To Brussels I Go

Today begins my Belgium adventures. The train from Amsterdam to Brussels took 2 tours 44 minutes. The ride and scenery were pleasant, but I couldn’t wait to get there.

The AirBnB place I’m staying at is in the Ixelles area of Brussels. For $44 CDN/nite.Mmy host, Pascale, was away in Germany this week, so I would have her apartment all to myself.

I met her friend Michele who works at the Musee Royaux des Beaux Arts to collect the keys, but since she was working until 5pm and couldn’t take me to the apartment just yet, she asked if it’s okay to comp me a ticket, so that I could check out the museum in the meantime.

She doesn’t know me very well, does she? Yes, I’d be all over that!

The museum is undergoing renovations and split into 3 areas: the Musee Royaux des Beaux Art, the Margritte Museum and the Special Expo on Symbolist artists. I opted for the Beaux Art museum.

Although maybe not as many recognizable artists as British Museum or the Met, the Musee Royal des Beaux art is striking. The interior architecture of the main building is wow inducing.

So is the view of Brussels from the rooftop terrace.

The museum showcase works from Rubens, Rene Magritte, Pieter Brueghel the younger and Pieter Brueghel the Elder.

The Fall of the Rebel Angels by Peter the Elder

Plus a real life Jheronimus Bosch! The Bosch triptych, La Tentation de Saint Antoine, wasn’t in a frame or stanchioned off. I could go nose to painting with it. The detail in Triptyque de la Tentation de Saint Antoine was nothing short of incredible. Definitely more jaw dropping knowing it’s the real enchilada than the Bosch Art Centre.

The Temptation of Saint Antoine by Jheronimus Bosch

After the museum closed, Michele walked me over to Pascale’s. And the place comes with a cat named Monsieu Pichou. Michele told me that I’d be lucky if I even see the cat during my whole stay as it’s very timid and spend almost all the time outside, somewhere on the roof. Still I got a quick glimpse of Pichou.

On my way to get dinner, I took a wander around the immediate area. I saw the Bozar Square, the Grand Place and the exterior to the Musical Instruments Museum. With its wrought iron musical notes, it may be one of the best facades on a building I’ve seen in a long time.

Once I got to Brussels, all I’ve been hearing around me is French. There’s a huge population of Muslims and Africans immigrants in Brussels and most speak French. Signage here are in both French and Dutch. There’s hardly any English posted.

Hospitality people who do speak English are not fluent, but can make do. This reminded me of when I was in Paris for a week. It was fun because it forced me to recall the French I had learned in school and to speak Frenglish.

Being in a country where you don’t really hear any English spoken didn’t phase me. What stopped me mid-step was the thought that I was somewhere I’ve never been before. Completely by myself. Nobody I knew on this end except Michele who left me her number in case of emergency.

Oh, merde. After the 5 second mini-freakout passed, I thought to myself, okay, what do I want to check out now? Where will this street lead me? Let’s find out.

View more photos of my trip on my Flickr album.