The hostel room was noisy, right over the street, with traffic and reveller noise until the early hours. Sleep came intermittently between screeches of brakes, laughter, scream (not sure whether ecstasy or pain, or both).
I thought the breakfasts at Paris were bad, well the hostel was really bad, crap selection, little choice of crap selection, terrible coffee and bad bread.
Belgium makes the most wonderful bread, way better than the bread in Paris, and the hostel serves up “Tip-Top type crap. Luckily it was free (well included in the bed price).
Packed up, placed my stuff in the locker and headed out.
One of the maps had a perimeter walk I could do that effectively started at the hostel.
First off down into the Marolles, rather like the Marais in Paris, rather seedy, however breaking out into a Place where vendors were setting up, to be kind, junk stalls. Some interesting rubbish all around.
On my way I passed a cartoon on a wall. I had learnt yesterday that the town had commissioned about 20 of these cartoon on blank walls throughout the city to cheer the place up.
Nothing cheers up Brussels, it is grey, grey and greyer.
Then past the last remaining medieval gate, Port de Hal, and then I got of course slightly and headed into the Louise area. Narrow cobbled streets, people of all hues hurrying to work, rather seedy in parts and the more I corrected my error, the seedier it became.
And then when all hope was lost, I popped out at the Palace Royal and met Leopold II.
He’s an interesting bloke, and if I got the story right, a man of few morals. His father Leo I was rather impoverished, and though he had great ideas for Belgium and Brussels was unable to fulfil them.
Then along comes Leo II, who has buckets of money, builds lavishly, spends a fortune, but where did the money come from?
Whilst most European countries took various colonies in Africa, the French the west, the Poms the east, the Dutch the south and Germany the left over’s, Belgium got the Congo. Only difference was Leo II and his cronies owned it as a private business concern and weren’t too fussed about exploiting everyone and everything. Part of the legacy was the debacle when they pulled out and they were part to blame for the Rwanda massacres too.
Enough history, on, ever onwards.
Following this walk I realised there was a pattern developing.
Every so often one of these wall cartoons would pop into view. I reread my map and find I am doing the Comic Strip Walk and that’s why there are so many pictures of cartoons.
BTW Tin Tin and the Smurfs are products of Belgium.
By this time I have walked about ¾ of the circumference of Brussels, passed through nine of Brussels, my feet hurt, and more importantly it’s starting to rain.
Coffee called for and consumed. It’s still raining, so a Museum is called for, and found. It’s not the most riveting, The Brussels Museum but when I emerge an hour or so later, the rain has stopped and it was time for beering and wenching!!
Well lunching anyway.
Had some of the famous Belgium pomme frittes. Just like our fried chips really.
Then back to the hostel, retrieve my luggage and find my hotel, which is near the airport, to save a scramble tomorrow.
That means negotiating the local train service, that proves quite easy, what doesn’t is finding my hotel.
I am now out in the suburbs, the airport is 25 km from Brussels, my maps are no good.
It is dead reckoning again, however I wasn’t reckoning on the landmarks being excluded by huge corporate development.
This is the HQ of DHL, Ernst and Young, Canon and others for Europe and their buildings aren’t your average Santos building.
Anyway I finally find it, the smallest building in the area, Holiday Inn Express.
My last night!!
Going home
Without my sorrow
Going home
Sometime tomorrow
Going home
To where it’s better
Than before (Leonard Cohen)
Picasa Web pictures
I thought the breakfasts at Paris were bad, well the hostel was really bad, crap selection, little choice of crap selection, terrible coffee and bad bread.
Belgium makes the most wonderful bread, way better than the bread in Paris, and the hostel serves up “Tip-Top type crap. Luckily it was free (well included in the bed price).
Packed up, placed my stuff in the locker and headed out.
One of the maps had a perimeter walk I could do that effectively started at the hostel.
First off down into the Marolles, rather like the Marais in Paris, rather seedy, however breaking out into a Place where vendors were setting up, to be kind, junk stalls. Some interesting rubbish all around.
On my way I passed a cartoon on a wall. I had learnt yesterday that the town had commissioned about 20 of these cartoon on blank walls throughout the city to cheer the place up.
Nothing cheers up Brussels, it is grey, grey and greyer.
Then past the last remaining medieval gate, Port de Hal, and then I got of course slightly and headed into the Louise area. Narrow cobbled streets, people of all hues hurrying to work, rather seedy in parts and the more I corrected my error, the seedier it became.
And then when all hope was lost, I popped out at the Palace Royal and met Leopold II.
He’s an interesting bloke, and if I got the story right, a man of few morals. His father Leo I was rather impoverished, and though he had great ideas for Belgium and Brussels was unable to fulfil them.
Then along comes Leo II, who has buckets of money, builds lavishly, spends a fortune, but where did the money come from?
Whilst most European countries took various colonies in Africa, the French the west, the Poms the east, the Dutch the south and Germany the left over’s, Belgium got the Congo. Only difference was Leo II and his cronies owned it as a private business concern and weren’t too fussed about exploiting everyone and everything. Part of the legacy was the debacle when they pulled out and they were part to blame for the Rwanda massacres too.
Enough history, on, ever onwards.
Following this walk I realised there was a pattern developing.
Every so often one of these wall cartoons would pop into view. I reread my map and find I am doing the Comic Strip Walk and that’s why there are so many pictures of cartoons.
BTW Tin Tin and the Smurfs are products of Belgium.
By this time I have walked about ¾ of the circumference of Brussels, passed through nine of Brussels, my feet hurt, and more importantly it’s starting to rain.
Coffee called for and consumed. It’s still raining, so a Museum is called for, and found. It’s not the most riveting, The Brussels Museum but when I emerge an hour or so later, the rain has stopped and it was time for beering and wenching!!
Well lunching anyway.
Had some of the famous Belgium pomme frittes. Just like our fried chips really.
Then back to the hostel, retrieve my luggage and find my hotel, which is near the airport, to save a scramble tomorrow.
That means negotiating the local train service, that proves quite easy, what doesn’t is finding my hotel.
I am now out in the suburbs, the airport is 25 km from Brussels, my maps are no good.
It is dead reckoning again, however I wasn’t reckoning on the landmarks being excluded by huge corporate development.
This is the HQ of DHL, Ernst and Young, Canon and others for Europe and their buildings aren’t your average Santos building.
Anyway I finally find it, the smallest building in the area, Holiday Inn Express.
My last night!!
Going home
Without my sorrow
Going home
Sometime tomorrow
Going home
To where it’s better
Than before (Leonard Cohen)
Picasa Web pictures
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