Brussels: the most beautiful city in Belgium – Road Trip in Belgium (5/5)
I’ve been to Brussels at least twice – but each time I forget what she looks like. I think that documenting my stay on the blog – at last – will help me remember this city better.
Note: this article is part of a series of blog posts about my road trip in Belgium. You can access the other parts here : 1st part, 2nd part, 3rd part, 4thpart
Part 1: Travel Diary
Part 2: Practical Tips
Part 1: Travel Diary
I don’t know why the other two times, my visit to Brussels didn’t really make an impression on me. Whereas this time, I feel like looking at it through a new prism and everything becomes much more beautiful. Maybe I had a point of comparison: Bruges, Antwerp, Ghent…., which are extremely picturesque cities – but none of their Grand-Places can match the one in Brussels.
This time, I have to visit Brussels alone because by mutual agreement, Mr. and I, instead of spending a whole day in Brussels with the 5 year old, decide to separate our paths here, just after Antwerp – so that the little one can go home and rest, and so that I can rest. I am still not used to children and am on the verge of burn-out. She will join me the next day, alone without the little one.
The containment against the coronavirus does not yet apply because at that time, Belgium was only registering about 50 cases, but supermarkets were already starting to be robbed. There are still a lot of tourists in the streets, some with masks (mainly Asian tourists).
The weather is fine and the facades are sparkling with a thousand lights. The gilded decorative elements can be seen a lot, it’s super beautiful! I think that the other times I visited the Grand Place at night or in the rain, I don’t remember noticing these absolutely exceptional elements.
There are a lot of waffle stores in the surrounding area. I find that Brussels waffles are a bit dry. They are very crispy but I feel like I haven’t eaten anything. That’s why in toppings, they don’t hesitate to put a lot of whipped cream, chocolate… between 3,5€ and 8€ depending on the number of toppings requested.
Jeanneke-Pis
The female counterpart of the Manneken Pis is hidden behind a protective grid. The fountain was erected in honor of fidelity. It is a very old custom to throw a coin into the fountain’s basin to obtain a favour
Manneken-Pis
It is the 1st time that I see the Manneken-Pis dressed! That makes all funny because his clothes are bigger than him. The funniest thing is to see a big group dressed just like him, taking pictures and looking very proud. I think it’s for the amateur soccer league or something like that, but we don’t have access to the dressing schedule anymore. You should know that the Manneken Pis is dressed about 130 days a year. There is a very small museum next door where you can see the original statue and some costumes
From the 15th to the 18th century, the figure of the Putto (“toddler”) urinating is fashionable in the arts and commonly used in Europe as a subject for fountains. Cupid, the god of love personified as a naked boy (winged or not), is often depicted relieving himself
Museum of figurines : MOOF Museum
I’ve already been to the Belgian Comic Strip Museum in Brussels and I didn’t remember much except Boule & Bill’s car. I’m not a fan of comics anyway. To innovate a bit, I went to the museum of figurines, hidden in a very lively district.
Here you will find all kinds of figurines: from the very small ones, available everywhere… to the collectible, numbered and signed figurines.
The quality of the figurines is irreproachable. There are even models of entire villages, recreating the world of comics. I really like this museum because when I was in high school, there was a miniature store not far away and I spent long hours looking at the display cases – which changed regularly and often had figurines from limited collections.
There is a section dedicated to animation in the 50s and 60s. The drawing was not made on paper but a kind of Plexiglas then superbly colored. We are also shown the vintage editing table, with separate films for image and sound… there isn’t much space dedicated to this part but the explanations are detailed
Galeries Royales Saint Hubert
It is the ideal place for window shopping. The most famous chocolatiers gather here, with some luxury watch and jewelry stores + vintage jewelry. Neuhaus claims to be the inventor of the praline. Leonidas has stores all over Belgium. But M. tells me that the best chocolate is at Godiva, because they put less sugar in their chocolate. At Godiva, I particularly like their metal box with chocolate balls, which is on sale for 4€.
On this, I go rather quickly to my inn, the time to do the laundry, to rest… The hostel is called Sleep Well Youth Hostel and I was able to find a room for women, with only 3 beds for 31€/night(link Booking). It’s very clean, 10mn walk from the central square and 15mn by metro from the Gare de Midi station, you can leave your luggage before check-in and the room is spacious.
The next day, I barely have time to have a hot chocolate with M. that I already have to take my Thalys to Germany.
Part 2: Practical Tips
Budget
- Youth Hostel: Sleep Well Youth Hostel(Booking link) 31€ for a bed in a small dormitory of 3 beds, for women
- Train Antwerp – Brussels : 7,5€
- Museum of figurines : MOOF Museum : 12€/person
- Subway in Brussels: 2,1€ per ticket (payment in coins or credit card)
