Sitting here staring at the grandeur of grand place on Brussels, having waffles just because it’s Belgium and of course my important coffee of the day is indeed relaxing. Now I’m starting to consume this place. And I just love the building at the background, it’s somewhat grand yet humble and comforting, thus my choice of slow breakfast in view of it.
Before this I just  had a hot ale to warm me up, I didn’t know that hot alcohol can be so tasty! Definitely good for a cold wintery day. I’ve definitely sin enough in terms of food and drinks in Belgium. I had waffles during mid morning on the way in the train. Then my ‘lunch’ was copious amount of fries drenched with ketchup, mayo and sour onions. Then I had a tour at a beer factory which ended with beer tasting for the traditional and the one steep with fruits. Not to mention the in between tastings of chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate. After that dinner was fried mussels swimming in butter and lemon finished off with a brune beer, hey we are in Belgium after all. Before retiring, I head out in search for a hot cup of chocolate, and hey we are still in Belgium after all.
Oh and of course the pissing boy. What? Yes the boy who piss. He’s known as Manneken Pis. Apparently he is the icon here and your visit is not complete without searching for him and act surprise finding him so small a statue yet so big in fame. I think it’s the absurdity of it that makes it so famous. Lucky me I caught him in of his outfits day, and this time he is happily dress in hip-hop style and pissing away ‘cool-y’
That about sum up Belgium – beer, chocolate, waffles and fries. They lay claim to all those, either being the inventor or at least the connoisseur of it. And then the grand place and the pissing boy. How else can a place be eh?
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Turns out there can be much more to a place. I took my time wandering around today and leave it to serendipity. I chance upon a beautiful cathedral, which turn out to be notre dame again (because notre dame in Paris was my favourite) and I sat through a Sunday mass. Even though I didn’t understand a word of it (I think it was conducted in French), the atmosphere and the environment made up most of it. It’s was solemnly beautiful.
After that I continue to wander on and came upon a little park which I get to see a superbly excites Siberian husky jumping into the fountain despite that it was freezing cold! Then on the way back I chance upon musee of fine arts and end up spending few hours there.
Ah turns out my art taste is a little strange. I like arts that are chaotic and in cross between the real and fantasy. In contrary I also like arts that are simple and bare and left spaces for the imagination to fill up. And here is where I also find out (my first encounter of it’s kind) is that I like surreal art. It’s almost like the earlier mentioned cross of life and fantasy, surreal is a cross of reality and dreams.
All in all, Brussels may not be love at first sight for me, but I have grown fond of it in a way. Indeed like everything in life, it takes time to understand and appreciate something or someone. So don’t always live life in a rush, sometimes we got to go slow to go deeper, which will make our light and fleeting life somewhat heavier and definitely much more meaningful.
Beer, chocolate, waffles and fries – equally good even when you have all of them at the same time! 😀
Can’t wait to read about your next stop – and by the way, you’re the first person I’m officially saying Merry Christmas to! Hooray!
yes all at same time or not it’s still good 🙂
I feel honoured 🙂 and MERRY CHRISTMAS to you too!!