Sunday 6 September 2015

Brussels, Mussels and more

A potful - Moules and frites/Credit: Flickr.com/Martin Burns

Have a holiday, will travel is the mantra we follow. Especially with Europe at doorsteps, it is hard to resist. Bank holidays are a good excuse to escape the weary routine. So we took this opportunity to pay a visit to our neighbour. Belgium. 

Our travelling mates Priti and Dev decided to barge into our plan for two as well.

The Atomium

We simply dropped off our bags in the hotel at Brussels and basked into the blazing Belgian sun starting with a visit to the famous Atomium. As we were too cool for a queue to the top, we simply went around the connecting colourfully lit up escalators of this 1958 structure which was built for a World Fair.
Manken Piss

The famous coach tour special ‘Mini Europe’ is conveniently located next to the Atomium. We tried to identify the places we had already seen and started making mental notes of the places on the to-do list.

Copenhagen at Mini Europe
Porto on our wish list


‘’We can no longer bear the heat’’, we moaned unanmiously. Any one up for a beer? Well, who could resist in the land of Beers.
Did you know that drinking beer was a preferred sanitized option than available drinking water in the 1100’s? 




We strolled in the Grand Place and Markt that evening which had ornamental buildings and intricate sculptures. 
Moi at The Grand Place

The next day we left for the historic town of Bruges. Yes the same place where Anushka Sharma meets that whats his name guy in the movie PK. But unlike the idyllic town in the movie, it gets really really busy in the summer. After all it on the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A Market at Bruges

I would reckon that you stay here instead of Brussels if you want to simply enjoy time doing nothing. Ride a bicycle or read a book besides a canal. Visit a church or a museum or two. Choose yourself a nice seat besides a canal or a busy square, order a pot of Mussels and fries and that bottle of beer and relax. Follow that with a lovely Belgian dessert or a waffle. Adjust your sunglasses, wipe off the sweat and order another drink if you please. 

The cobbled streets at Bruges

And if you are really in need of some adventure, do a chocolate shop hop. Bruges is lined with chocolate shops. Pick your favourite. Bet it would be hard.

Have you ever read a review of a movie which ascribed it two stars and yet went for it? Well, our trip sums it up. My research on the country revealed there were not going to be any jaw dropping moments in there. It was Dev’s second visit and he had vouched for the same. The trick is to go with low expectations and find something which brings smile to your face.How about this perspective for life??
My favourite part : The Chocolate Line