By Rene Volchansky
“What did you say?”, Nick asked incredulously.
“I can’t eat any more chocolate”, I repeated.
We had been going into every chocolate shop on our walking route around Brussels, ordering one chocolate each, and enjoying them within moments of leaving the respective supplier.
Empirical research, of course, to find the best chocolate shop in Brussels. There are a lot of chocolate shops in Brussels.
But this wasn’t our original reason for visiting Belgium. Honest.
We’d found a great deal on the Eurostar website on the Wednesday before: London to Brussels return, with 5-star hotel accommodation for a small fraction of the price.
Such city-break specials are apparently easy to come by; the European Union headquarters are based in Brussels and hotels empty out on the weekend. Lucky for us.
Three days after discovering this little-known fact and fantastic online bargain, we were happily exploring the cobbled streets and the magic of praline.
My previously impressive capacity for chocolate now beaten, it was turning out to be a fantastic day. The train from London Waterloo to central Brussels - across the road from our hotel - had taken only two-and-a-half hours. How very civilised.
So too was the checkout time of 12pm. The marble bathrooms, Egyptian cotton robes, satellite TV and velvet suite were also rather civilised, and something one could easily become accustomed to.
The hotel was decorated with Picasso, Klimt and Miro prints, and the lifts played snazzy swing and jazz. Very cool. Very civilised. My kinda’ place.
Brussels was certainly proving to be unconventional. It had its fair share of rowdy English stag parties and hen nights, as can be expected of any European city so conveniently accessible from the UK.
It also had a remarkable quantity and quality of old, intricate architecture, sure. But there were also leopard-spotted buildings, Tin Tin murals and so many casually dressed people. How refreshing after London’s high-street fashions. It felt a bit like Observatory in Cape Town.
Of Brussels, I had expected a stereotypical old European city with old buildings and posh culture. Brussels has these, but it’s also overwhelmingly bohemian, young and playful.
On every street there was either a record store, an art shop, toy store, hobby supplier, collector or comic book dealer. We saw trinket caf�s, fairy shops, tarot card readers, fleamarkets and graffiti, while bright rainbow flags flapped between the banners, announcing that today was the day of “Zinneke”.
I was impressed with the widespread honesty: our waiter telling us the mussels were imported from Canada; the hotel admitting the exchange rate was cheaper in town; and a caf� owner warning us that the abovementioned Zinneke was an “awful” parade.
Every two years, the people of Brussels (once described as bastard dogs - the meaning of Zinneke) celebrate themselves, their diversity and the cosmopolitan wealth of Brussels by dressing up and marching through the streets.
We thought we’d have a look. Brussels is small enough to see most things in a day (silly Manekin Pis included). And Zinneke was, well, fabulous. Thousands of people of all ages dressed in varying group themes danced and shouted through the streets.
They sang and responded to drummers, trumpet bands and ghoulishly dressed leaders. They rode elaborate floats, juggled and strode on stilts between the appreciative crowds. It went on and on, enthusiasm never waning. The people of Brussels may be “Zinnekes”, but they sure know how to have a good time.
That night we joined the throng of mouille and frites (chips) patrons on Rue des Bouche. The restaurants on the pedestrian road spilled into each other, with neon lights glaring overhead and accordian players romancing the diners.
The perfect place for a delicious dinner.
The food in Belgium is fantastic. Besides the traditional stews and seafood dishes, one can also visit the great Greek or Italian quarters. There was even an area of English shops on the far side of the waffle kiosks. Do not visit Belgium without eating a street waffle.
To be honest, Brussels wasn’t on our list of must-see places. But now I would recommend it to anyone. I’ve since recovered from the cocoa overdose and would gladly return. Chocolate, anyone?
If you go
VISAS:
South African passport holders need a Schengen visa to enter Belgium. If you intend visiting the UK too, then make sure you have a permanent and not a temporary passport in your possession, otherwise you will not be allowed into Britain.
GETTING THERE:
The choice is yours - take SAA or any European carrier, such as KLM, Air France, Lufthansa.
ACCOMMODATION:
There are hotels, hostelries and B%26Bs to suit every budget. Our writer took up a special low-price offer from London.
Check the Internet to see the various accommodation offers available.
USEFUL WEBSITES:
www.brusselstourism.com
www.brusselsdiscovery.com
www.visitflanders.co.uk
This article was originally published on page 8 of The Star on June 17, 2006
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