Woke up in ample time to leave for the Amsterdam Centraal, got to the station about an hour before I needed to be. Had a Cappuccino and just relaxed knowing I was where I needed to be. The Thalys train to Brussels-Midi is super comfortable, I booked a while back, I checked this morning the tickets for today were E79, I paid E45. Part of the train is for people with tickets from yesterday, there was NO Belgian train service at all yesterday due to a countrywide 24hr rail strike. Shoooo lucky I wasn’t travelling that day. The train has WiFi but I struggled to get it going on my laptop, seemed to work now and then on my phone, guess the train is going kak fast (an app I have on my phone says 290km/h) so maybe is why.
Had a mini heart attack on the train, asked person next to me if she was going to Brussels, nope then she said we had passed Brussels, ummmm WTF. Turns out, of course, she was wrong but gave my heart a bit of a jump.
Arrived in Brussels on time and bought a 48hr travel card and then headed to find my accommodation. I was there at 11:15ish but could only checkin at 2pm so looked round Manekin Pis area and then had a beer and relaxed at the cafe where I was to collect the key. Got that at about 1:50ish and got all settled (I am going to write a post on all my accommodation at the end of the trip not 1 by 1 as I go to places). My accommodation was about 100m from the Manekin Pis and maybe 300m from the Grand Place so very central & convenient.
I was then out and about, and didn’t stop for next few days, first of all bought a map for 50c so I could see where I was going etc. looked round for free ones at the station but wasn’t any. Was fine as I used it a lot for attractions and the Metro map. I enjoyed all the sights of Brussels. The Grote Markt (Grand Place) had big stands up which sucked a bit. Found out was for this Medieval Folklore thing called Ommegang, tickets were about E37 or so for that night so didn’t bother about that but found out there was some free stuff related to it in the Parc Royal so I headed off there.
See this video for the Ommegang (Official Trailer) is an oldish video but shows what they were up to.
Was quite good fun at the Park. Watched some sword fighting and then jousting and looked round all the stands, was quite interesting and decent fun. Here are some pics and videos of that.
Wench waiting to give water to the fighters (was super hot)
Horses arrive
Jousting
On Wednesday night at 10pm Belgium were playing USA in their Soccer World Cup 2014 last 16 round game. There was constant cheering from all over the place. At about midnight when Belgium scored I could hear the city going ape. I struggled to get to sleep and then back to sleep with all the soccer celebrations going on where ever, I had done 1 big soccer thing so couldn’t bring myself to do another one. Belgium won 2-1.
Now for some general Brussels photos, I won’t go into detail on what I did more than these few notes, I basically walked the city end to end, whew I’m quite tired from all the walking. I never went up Atomium, heard from a few people it is overrated and was a bit hazy so wouldn’t have been a good view, I’m OK to have seen it from outside. I wanted to take a few pictures at night with the cool lights on it, but seeing as it only is dark after 11pm that was a bit late as I was totally buggered last night and just couldn’t bring myself to going there. Also not knowing the late night Metro/Bus story I thought I’d pass on that.
I found out that most of the Brussels Museums have free entrance from 1pm onwards on the 1st Wednesday of the month which was yesterday, so walked all over and went to 4 or so of those. The Natural History one was a bit of a let down to tell you the truth, wasn’t very big at all and the best thing was the dinosaurs. I also went to the War Museum and Hallepoort Porte de Hal
Belgian Waffles (they advertise them for E1, but that is a plain one, if you want any of the nice fancy ones you pay up to E5.50 for one)
Atomium
Atomium
Atomium
Grand Place
Grand Place
Grand Place
Grand Place
Manekin Pis
Manekin Pis
Manekin Pis SWC2014 supporter
Lunch at Manekin Pis Cafe
Royal Palace
Opera
Kathedraal
Jardin Botanique Kruidtuin
Cinqantenaire Jubel Park Museums
Gare Centrale Station
Gare Centrale Station
Drug Opera
Hallepoort Porte de Hal outside
Hallepoort Porte de Hal looking up staircase inside
St Hubertus Galerijen
Tin Tin mural
Tin Tin mural
Tin Tin mural
UN Parliament Outside
UN Parliament Flags
UN Parliament Inside main council chamber
UN Parliament Sculpture
European Commission
Natural Sciences Museum
Natural Sciences Museum
Natural Sciences Museum – me escaping a Tyrannosaurus Rex
Natural Sciences Museum
Natural Sciences Museum
Natural Sciences Museum
Natural Sciences Museum
Natural Sciences Museum
Cartoon Female Cyclist (maybe trying to get to London for Tour de France – not that there is woman entered in that)
War Museum
War Museum
War Museum
War Museum
War Museum
Gare Zuid Charge Station, you cycle to generate power then can charge your devices
Kwak Beer
LOL – at the beer shop where I bought my Kwak
Sucx The King Of Candy
Strops tan and weary feet
Left my accommodation at 11ish today and checked in fine for the Eurostar to London. For lunch today onboard the Eurostar I had a left over Pork Schnitzel (brought from last nights dinner) and 2 really YUMMY sesame seed and cheese bread sticks (bought them earlier today for E1.35 each).
Lunch on Eurostar, left over Pork Schnitzel from last night dinner and 2 Sesame Seed Cheese Sticks I bought this morning.
My Eurostar Carriage
Eurostar Route
Eurostar – very comfortable
Eurostar arrived at St Pancras International in UK
All in all I had a great time in Brussels. Now onto my next destination.