Brush with Brussels

The Hotel De Ville (TownHall), the City of Brussels Museum and the Houses of Corporations look magical at night

The waffle had a golden hue, with just the right hint of brown on the sides, and topped with strawberries and thick cream. Fresh from the oven, I could feel the warmth of the cream-laden delight. As I bit into the inviting crust, crispy on the outside and soft inside, the combination of strawberries and cream was exquisite. Not surprising, since the Brussels waffle (one of the two types of waffles available in Belgium) is rated as the best in the world.

Belgium, wedged between Germany, France and the Netherlands, often gets ignored by tourists in favour of the bigger, more “reputed” destinations. A big mistake — since this pint-sized country is packed with attractions: medieval cities such as Ghent, Bruges, Mechelen which wow visitors with its architecture and history, bustling cosmopolitan cities such as Antwerp and Brussels, scenic towns such as Namur and Dinant. As an added attraction, you get the best chocolates and waffles in the world here. Who has not heard of Godiva, Leonidas, Neuhaus among chocolates and the Brussels/Leige waffles? As an added bonus, ‘French’ fries (or frites as they are called here) were invented in Belgium and you get the best frites in the world here, but more on that later.

Belgium actually feels like two separate countries: the French-speaking Wallonia and the Dutch-speaking Flanders, each region being largely autonomous, with their own separate Parliament. French is not very welcome in the Flanders region and, likewise, Dutch in Wallonia. Brussels, which is a supposed to be “neutral” territory, is the binding agent between these two regions, who, to put it mildly, are not on the best of terms, for reasons 
historical. Being officially bilingual, all signs and announcements in Brussels are in both Dutch and French, the two official languages

Brussels is a fascinating city, full of contrasts. It is the de facto capital of Europe, housing both the European Parliament as well as the HQ of NATO. All strategic decisions affecting Europe are taken here. It has the biggest medieval town square in Europe, the Grand Place, as well as the ultramodern EU quarter, which houses the headquarters of the European Union, the European Parliament, etcetera. The NATO headquarters is located a little further ahead. Since Brussels was not much affected by both the World Wars, the medieval character of the streets is well preserved in the Grand Place area. You are immediately transported to the 15^th century on walking the cobbled, winding streets.

Brussels is also a cartoonists’ paradise — being the birthplace of Tintin and the Smurfs, they are omnipresent in the form of prominent murals on the streets. There is also a museum dedicated to the cartoon characters. It’s a “walking” city — most of the sights are centred around the Grand Place. If you do not feel like walking, the Metro is very convenient and economical; one-way tickets are about €1.7 and very economical day passes are available.

The ‘Art Nouveau’ movement (decorative and stylised architecture), inspi-red by the Belgian painter and architect Victor Horta, originated in Belgium in the 1800s and many examples of this style can be found all over Brussels. These buildings have beautiful wrought-iron claddings and even the doors and windows are stylised. It is probably the only city in the world where you can see architecture ranging from Gothic to baroque to art noveau culminating in the ultra modern glass and steel minimalistic style, all within a span of a few hundred metres.

All Things Sweet: (top to bottom)a Belgian chocolate store packed with world-famous Belgian chocolates; waffles—yet another Belgian speciality; one of the many outdoor cafes in Belgium

My to-do list for Brussels

1. Spend time at the Grand Place: Well, you cannot miss this one — as it is the largest medieval town square in Europe. It is a magnificent sight with the square ringed around by these majestic buildings dating back over 500 years. The Grand Place comprises of the iconic Hotel de Ville, the 14^th-century town hall of Brussels, and guild houses, all dating back to the 15^th/16^th century, when the trade guilds (union of merchants) were very powerful.

The Grand Place is even more magical at night, when the illumination gives the medieval buildings a surreal look. It is surrounded by chocolate boutiques and restaurants which make it a very pleasant place to hang out in.

Tip: Take a guided tour of the 14^th-century Hotel de Ville or the town hall.

2. Visit the European Parliament: For a total contrast, visit the glass and steel EU headquarters and the European Parliament. This is where the EU is governed from. You can even visit the debating chamber, where over 750 MPs from EU nations squabble in their 23 official languages — which explains the large number of translation booths inside the debating chamber. What is funny is that everything in the parliament building is written in all the 23 official languages of the EU. No prior booking is required for the tours which are offered twice a day, at 10am and 2pm.

Tip: Arrive at least half-an-hour before the tour begins, since a maximum of 40 visitors are allowed at a time. The tour is a real eye-opener if you consider the fact that most of the current EU member states had been at each other’s throats for the last 1,000 years or more. Today, it is almost the United States of Europe with a common currency and no borders.

3. Have a Belgian waffle and frites: Belgians make the best frites and waff-les in the world. Yes folks, this is the real deal. Belgian frites are the tastiest in the world because of two reasons: one, the quality of the potatoes used; two, it is fried twice in beef fat! Yes, very unhealthy, but this is the secret behind the unique taste and flavour of Belgian frites which are traditionally eaten in a paper cone with mayonnaise as an accompaniment.

Similarly, Belgian waffles have a marked taste difference compared to the supermarket variety. The two major types of Belgian waffles are the Brussels’ waffle and the Liege waffle. The Brussels’ waffle is lighter, larger and, typically, served with cream or other toppings. The Liege waffle, on the other hand, is harder, smaller with a caramelised surface sugar coating. Whichever you select, I can guarantee that it will be quite unlike any other waffle you would have tasted.

Tip and warning: Belgian frites and waffles are very addictive and it is difficult to stop once you get started. There are friteries all around Brussels, the most famous being Chef Antoine’s, which has several branches. There are waffle carts everywhere. For authenticity, it is better to try the carts away from the tourist hot spots.

4. Belgian chocolates: Buy fresh Belgian chocolates from any one of the numerous boutiques around the Grand Place. Godiva, Leonidas, Neuhaus and a number of smaller chocolatiers have their boutiques at the Grand Place. Surprisingly economical and with a huge difference in quality between the fresh chocolates you get there and the boxed ones we are used to eating.

Tip: Most boutiques have trial 100 gm packs that are about €5 - 6 each; you could also ask for an assortment of chocolates.

5. Visit the Royal Palace: Open for only a few days a year during the summer, when the king takes his summer break, this working palace is magnificent for its baroque exterior and opulent interiors.

6. Medieval Brussels: Walk around the winding, medieval, cobbled streets which have remained unchanged for hundreds of years and still carry their old names. Rue des Eperonniers means ‘the weavers’ street’, Rue Marche aux Poulette is chicken street and Rue aux Marche Herbes is herb street. You can still see remnants of these original businesses along these streets.

Tip: Try to take an early morning walk before the city wakes up for an authentic medieval experience.

7. 21^st-century shopping: For a total change of scenery, walk down the Rue Neuwe, the main pedestrian shopping centre of Brussels — you will see a virtual United Nations here, with people of all colours and races. The shops here are choc-a-bloc with shoppers and the whole atmosphere is very lively.

Tip: Prices for clothing are surprisingly good, so load up your credit card. Also, prices for cosmetics are unbelievably low at HEMA, the Dutch department store chain — about one fourth of what you would pay elsewhere. Very high-quality face creams and other cosmetics are available for only about €3 each. (And no, they are not made in China!).

8. Visit Waterloo: The famous battlefield, which changed the course of European history, is located in Waterloo, now a sleepy and prosperous suburb of Brussels, about 12 km from the city centre. 2015 marks the 200^th anniversary of the famous battle.

9. Visit the many museums: For those who are artistically inclined, Brussels has many fine museums, including the Royal Museum of Art and History, the Horta Museum for art noveau lovers, and also the highly interesting Royal Army Museum, which houses one of the biggest collections of arms and weapons from the 12^th century to World War II.

10. Take day trips: Brussels is very well connected to other cities in Belgium like Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp and Dinant — all of which are less than an hour away by train.

Tip: A Belgian rail pass allows you to take ten journeys anywhere in Belgium for €76; this pass can be shared between 2 - 3 people and is a very good bargain. Cologne is also a very good day trip from Brussels, and takes 2 hours by the high speed Thalys. If booked early enough (two months in advance), it is possible to get rates about a fifth of the normal rates.