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March 28th, 2006 -- You know it happens to the best of us. One day we found ourselves at work, day dreaming a little and the next thing you know you're searching for airplane flights and the rest. Usually nothing comes of it, but this time I found tickets to Brussels for $450 (with everything). This was one thing I couldn't refuse. So I spent 2 days flying and spent 3 whirlwind days in Belgium. For those of you thinking of going, I really can't say enough good about it. I also enjoyed using the country's remarkably efficient train system to get around. A little bit of planning can get you lots of places. These are the pics. (Thanks go to Darren Nightingale, Matt Stinchfield, Rich Pedersen and others for their assistance in planning and directions)
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| Picture Index (By Location) |
| Beersel (Drie Fonteinen) | Brussels (at Night) | Brugge (De Halve Maan) | Brugge | Poperinge (Westvleteren) And The Haul
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Returning from Beersel, I spent the evening wandering around the Lower Town of Brussels. To find a hotel room, I just wandered into the Grand Place (the heart of the old part of Brussels) and find the tourist information office. Ask for a hotel room and voila, find a room and continue. Lots of interesting stuff around. Grab a map and have fun. |
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Here's how you find the Grand Place, find the tower and walk. (Also, more boringly, you can look for the little signs). I came into town from the airport via the Brussels Express (very good option) and got off at Bruxelles Centrale, mere blocks from the Grand Place.
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Yes, everyone comes to see the little pissing boy. I grabbed this photo on one of the few moments that the statue wasn't absolutely mobbed. This is another one of those things that if you blink, you'll miss it.
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Across the street from the statue is this little cafe, Poechenellekelder, a tiny place with lots of puppets hanging from the walls. Its cash only, simple food, but a beer list of 100+ beers with 6 on tap.
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And to keep the theme of lambics, my first beer at Poeche was a lambic. Here, you see the traditional way of serving lambic from bottle. The waiter brings the opened bottle in a little wicker basket. Also, traditionally with your beer in a brown cafe, you'll get a little snack. Here a cracker mix, often small cubes of cheese and celery salt.
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On the other side of the Grand Place is Rue des Bouchers lined with a sea of restaurants with waiters aggressively soliciting passerbys with their wares and menus.
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On a side street, just off the Rux des Bouchers is the Delirium Cafe. A big, half nightclubby type of place with a very young crowd and the current Guiness Book of Records holder for the most beers for sale in the world. (Over 2000 at last count) A bit on the pricey side, but this is really a one stop shop for just about any beer you could imagine wanting from Belgium. And while you're here, you can look across the street at Jeanneke Pis, Manneken's sister.
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Like I said, the place veers younger than many places, but as you can see they have a set of tap (~10) all serving products from Brouwerij Hughye, brewers of (drum roll) Delirium Tremens.
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One of the most important lessons you can take away from Belgium is that interesting things can be hiding down little alleyways. Down this one is Au Bon Vieux Temps, a tiny little cafe just a block from the Delirium.
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Around the corner and down an even smaller, less well marked alley is La Bécasse, a very old traditional cafe that specializes in products from the Timmerman's brewery. Pictured here is the Labik Doux, served in the traditional stoneware pitcher that you would have seen beer in the olden days.
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