CHOCOLATE. WAFFLES. BEER.Those three words were the only thing anyone ever told be about Brussels and Belgium in general, but after spending a day exploring the capital, I think the most beautiful thing this city has to offer is architecture. BRUSSLES-NOORDI got off the train from Leuven at Brussels-Noord (Literally translated North Brussels) in order to get a feel for the less touristy parts of the city. I was a little disappointed at first because it was mostly filled with office buildings, a few unimpressive sky scrapers and chain restaurants. Reminded me a bit of Jersey city. Then I came across this gorgeous cathedral and knew I wasn't in America anymore. This was just a taste of the truly stunning architecture that makes Brussels one of the most beautiful cities I've seen. BRUSSLES-CENTRALYou would think this gorgeous ceiling was found in a museum, but it's actually just a shopping mall. Brussels really goes all out when it comes to staying true to its roots. Just one of hundreds of the quaint little side streets twisting through the city. At this moment the air was filled with the sound of accordion music and some extremely hearty singing from a soccer team relaxing at a pub behind me. Some Belgian delicacies. GRAND PLACEWhen I walked into the Grand Place, I felt like I entered a different time zone. All these buildings are over 600 years old. The tiny intricacies on the fronts, the thousands of miniature sculptures lacing the pillars...truly astounding. I had never stood on anything older than 242 years before this. True European living. MONT DES ARTSStumbled across this majestic garden while making my way to the Museum of Natural Sciences. Later I learned this is the Mont des Arts of Kunstberg, meaning "hill of the arts". Many of the surrounding buildings are art museums and libraries. I was pleasantly surprised to find a wall of street art just beyond the Mont des Arts. The juxtaposition of the old and new proved to be a striking mix. BRUSSLES PARKWrapped up my day by going through Brussels Park. Definitely not Central Park level size wise, but arguably as beautiful and relaxing. Treated myself to a Belgian chocolate laying out on the grass. I don't know this couple, but I felt that their attitude perfectly reflected the atmosphere of the city for the day. Since it was a Sunday, most people were relaxing, sitting around at cafes or in parks, no one at all in a hurry to do anything. It was a foreign feeling to see a "calm" city as New York seems to be bustling and stressed any day of the week. That is definitely a common theme I've noticed so far; Europeans are way more chill than Americans. Hope I can take some of that home with me. In summary, Brussels was an amazing first adventure destination. Amazing views, beautiful streets, gorgeous art, quite vibes. I did try some chocolate and beer, definitely some of the best I've ever had, but didn't get around to trying the waffles so I guess I'll be back soon.
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I've always been quite adverse to travel blogs, but if I'm being honest, that's just because I'm jealous of other people's adventures. Now that I'm actually embarking on my own, I've become that annoying American full of "#wanderlust", boring the world with incoherent ramblings about "experience" and "culture". I'll be the first to admit this is about as cliche as it gets, but its also a necessary evil. I will be using this blog as a way to document my travels in Europe as I was lucky enough to be accepted into a theoretical research program in Belgium for the summer.
So far, my trip has already been full of surprises. Due to a delay on my flight to Reykjavik Iceland, I missed my connecting flight to Brussels Belgium and am now camped out at the Keflavík Airport until I can board a flight to Paris then take a train to Brussels from which I can take another train to Leuven, my final destination. I'm not particularly stressed, (though neither I nor WOW air is sure where my luggage is at the moment...) just tired from pulling an all nighter. Overall, travel is all that I expected. Adventurous, slightly uncomfortable, fairly annoying, physically taxing, and going perfectly not to plan. |
AuthorAmy Renne Archives
September 2018
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