Day 6 - Brussels

Alethios

New Zealand2765 Posts

January 14 2010 10:15 GMT

Hey guys. These are coming thick and fast now huh? I'm trying to catch up to the present before my trip to Brugge on friday. Guess that means two today, and another friday morning.

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Click here to start at the beginning.
Click here for the previous entry.

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I think it's disgusting how early i've gotten into the habit of getting up at. 8am or earlier every morning. What has gotten into me?

After writing part 4, I got ready and headed outside. It was snowing light, which is always kind of fun. As I was walking down the street, I saw the tram go by. Realising that I had no real plan for the day, and that it's just rediculously easy to get around Brussels, I made a run for it.

A tram in Brussels

Unfortunately, it's almost pointless taking photos from inside the tram with my camera. Consequently, all the pretty amazing sights of the city went undocumented. I really enjoyed that ride though, working its way through the city streets and listening to the voices of people going about their daily lives around me.

I got off near the end of the line, at a stop which linked up to a metro station. Public transport here all uses the same tickets, and each one lasts an hour, meaning you can jump off one form and hop on another for free. Effectively, you can get from one side of the city to another, using trams, busses and the metro for about 1 euro. Just brilliant. So I jumped on the metro, heading into town.

I got off near the river, thinking i'd grab a bite to eat before heading to the various museums on my list for the day.

What I think is the river Senne

After having lunch, I slowly made my way towards the center of tower, passing many fantastic structures on my way before finally reaching the grand place once more. With the museums being open that day, I entered the musuem (The Musee de la Ville - Broodhuis) on one of the sides. Inside was essentially a collection of artifacts from antiquity related to Brussels. One room contained a wide collection of gothic gargoyles and other such things, fallen from buildings or recovered after the buildings destruction. Also in the mesuem was many maps and models of Brussels at different stages of it's history. All very interesting, and it really gave me an appreciation of the city's depth of history, something which i'd previously reserved only for the likes of Brugge or Antwerp.

After that, I made my way to Parc, which neighbours many fantastic art galleries and musuems. I entered the modern art gallery and was quickly blown away by the impressive collection. The highlight of that place for me, was a Salvador Dalí that they had on display.

Salvador Dali: Temptation of St. Anthony

It was amazing to see that piece. Dali would be easily one of my favourite artists, and of course, the piece looks far more impressive in person.

The gallery was seperated into two main portions, the 'modern' art section (18-20th centuries) and the 'ancient' art gallery, featuring paintings especially from the renaissance. The entire place really impressed me, and I would recommend it to anybody with even a passing interest in fine arts. Absolutely fantastic, I commented to the woman next to me on the lift after seeing the gallery, and she heartily agreed.

Last on my list was a tour of the City Hall, also on the grand place. There were two english langauge tours a week, and it was impossible to enter without a tour guide.

The tour was impressive, without being amazing. I'd recommend it to anybody who is around the Grand Place around the time of a tour, but I wouldn't say it's quite the kind of thing to make a special trip for. The tower, which would have afforded an excellent view, was strictly off limits. Our tour guide was clearly english as a third or fourth langauge, which got a bit tiring after a while. That being said, there are some fantastic pieces inside the place, not the least of which is a series of huge tapestries depicting a variety of important events in Belgian history.

The abdication of Charles V

As has become usual for me on days like this, where i've been on my feet all day, I found myself flagging as it darkness set in. I headed back on the metro to find, very kindly, dinner ready for me and Batman to watch kick some ass on the TV (with an accompaniment of Chimay Blue... one of my absolute favourite beers so far).

A very enjoyable day, all in all.

+ Show Spoiler [Lots of day 5 images] +

More fantastic buildings I don't even know the name of!

Statue of a poet near the city center which I really liked

From inside the art galley (no flash)

Sneaky pictures from inside the town hall

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Click here for the next thrilling installment!

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So thats it for another day. Gonna head off, grab some lunch then head to the Musee Royal just up the hill. EDIT: After MSL Semi A of course!

Hopefully should have yesterday up by tonight

Alur

Denmark3900 Posts

January 14 2010 10:25 GMT

I wonder, does that tram stop by the flea market?

Alethios

New Zealand2765 Posts

January 14 2010 10:32 GMT

It was line 81, maybe 83. More than that I couldn't tell you i'm afraid.

EDIT: Oh wait.. My photo. >.< Line 81 then!

Etherone

United States1898 Posts

January 14 2010 12:59 GMT

Salvador Dali is my favorite painter <3 you for that pic

aqui

Germany1023 Posts

January 14 2010 14:12 GMT

Keep it coming :D. Your blog is my favourite TL read these days.

MrHoon

10183 Posts

January 14 2010 14:16 GMT

oh wow lucky you

salvador dali is also my favorite painter. I envy that you saw it irl

I'm still trying to save up enough money to buy a framed poster of Idylle Atomique or the flaming( was it burning? ) giraffe

RaGe

Belgium9955 Posts

January 14 2010 16:40 GMT

Aww dude, you should really have gone up to the palace of justice in brussels. Either by day for the architecture, or by night for the amazing view.

Btw, that Parc metro station is literally a 10 minute walk from where xeo lives when he's in brussels

Alethios

New Zealand2765 Posts

January 14 2010 17:36 GMT

Yeah, the Dali was really something special

On January 14 2010 23:12 aqui wrote:
Keep it coming :D. Your blog is my favourite TL read these days.

Aww thanks dude. Glad to hear it.

On January 15 2010 01:40 RaGe wrote:
Aww dude, you should really have gone up to the palace of justice in brussels. Either by day for the architecture, or by night for the amazing view.

Btw, that Parc metro station is literally a 10 minute walk from where xeo lives when he's in brussels

Well i'll be here a while, taking trips to other countries and cities when I can, so I hope to see the palace of justice at some point. As many other interesting things as I possibly can too!

AMaidensWrath

Belgium206 Posts

January 14 2010 17:40 GMT

Yay, Belgium. Brussels is ok, but not the most beautiful city in Belgium (at least that's my opinion). Antwerp and Bruges are the places to visit. . .

Alethios

New Zealand2765 Posts

January 14 2010 18:19 GMT

#10

Heading to Brugge tomorrow. Staying for the weekend, i'm really looking forward to it.