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Belgium - March 2002
1. Low expectations...
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A couple of years ago my Grandma (then 84)
decided to take my mother on a voyage of discovery to Belgium. Now some of
you might be thinking that the words "voyage of discovery" and "Belgium" do
not make comfortable drinking partners. At least this is what I
thought when the same trip was suggested to me.
Belgium's not really the sort of place I'd
ever been very desperate to visit. Having been born in London, then
travelled round most of north-western Europe as a young girl, Grandma had
finally been able to settle down and grow up in Antwerp. (My
great-grandfather was a bit of a wheeler-dealer who managed to convince his
family that travelling was just part of the great adventure that is life.
This continued for several years until my great-grandma drew the line at a
move to Ireland, but that's a whole other story...)
Grandma met my Grandpa at
school, they both went out with other people for a bit, and then eventually
got together. Everything was going swimmingly until 1939 when the
Nazis occupied Belgium and Grandma dug out her UK passport and came home,
taking my Belgian Grandpa with her...and all the family |
We took a Eurostar over to Brussels, where we'd decided to
stay. Grandma thought that it'd be more fun* (*this was
deemed a relative term before we arrived.)
We stayed at the nice new Meridian hotel, which was right opposite the exit from
the station; although we got a bit lost and ended up round the back of the
station in a area with no pavement and lots of gravel. Strangely, once
we'd found our way out, we never found this place again during the entire long
weekend.
2. My first shock - Brussels is really
cool!
The one thing that I only do on holiday with
my family is actually unpack the suitcase and hang stuff up in the hotel.
I don't know if that's because I'm suddenly in a pseudo-home situation where
I'll get told off for leaving my clothes in a pile at the end of the bed or
painting the walls my room with gloss paint.
After settling in at the hotel, we had a
bit of a wander round the main part of Brussels City Centre.
Interesting note (a) Many, many, MANY chocolate shops. Interesting
note (b) - many, many, MANY bars. Interesting the second item was the
one not lost at all by Grandma. I should have had an inkling that
behind the innocent expression and Aquascutum suit and pearls beat the heart
of an Amazon (who likes drinking beer...) |
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Note to self. Next time I go on
holiday with Grandma get fit(ter) before I go. She may be 86 at the
time of writing, and she may have been two weeks away from a (subsequently
successful) knee replacement operation (the bionic woman of the family) but
she can totally knacker out a 29 year old no problem even with a funny knee.
This was particularly the case when we got to Antwerp (see section 3.) |
Having marched around for about 2 hours and by
this time having had some dinner, I needed a rest, so we ordered a movie from
the pay-per-view. I skilfully managed to flick past the Belgian porn
whilst Grandma was in the loo - fairly wise as I later found out when she was
chatting up 25 year old waiters in French AND Flemish (show off!) Might
have given Grandma ideas! So we watched Moulin Rouge, which we both enjoyed, and
I can highly recommend providing you're not a big fan of existential minimalism.
3. It's a good job Antwerp's fairly flat...
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Walking. We did a lot of it on this particular, but
none so much as the estimated seven mile hike around the hotspots of
Antwerp.
Summary of Antwerp:
1. It has a very decent shopping centre
2. It has a very pretty town hall
3. It has *extremely* good mussels...
4. ...and chips...
5...and chocolate...
6. It's changed a lot since 1999...
7....let alone 1939...
8. ...but it has a very nice cathedral
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I heartily recommend Antwerp for a trip. I
don't think we really got to spend enough time there. The shopping is
excellent, as well as good value for money, and the are a lot of place to see
and eat at.
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Here are some more images from Antwerp.
The scene on the left is "Glove Market" -
which used to be a, yes, glove market, although I believe they also sold
other, similar goods at the time.
On the right is the incredible town hall.
I can only stress that this photo does not do it any kind of justice at all.
It has a beautiful fountain, and gold-leaf covered carvings. |
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4.
Back to Brussels...
After our day trip to Flanders,
we decided to do some more touristy things in Brussels, so it was off to the
Atomium, Mannekin Pis and Model Europe exhibitions.
Hmmm, should you bother to go and see
Mannekin Pis? You could just go and stand around in Leicester Square
late on a Saturday night (boom boom...)
Seriously though, He is really tiny - and
I'm not being personal here - he stands at all of about 18 inches tall (and
I'm talking head to toe here before anyone gets the wrong idea.) The
first time we walked past him on a stroll around town, there were a bunch
English rugby players (go figure) who had managed to get him to pee beer out
instead of water.
The locals have over 500 costumes for him,
and he gets dressed up for various holidays and saints days through the
year. |
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However, despite any disappointment about
size (blimey, the entrendres are really rolling out now) is tempered by the
fact that you are looking at one of Brussels' most famous sons. There
is even a little girl version nearby, although I can't remember seeing it. |
Here is the slightly surreal sight of the Atomium next to the
Model Europe exhibition. This area is a few miles outside the centre
of Brussels.
I can honestly say that it looks pretty impressive from
the outside but apart from a pleasant but unremarkable view from the top,
it's not worth a visit inside. The problem is that it combines being too far
away and not tall enough to see anything much from the top, other than part
of the equally unremarkable Belgian royal family estate.
The best way to view the Atomium is by looking upwards at
it (like the picture above in section 2). |
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And so finally to the Model-Europe exhibition.
It does have a proper name, except right now I can't remember whet it's called.
If anyone over the age of 25 remembers Tucktonia near Bournemouth, it's sort of
like they transplanted the models over. I must say the detail was very
good, although one or two of the models look a bit twee.
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Le Sacre-Coeur |
The quietest you're ever likely to see the Arc
de Triomphe! |
The Brandenberg Gate |
Slightly difficult to make out
(even up close) but it is the Royal Crescent in Bath. |
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