A Cycling Odyssey: Part II
It was actually in the Grand-Place that we had our obligatory culinary and calorie delight, a Belgian waffle covered in melted chocolate, strawberries, ice-cream and whipped cream
Days 3 & 4 ~ Antwerp to Brussels, Free Day in Brussels
Our cycle from Antwerp to Brussels was to incorporate a lunch break at the Duvel Brewery and we only had 50km to cover all told. The scenery was again very nice, but as it had been the day before. We cruised along cycle paths, along canals, over bridges and alongside green fields. Unfortunately, when we arrived at the brewery it was closed. We had to settle for drinking Duvel from the bar across the street, so really that was still close enough to source. We had a couple of rounds of our favourite card game, which for political reasons I’ll name as ‘Palace’ (google it and you’ll realise it is more commonly known by a cruder term), then we were on our way again. The other card game we particularly enjoyed on our trip was one known as ‘Prison Break’.
Once in Brussels we fell into our usual routine of briefly settling in before heading out once more to explore the city centre. Brussels felt similar to Antwerp, except on a bigger scale. Whereas Antwerp was compact, Brussels felt more sprawling, although not to the extent that you couldn’t see things travelling on foot. The plazas, which in Antwerp we readily accepted as ‘’as grand as you can get’’, became even grander. Fittingly, the main plaza in Brussels is known simply as the ‘Grand-Place’. It is an open square surrounded by splendid, expensive architecture, with the town hall, the museum and guildhalls all present. Whilst not obvious at first glance, it was pointed out to us that actually the splendid town hall is a botched job, as it is on closer inspection clearly asymmetrical. Some poor architect who forgot his ruler probably lost his head back in those days. The plaza is world-renowned for its flower carpet, an event which only happens every other year in August (the next being this coming August), where the entire plaza is decorated with planned flower designs.
Moving out from the Grand-Place, there is still plenty to see. I particularly enjoyed following the narrow stone alleyways lined with shops and bars, in search of all the things Belgium has made itself famous for, namely beer and chocolate. It was actually in the Grand-Place that we had our obligatory culinary and calorie delight, a Belgian waffle covered in melted chocolate, strawberries, ice-cream and whipped cream. It was then I felt so care free, knowing full well I was, for once on holiday, going to burn those calories off very quickly. Well, maybe not, I drunk a lot of beer too.
You will find plenty of quaint, independent bars, cafes, shops and restaurants in Brussels. My favourite place had to be the Delirium bar (it’s technically called Delirium Café, but it’s a bar). It’s very well known, symbolised by the pink elephant branding of Delirium tremens beer. It’s certainly crowded, but with three floors you can still find a table and the bartenders get round to you sooner than you’d expect. They also have an uncanny ability to follow out your order, no matter how obscure the beers you’ve requested are. At the bar is a catalogue of world beers to choose from, as well as a plethora of taps for draft beers. Back in 2004, this bar received the Guinness world record for its beer list, which listed over 2,000 brands from over 60 countries.
Ordering beer here is an experience in itself, whilst the varied decor of each floor is interesting, particularly the basement floor, which boasts a collage of hundreds of unique beer mats attached to the ceiling. On top of that, there is a very friendly, social vibe there; it’s a great place to meet fellow travellers if you want to socialise. Then, just outside, a little further down the street, you can see the little sister of Manneken Pis. Who is that? I’m glad you asked.
Manneken Pis is the unorthodox mascot of Brussels. He is a statue, an innocent young naked boy pissing into a water fountain. He has pissed happily into that fountain since the 17th century. There are various myths explaining his existence, most of which focus on a child who went missing, only to be discovered casually pissing into a fountain. What’s great about the statue is that the locals adore it. In fact, each week the statue is dressed up in a customised outfit in accordance with a published wardrobe schedule. He has worn hundreds of costumes and all of them are preserved in city museum for display. It has even been known for a beer keg to be installed so that it flows through the statue, filling up cups to be passed out to fortunate passers-by. Where is the statue? Well, the challenge is to find him, but if you want a clue he is close by the Grand-Place. In my opinion, the whole phenomenon of Manneken Pis is just brilliant.
Brussels also boasts a very cool alternative tourist trail. Throughout the city are large artistic murals painted onto the sides of buildings, usually depicting characters or scenes from Belgium cartoons. Look out for as many as you can find, I must of seen 20 or so, all strung along relatively close by each other. This artwork certainly adds an interesting splash of colour to the city. My favourites were those depicting Tin-Tin and Asterix and Obelix, both of which were cartoons I enjoyed as a child.
End of Part II