You may delay, but time will not – Benjamin Franklin

Once upon a time I lived in Belgium as I was one of two lucky students chosen by my University for a one year study exchange program in Louvain La Neuve, Belgium. I enjoyed my time there but it wasn’t until five years  after and on my quest to find the cheapest last minute flight option to Tanzania that I resigned myself to revisit the country.

Belgium’s largest city, Brussels, is not only the country’s capital but also the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and the de facto capital of the EU (and in my opinion the heart of the EU). The city has the spirit of Continental Europe; you get to experience the cosmopolitan buzz of London, the café lifestyle of Paris and a drinking culture to rival the Irish and Germans. The interesting thing about Brussels is that compared to the other major cities in Europe e.g. London and Paris, it is a relatively small city and it is possible to visit all the main tourist sites in one weekend (most of the tourist sites in the city centre are within walking distance of one another).

I arrived in Brussels early in the evening of Friday with  plans to re-live my youth with all night clubbing at Club Carré however, due to a random backache that failed to ease up, I was forced to cancel and instead settled for a quiet night in eating Durum (my favourite Belgian junk food). The next day was an early start with beauty treatment at Institut K just off Avenue Louise, the famous high-end shopping street in Brussels and every female tourist’s must visit! My experience at Institut K was 3 hours pampering that started 9am and ended just in time for lunch time.

After my “beautfication”, my friend drove me to Rogier, home to the city’s largest shopping mall and also Rue Neuve, the busiest shopping street in Brussels. We had lunch in Rogier and of course i did a bit of shopping 🙂 Then we went cruising around the city stopping at the Atomium and the EU institutions at the European Quarter/Leopold Quarter.

In need of some fuel, we paused at a bar opposite Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert where I drank Kriek (my favourite Cherry flavoured Belgian beer) and enjoyed the many entertaining sights on the street such as drunken Belgians peddling a modified tricycle. After the drinks, we strolled through the glazed shopping arcade; passing the many luxury shops, watchmakers, chocolatiers and restaurants before arriving at the Grand Place. The Grand Place is the main square in the heart of Brussels and on the UNESCO World Heritage List. A short walk from the Grand Place is Manneken Pis, the famous 61cm tall bronze statuette of a little boy urinating into the fountain basin (i am not quite sure why it is a must see in Brussels lol). We then finished the day with deliciously warm Belgian Waffles.

Spot the difference (lol)

Funny sight I saw at Maison Antoine, the famous frites (chip) shop for “the taste of Brussels”.

The next day went so fast! One minute I was making breakfast and the next minute I was checking in at the airport. I was truly sad to leave Brussels but was consoled knowing that my next visit will definitely be sooner than another 5 years.

My destination verdict:  Brussels is a safe bet for a relaxing and affordable weekend break or a short holiday in Europe. Lovers of chocolates, beer and good food will not be disappointed and for those that love to party, the social scene in Brussels is fantastic (one of the few European cities that have clubs that stay open till about 7am). Also Belgium’s proximity to other European countries makes Brussels a good base to explore Europe.