Skip to main content

Brussels, Belgium

A whiff of waffle!

May 2015

With that first smell of sweet waffles, 
cooking on the street corners, 
I knew I was back!

I have lived in Belgium twice.  
All of a sudden it seems a lifetime ago, indeed nearly 20 years, 
since our son was born here.
So many fond memories and lasting friendships formed in the school playgrounds...

Brussels is a fabulous city to live and also to visit.


It's small enough, to enjoy the major visitor attractions in a big weekend; Grand Place, Manneken Pis, Royal Palace, Parlamentarium etc. Add in a few museums, some art galleries and enjoy a beer or kir royale, whilst chomping through some pomme frites with mayonnaise, or how about a fresh crusty baguette with gorgeous cheese from an outdoor market? And before you know it, you're sad you're leaving, but have had a cracking time.

 I am here to wander 
and enjoy wrapping myself in the familiarity of my old Belgium life...
Sharing a sundowner drink in a pretty square with old friends, 
 or wandering through Parc Leopold, laughing and reminiscing.

It is fun to be back in this city of contrasts,
 the ultra new...


To the seriously old...

Well by Aussie standards
Living in Australia we don't have the buildings with this heritage.
Brussels is wow overload!



If you love culture and architecture, then you will love Brussels.
At every turn, there seems to be something interesting...

Even if it is the barbed wire security fencing which is piled up 
ready for use around the European Parliament




The mega cute buildings, standing proud, wrought iron balconies
 and the brightly coloured geraniums in window boxes, like we once had!



 Being in the Capital of Europe everything seems to be on such a grand scale
However now living in Melbourne, four times as populated,
Brussels seems small!

I love the visit to the European Parliament. The interactive Parlamentarium museum tells the history of the European Union. It is well done.
As I visit David Cameron is in Riga, Latvia 
attending a EU Summit and asking for reforms before the future 
British in/out referendum 
on Britain's EU Membership in 2017



 We enjoyed the Chagall exhibition at the Museum des Beaux-Arts.
Chagall is fascinating painter, 
each painting full of symbolism and hidden meaning. 



I hope you have enjoyed a little wander with me in Brussels
Tomorrow join me as I visit fellow Blogger, Gattina to visit Waterloo!

Have a lovely weekend.
Linking with the following thanks to the lovely hosts at:




Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Autumn Spice and everything nice!

Hey, what ever happened to Summer? I hope yours was lovely, mine was pretty amazing! It feels like my whole year has whizzed past in a flash, how about yours?  I've had a year of saying "yes" to everything offered to me. It has been exciting to put it out to the Universe to see where I should be. We feel very fortunate to be able to do this in my husband's early years of retirement. I'm just back in Asia from the US. I never feel my year is quite right without seeing British daffodils in the Spring and a pumpkin and the leaves turning in Autumn. Yay, the world nailed it this year, thank you.  Read on to find out what happened when my ultimate yes occurred on a trip to Montana to meet Ruth, an IG friend. I know Bloggers will smile and not be at all concerned, we've been meeting up around the globe for years, haven't we...?!  But let's just say some of my family and friends were, you're doing what?! But first some Little Wren updates! France I had so...

Taipei Adventures, naked - moi?!

I have to tell you all about my little adventure in Taipei recently, naked at the Hot Springs! I can't believe that I have never been to Taiwan, I certainly urge you all to go if you ever get the chance. For me, I loved the combination of influences of two countries I enjoy.  Street views from Downtown Taipei The Chinese left some interesting historical influences and stunning architecture, which combined with a Japanese legacy and efficiency in transportation, makes Taipei an easy place to visit, with so much to see. Nowadays, Taiwan has emerged as a thoroughly modern city, I loved my time there. It felt exotic and safe until I had to get my kit off. It was a spur of the moment decisions to join my husband on his Taiwanese business trip, prompted by the delay in the arrival of our furniture into Bangkok, and ‘no room at the inn’ where we had been staying. Given that I’m commitment and fancy-free in Thailand; there’s no job, no kids, no dog and absolutely nothing in ...

L'eau de toilette....

Our meals at The Serai were a huge part of the enjoyment of our stay. Lunch & dinners are marathon five course events...We tried not to over-order but even when we cut back to try to pace ourselves, Chef would send out little treats for us to try... If one person expressed an interest in a particular dish, we all got it.... Whenever someone ordered something we all got it.... ...although sometimes it took a quite a few attempts... 'Can you do oats, no milk?' .... 'Can you do ginger, hot water and some lemon, no milk?' We have an eclectic group of tastes from Miss ' Extra spicy ' to Miss ' Not too spicy ' through to Miss ' Vegetarian, no dairy ' , myself as ' Miss Recovering, extra careful and just wants soup. ...and even Miss India herself who every now and again just orders chips... So we can't leave without saying a huge thank you to the Chef for the best food that we have had so far.... We hear conflicting reports about whether th...