Europe Trip 2012: Brussels, Belgium

After Waterloo, we drove to Brussels. Brussels is one of the most beautiful city I've been to. Papa used to take us there when we were younger. I wanted to see the Jose Rizal statue however it was getting dark already so it was going to be hard to look for it. Next time na lang. I told Papa na lang that I want to go to the Grand Place where there was a dancing lights show. I remember it to be really beautiful and I wanted to show it to Alvin.

When we arrived, wala daw lights show. Seasonal ata yun. Pero the square was as beautiful as I remember it to be. Bakit kaya wala tayong ganito dito sa Pinas?

This is the Grand Place.

Guildhalls

From Wikipedia:

The Grand Place or Grote Markt (Dutch) is the central square of Brussels. It is surrounded by guildhalls, the city's Town Hall, and the Breadhouse. The square is the most important tourist destination and most memorable landmark in Brussels. It measures 68 by 110 metres (223 by 360 ft), and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This is the Brussels Town Hall.

Guildhalls

I love the architecture.

I wasn't feeling well when we arrived in Brussels. I had a fever. Kung maganda lang pakiramdam ko, I would have bought pretty paintings for the house. Sayang.

We walked further to see where we can buy chocolates =)

This is also the home of the Belgian lace. I remember, I wanted Belgian lace for my wedding veil. Dahil I was battling morning sickness during my wedding preps, hindi ko na na-push. Ganda sana. Pwede pang ipamana kay Anika =)

My mouth watered when I saw these 1 euro waffles! Cream and strawberries for the win!! Lekat! Ang sakit lang talaga ng throat ko that time so I wasn't able to eat. I know what that means. We have to go back!!!!

Belgian chocolates are the bomb!!!

My husband found his kind of store =)

There were literally so many kinds of beers inside!

We walked further and found the Manneken Pis.

From Wikipedia:

Manneken Pis (literally Little Man Pee in Marols, a Dutch dialect spoken in Brussels, also known in French as le Petit Julien), is a famous Brussels landmark. It is a small bronze fountain sculpture depicting a naked little boy urinating into the fountain's basin. It was designed by Hiëronymus Duquesnoy the Elder and put in place in 1618 or 1619 . It bears a similar cultural significance as Copenhagen's Little Mermaid.

After that, I asked Papa to take us to the Atomium.

From Wikipedia:

The Atomium is an iconic building in Brussels originally constructed for Expo '58, the 1958 Brussels World's Fair. Designed by the engineer André Waterkeyn with interiors by architects André and Jean Polak, it stands 102 m (335 ft) tall. Its nine 18 m (59 ft) diameter stainless steel clad spheres are connected so that the whole forms the shape of a unit cell of an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times.

Tubes connect the spheres along the 12 edges of the cube and all eight vertices to the centre. They enclose escalators and a lift to allow access to the five habitable spheres which contain exhibit halls and other public spaces. The top sphere provides a panoramic view of Brussels. CNN named it Europe's most bizarre building.

Ever since the last time I went there, it was my wish to be able to dine in the Atomium restuarant. Yung isang sphere kasi daw diyan, restaurant eh.

I love Belgium. I wish I could come again and stay longer =)