I arrived in Brussels slightly nervous since Belgium was the first country I’d be visiting during this trip where the native language was not English (unless you count heavy Scottish accents and believe me, you probably should). It was time for me to drag out my limited French and see how I could get by on that.
The main attractions in Brussels are pretty easy to find and clustered together so it was super walkable. If you took a wrong turn (my specialty,) you would probably find something else worth seeing or better yet, find something worth eating. My first stop was the Grand Place, a beautiful market square surrounded and filled with lots of places to eat. I spent some time just people watching here and watching a free open-air concert that was being held that weekend. The buildings there just begged to be photographed from every angle. Nearby, I walked through the Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert, the fanciest shopping mall I’ve ever seen. Manneken Pis, a cheeky statue of a boy relieving himself, consistently drew large crowds of tourists. There are similar statues, one of a little girl and one of a dog, but I didn’t go out of my way to find them.
One of my favorite things about Brussels was the Comic Book Route, a walk that exhibits some comic-book inspired street art. These pops of color along with the Rainbow crosswalks in the Saint-Jacques neighborhood set Brussels apart from many other European cities that can sometimes look interchangeable.
The tram system in Brussels was really easy to navigate so I made my way to the Atomium. Originally an exhibition for the Brussels World Expo in 1958, it attracts many tourists as a museum and landmark. I mostly just used it as a photo op and an excuse to get another waffle.
I am not a breakfast person by any means but I knew I had to try a fresh waffle while in Brussels. In a twist of fate I never expected, I went back for two more before I left town in search of the best waffle I could find. There were so many to choose from so I was left waffling (sorry, not sorry) over this big decision. The first place I tried was La Funambule. My half chocolate syrup and half vanilla syrup covered waffle was delicious. The next one I tried was at the Atomium- best and only waffle I’ve had from a van and a reminder that no matter where I am, wet wipes should be an essential in my bag. The last and favorite one I had was at a place that I never got the name of and couldn’t find on Google. It is in the Manneken Pis area and has a giant Nutella sign on the wall. If you find it, the cookie butter waffle is unbelievable.
You can’t go to Belgium and not try the fries! I did an embarrassing amount of french fry research and decided to get some fries from Fritland. These twice-fried treats were fully worth waiting for, which is fortunate because queues are usually long. I tried mine with andalouse sauce, a Belgian specialty combining mayonnaise, tomato paste, and peppers. They were served straight out of the fryer in the traditional cone container.
My last meal in Brussels was at a place called Houtsiplou. I had the cheese croquettes and they were amazing. I thought only being served three wouldn’t have been enough food but I was very wrong. I couldn’t even get through them all, let alone touch the fries and bread! Highly recommend this place.
I didn’t take advantage of it but Brussels is in a great location. If I return, and I truly hope I do, it’s possible to do so many daytrips and add some places to the itinerary. I would go to the Belgian cities of Bruges and Ghent and maybe even venture to Luxembourg.
Spain, here I come!
Bri Right Back 