Day 2 25/5/08 - Belgium

Brussels

Highlight

• Finally picked up a transport map, so no more excuses for getting lost
• Couldn’t sleep because it was too hot and noisy.
• Walked around the market at Gare du Midi, but because it was too far to our hotel, we didn’t buy anything. There were lots of clothes and fresh cheap food.
• Slokky being stupid.
• St Michel Guddale for a long mass in French and Dutch with all the old people.
• Metro to Heizel to see the Atomium. It started raining as soon as we got near though.
• There were a old/classics car festival on so there were lots of cars on display.
• Waited ages for the bus to go to the Place Fernand Cocq – XL to watch a traditional dance as part of the Jazz Fest, but it wasn’t on!!
• So we had lunch at Volle Gas instead. It was definitely a starch experience. We watched as the people before us wait forever for food. They must have been waiting a long time as some of them were very annoyed. The food that came out was in really huge portions, so lucky we only ordered two to share.
• By the time our lunch was over, it was around 3pm. We relaxed in the sun to Room Service, who were actually very laid back and cool.
• walked around Palais Royal, Eglise St Jacques sur Coudenberg.
• Listened to this circus troop (huge group of people) doing a practise/performance at the Parc de Bruxelles, doing huge flips, bobbing along to music. It was surreal and very enjoyable.
• Marvelled at the MIM’s architecture.
• Walked down from Place Royale back to wonder around the back streets of Grande Place, including the beautiful Galeries Royales St-Hubert.
• Visited our 1st and only chocolate shop of the day, Daskalides, and only because they have sugar free chocolate. We also managed to bump into Helen again.
• Down Rue des Bouchers, got hackled by all the restaurants packed into the tight street, before another excellent dinner. The chips were not as good, but we had beautiful seafood at Aux Armes de Bruxelles and finally got to try a waffle, which was hot and moreish.
• More jazz at the Grande Palce, listened to the more formal Brussels jazz orchestra, performing music of Michel Herr, and had fun watching people fight for chairs.

Food

• chocolate croissant
• chestnut pastry
• Frederic Blondel chocolate
• lunch at Volle Gas:
  • Jupiler 25cl (€2)
  • Stoemp Royal (lard saucisses, boudin, oeuf au plat) (€13.50)
  • waterzooi de volaille a la mode gantoise (€13.50)
  • bread with butter
• chocolate from La Grande belgique
• dinner at Aux Armes:
  • tomato soup and bread
  • croquette with tomato sauce
  • fish in cream bake
  • mussel in casserole with chips
  • eel in green sauce with chips
  • waffle with cream