Belgium
Chapter four
24 hours in Brussels.
I wake up to a grey morning in Ghent. The towers and spires are almost completely veiled, emerging slowly as the sun rises.
I rouse myself from bed, pack my things, and head to the tram, reversing my path back to the train station.
It’s a relatively quick ride to Brussels, the hotel a short walk from the station. It’s once again too early to check in and so I leave my bags with reception and head out with camera in hand. Before I leave I ask if it’s possible to get a room with a view. They tell me they’ll see what they can do.
I walk from the hotel to the Grand Place, passing a monument to Charles Buls, an art nouveau relief in an arched alcove by an entrace the the square. The Brussels City Museum and the Brussels Town Hall stand on opposite sides, their imposing edifices crowd the square.
I’m turned away at the Town Hall. It’s closed for visitors today. I walk the streets around the square, taking in the various shops and cafes. At a shop selling middle eastern sweets I stop in to buy some baklava and rose-water bites.
From there I head to the Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert, a covered shopping center lined with more shops and restaurants. I stop at Mary, an artisinal chocolate shop that has been in operation since 1919. I pick up a few pieces and continue on my way.
I pass the Monument to Elisabeth of Bavaria, Queen of Belgium on my walk to the Mont des Arts, a large plaza boasting a landscaped garden, flanked by museums and notable buildings. A man plays guitar in the center of the plaza. People pass by and continue walking. I don’t linger, either.
Walking through the Mont des Arts I head to the Royal Palace, passing the Koningsplein and the Statue de Godefroy de Bouillon as. Iround the corner. Across from the palace, I walk the small Parc de Bruxelles from one end to the other before heading back to the main road and walking south.
I pause outside the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium to check the time. The Magritte Museum is adjacent and I decide I have some time to explore the museums. I buy a combined ticket and head into the relative cool of the building.
Continuing in a southwesterly direction I try to visit the Church of Our Lady of Victories at the Sablon and am told that it’s closed for the moment, but will be open again soon. I take the opportunity to visit the Square of Petit Sablon across the way and admire the statues that line the back side of it.
Inside the Church of Our Lady of Victories at the Sablon I admire the Gothic architecture and Baroque chapels. It’s a small space, filled with intricate figures and panelling.
Back outside I continue to head south towads the Palace of Justice and the Poelaert Place Ferris Wheel. The neighborhood is lively with cafes and shops and I wonder if I’ll have time to revisit the area for a cafe before I head back to the States.
I spy the Church of Our Lady of the Chapel down a street and make a detour to visit its cavernous nave before continuing on to the Ferris Wheel.
From the plazas around the Palace of Justice there are views out over Brussels. An elevator lets one down to the streets below and I take it as the easy path down.
From there I head back towards the historic center and my hotel, passing more modern edifices along these streets. Somehow they coexist in a manner that whereby one doesn’t take away from the other.
En route I pass the Manneken Pis, a sculpture of a little boy who pees into a fountain. There’s a huge group of tourists around it taking photos of it and each other. During festivals the 17th-century sculpture is dressed, but today he stands bare. Marketed as an icon of Brussels, it has become a focal point of tourism.
For lunch I seek out a Hawaiian Poke Bowl spot in the shadow of the St. Michael & St. Gudula Cathedral. I’m hungry but decide to visit the church before settling down for my meal and climb the small hill to its base.
Inside it is stunning, the stone bathed in warm light, intricate stained glass shines bright.
text
Back at the hotel, they’ve given me a top floor room with a view of the town hall and the orange rooftops. I thank the receptionists when I head down to dinner, walking to a nearby plaza to dine alfresco and soak in the atmosphere. 🇧🇪
2 August 2024
