Brussels.

Brussels.
29th September. 

Between the station and the Mirabeau hotel is a predominantly Arab quarter of Brussels with lots of Middle Eastern themed cafes, food shops and book shops some of which have Islamic literature next to Tin Tin comic books. Tin Tin is big here!  Many buildings around the city have comic book murals painted on them which are fun and liven up otherwise boring walls, shame some of them have been attacked by graffiti "artists". 

Comic Book Mural: Devil's Barbecue

Comic Book Mural

The city centre has a much more "lived-in" feel than many of those I have visited in the last few weeks; the pavements are not so new, the buildings weren't renovated last year and in many places the rubbish wasn't collected last night either.  From the hotel it is only a short walk in the other direction to the Grand Place which looks just like the pictures except that it has far more tourists. The buildings are fantastic and appear to be freshly gilded. 

Grand Place

Freshly Gilded

Grand Place by Night

Grand Place by Night

Wander round the many little streets, go up to the Royal Palace, the area around Central Station and the cathedral. Also find some very impressive arcades, the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert,  bigger and later  version of Burlington Arcade in London. Nearby is a street of restaurants so that I am spoilt for choice for dinner. Eventually settle on Le Marmiton where I have the fixed price menu at €21.95 and a small ,  25 cl, carafe of wine for 6.95. Not haute cuisine but excellent, unpretentious meal. Parma ham to start. Beef carbonade with Belgian Fries followed by ice cream. 

Statue of Godefroid de Bouillon in front of the Royal Palace

Modern Brussels

Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert

So many choices for Dinner

Later went down to the Grand Place for another carafe of wine at Le Roy d'Espagne, watched and  listened to the lights and music in the square. 

Glass of Wine at the Grand Place

Finally went back to the hotel and climbed up to my garret! 

Tuesday 30 September. 

It was a cold start to the day with no hot water in the shower. Went back into the Grand Place to take some photos of it in the sun and then to the Manneken Pis where there was an unveiling ceremony revealing him as a jazz player. A jazz band was in attendance and provided musical entertainment. It seems there are "guardians" of the diminutive statue and he is taken very seriously.  There is even a mobile version! 

Manneken Pis Dressed as Jazz Musician

Manneken Pis Naked

Mobile Manneken Pis

Guardian of the Manneken Pis

The Jazz Band

Had lunch at a cafe which again was very good. Took a lift to the Palais du Justice which is a massive, forbidding, neoclassical edifice and makes the Lubyanka look cosy! Built on a hill, it dominates the area but there is an excellent view of the city from nearby. Went back down to the Midi area and the station and then to the Grand Place area to buy some chocolates. Then sat down to relax in the Grand Place with a beer. 

I'm not into shopping but there is an amazing range of specialist shops in Brussels, selling everything from Harry Potter wands and broomsticks, to 3D printing , quirky furniture, esoteric art books, expensive hand made chocolates and, of course, anything related to Tin Tin.

Le Musee Imaginaire et La Rose Identique

Interesting Furniture and Decoration

In the evening I followed the advice of a Guardian writer and went to the "Taverne Greenwich" a well known, turn of the century bar and restaurant which looks wonderful but the food was disappointing. 

Taverne Greenwich

Went back to the Grand Place and had my last beer, a Triple Karmeliet, before heading back to England. Just over two months since leaving Singapore in July, my fascinating journey across Asia and Europe, which exceeded expectations in almost every way, is coming to a close. Tomorrow I will be in England and Corfe Mullen.

Triple Karmeliet in the Grand Place