Visiting Brussels, Belgium

Belgium was never on my radar screen. When I sat with a world map, or when I plotted places to visit in my Bullet Journal, Belgium was never there. Overlooked, forgotten, tiny. Which is a travesty since it is full of some of the best things God gave us. The culture centers around beer, chocolate, fries, and waffles.

Then, after actually visiting, I wanted to move there. I wanted to sleep where Belgian waffles were right around every savory corner. Because, yes, Belgium was that fantastic.

(You may be wondering why I ended up in Belgium when it wasn’t on my list? My husband was sent on a business trip there and I decided to tag along. As my father is a pilot for Delta, I currently have nice benefits and can make last minute decisions to go traipsing all over Europe. Provided, of course, that my kids are tended to.)

I made reservations for lodging before we left at Hotel La Legende. The Hotel had just reopened for the season and the accommodations were Europeanly (that should be a word) small but very nice. We were quite comfortable, and the staff was very pleasant and helpful. The location was perfect.

We rolled into Belgium at the end of January to a dreary mid-morning haze. There were clouds and a dreariness hanging over us. It was colder than I anticipated, and my body craved a nap immediately. What we didn’t realize is that this is fairly typical weather for Belgium at the time we were there. It rests quite far north and days are short. There were actually in a “heat wave” when we visited.

Yet none of this detracted from the charm that was Belgium. Since I picked our hotel based on location, we were very close to both the Grand Place and the train station. We had no need for a car or any taxi once we made it from the airport.

Which has to be, as I have said before, one thing I appreciate about European living that I desperately wish we valued and created more in America – pedestrian-friendly cities and towns. Wandering through cobblestone streets, trying to keep ourselves awake until an appropriate bedtime, we aimlessly meandered and discovered Brussels on our own timeline. We would turn a corner and find an ancient church, with a house slapped irreverently yet efficiently onto one wall. History.

The Grand Place, the place listed in all guidebooks, has to be seen to be experienced to be believed to be felt.

Created in the 13th century, this was where the market was held. Then, in the 14th century, it grew in importance as each of the trades had a house, a place of business and support. In Dutch, this area is called  “Grote Market,” and nearly every city has one. It was the spot where people came to do business, grocery shop, and get political news. But the one in Brussels is particularly amazing in size and scope. In the late 80s, it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Besides the grandeur, this place is amazing for the history at seeps out. What defines much of Belgium is its strategic location, smack between France and Germany. The invasions, the fighting, the wars, much was fought on Belgium’s turf. In fact, its location was so important that having Belgium as a neutral party has been of critical interest to other nations. If Belgium turns one way or the other, it would have devastating and powerful effects on the world political stage.

But Belgium’s unique history also means that there is turmoil within. The country argues loudly on which language to use and there are noticeable differences in various regions. It seems, at times, that Belgium is united as a country by the merest thread.

During our meandering, we stumbled on the Delirium Taphouse. Not intending to drink beer at three in the afternoon on a weekday after a plane ride, we merely popped in for a minute! One beer soon turned into three as the taphouse was a wonderful spot to talk to people and hide from the gloom. The beers were fantastic and served in smaller pours than our Supersize-Me-America portions (hence why three beers didn’t level me).

We found a restaurant where we dined rudely early by European standards and gratefully snuggled into our bed back at the hotel.

The next morning, it still felt gloomy, but we were amped with more energy and excitement. We had booked a free walking tour with Sandemans. We met our guide in the Grand Place, under her red umbrella, and immediately fell in love with her.

Maggie had lived in Brussels her whole life and was magnetic. The tour was small, so engagement was high. She told us honest stories and loved the idiosyncrasies and eccentricities of her countrymen, from the graffiti to the odd traditions around the Manneken Pis (one of the most famous statutes).

Maggie held nothing back so we learned so much about the city. She told us how much of the money that positioned Brussels to be the wealthy place it now is was made on the back of slave labor and cruelty in the Congo. The eccentric king at the time, King Leopold II, discovered the value of rubber, and was ruthless in his extraction of the plant by cheap and quick means. While it propelled Belgium into power, it plunged the Congo into darkness. Maggie shared with us that this history still taints much of Belgium, and many citizens today still struggle with how to atone for it. Lest we think that America is the lone country that struggles with radical racial fissures, this is a stark reminder that mankind has been hurting each other violently for years.

But Maggie also showed us the sleek side of Belgium that we grew to love. She showed us what a REAL hot chocolate is.

She told us what beer to drink and which glass to do it in. She told us which restaurants were good and which were tourist traps acceptable to Belgians (Chez Leon ranked very high in her opinion).

She was adamant that they not be called FRENCH fries, just fries. She pointed out that the waffle stands off the market with their dazzling array of toppings were no good, and certainly not what Belgians ate. She walked us through the chocolatiers and what they represented to Belgians (“You take Mary’s to someone you really love, Neuhaus to someone who is more modern and contemporary, and Leonidas only to people that irritate you, like your crazy drunk uncle”).

We loved this city that rests in the center of the  European Union. It had all the culture of, say, a France yet every single person we met was smiling and friendly. Nearly everyone we met spoke English well. It felt safe and comfortable (more on that when we get to Antwerp).

We stopped by the fry stand Maggie recommended for lunch before we dragged our luggage up hills and ancient city alleys to the train station on to Antwerp. But we couldn’t help feeling sad to leave.

 

My husband and I have a dream to live overseas for a summer with our boys. Seeing the world is a massive priority of mine -it is what keeps me working. Before this trip, we had been targeting Ireland as our place to live someday but, honestly, this trip to Brussels made us reconsider. The beauty, history, friendliness, and love this country showed us made us want to come back, and to share it with others.

While Belgium is a popular travel destination with other countries, it has yet to come into its own in the eyes of America. And maybe that’s ok, for it keeps it fresh and alive for us. It doesn’t feel as though it is a tourist trap, but a place where beautiful souls happily live and work (and bring each other chocolates). The charm of Belgium captivated us… and, of course, so did the beer, chocolate, fries, and waffles.