least equal to Warsaw or Krakow… if not a little bit more so? It was gorgeous, and very noticeable – adding a lovely sense of grandeur to my walk.
Soon enough I was at my destination, settled in, and ready to explore this beautiful city that I found myself in. The capital of Europe, and my final adventure before landing at my destination…
I started with food.
Belgium, Brussels specifically, had some excellent food – and people seemed to enjoy it a lot. Everywhere I went, from the early evening until late at night, was packed with people. Sitting by the fountains sipping drinks, chatting with friends while eating, a whirling mix of languages that somehow seemed more chaotic than any of the other cities I’d been in thus far. It was lovely, and I had a blast exploring the different culinary options:
- Woodpecker 47 – I had a fun time at this brunch spot. It was solid food; a good brunch, but nothing too standout from any of the other spots I’ve broken my fast at. What was interesting was the interaction I had here – There was a long line, and I noticed that the person behind me was alone as well… so I invited her to sit with me at my table! She accepted, and we shared a quiet brunch together. No real conversation, aside from an exchange of names, but still. I’m proud of helping people get fed more quickly, for optimizing restaurant space, and most importantly for putting myself out there and being social!
- Izzy – Simple and fun coffee shop, with a similar story to Woodpecker! I was chatting with the Barista while she was making me a rather excellent flavored latte, and asked about some signs that I’d seen around town – it seemed that everywhere I went, there was a poster for the “Harry Potter world of magic experience”… I could google it, of course, but that didn’t fit with my attempts to be more social… so I asked her about it! She hadn’t heard of it, but said she’d love to check it out… so we exchanged numbers, and ended up seeing it together! Woo!
- Bij den Boer – This was a really neat looking restaurant near where I was staying, and I was excited to try Moule Frites here – mussels with fries! Unfortunately… not so great. They weren’t bad, per se, but I wouldn’t recommend getting them here.
- Café Begijn – Unlike the above, this place I heartily recommend! Great breakfast, amazing meatballs (not quite as good as my Grandmas, or the ones in Stockholm, but damn close!), and excellent coffee!
- La Cave du Roy – I honestly can’t remember what I had here. I could pretty easily look at photos to figure it out, but I’m going to take that as a sign for this review – it was fine, but not particularly memorable. Grand location with a great view, though.
Wait! I had frog legs here, for the first time ever! They were okay. Worth having once, sort of like the various Greenlandic dishes I tried, but I won’t be seeking it out again. - Cafe Lloyd – Simple and delicious breakfast; couldn’t ask for more.
- Café du Sablon – Good spot for a quick coffee, a pastry, and getting some postcards written up
- House of Ribs N Grill – I’d say this was probably my favorite restaurant in Brussels. All you can eat baby back ribs… I didn’t know this was an option, but holy crap it was good. Add in some fancy beer, and I was in carnivorous heaven.
- Atomium Café – Cafe at the top of the Atomium, from the 1958 worlds fair! Good food, fair price for the location, and amazing views. Fully recommend.
- Brasserie Le Cerf – Pretty solid. As many may know, I really enjoy making a variation on Steak au pouvre – so when I saw that on their specials board, I had to try it out! Was good – not quite as much to my taste as what I make, but it was definitely solid and worth the visit.
Ohh… What else to say about Brussels?
I already mentioned the amazing architecture, and made passing comments about the beautiful street art and massive murals… It was a really amazingly lovely city, through and through. It was quiet, too, which was a bit unexpected and extremely appreciated. It added to the sense of serenity and relaxation that I so desperately appreciated here, at the end of my grand adventure…
