For our recent trip to Brussels, as a result of heading over to Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps for the Belgium F1 GP, we were told to head out to other locations because Brussels is kind of boring, just another European city. Well…wrong! Brussels is awesome! What an amazing city. A perfect combination of a classic historic, old world city, and a new, modern urban metropolis. And to make it even more interesting, try walking around at night! What a fun spot. We walked from our hotel, Hotel Metropole, to dinner at Berlin Fabrik, up to Palais de Bruxelles, and back to the hotel. A nice little 5k walk, interrupted by BBQ and a couple pints of beer, several wrong turns and a quick stop at a random beverage store for champagne.

The pics here are some of my favorite shots.

If you want to grab a beer in a cool, unseen, crazy dark, spooky underground bar, follow the name and do Delirium. Located just off the Grand Place in downtown Brussels, Delirium pays homage to the world of beer. And it’s an indication as to how big that world is. Maybe it’s more paying homage to the universe of beer. But unlike most beer emporiums these days, this one hearkens back to the dark underworld of beer. I guess that’s why it was voted, no elected, “Best Beer Cafe in the World!” And they have the button sign to prove it! Walking down the steps to the bar, which is always a good thing, it starts off cute and charming. The first floor is for rookies, and college kids from nice families. And then you go deeper, and it gets darker. The second floor starts getting a little darker, quieter, and food. Then there’s the 3rd floor. Now this is a place for some serious beer-ology. Or beerista. Or what ever you call it when you try some of the most exotic beers available…in the world! The varieties of beer here are beyond reproach. I don’t see how anyone can claim they don’t have “their” beer here. I just started ordering by what looked interesting or if the bar tender had a favorite or what met my taste for caramel-amber flavors. I honestly don’t remember what I had, at this point I’m on the third beer stop and the colors are just floating around my head now. The beers were falling fast and furious, at first I tried to order the coolest sign on the wall. After literally hundreds of signs on the wall. OK, let’s try coolest bottle, but that didn’t include what they have locked away. OK, screw it, Adler. Yes, Adler, ok Adler. OK Adler…stop repeating me Ron! The beer lantern lit my way and Adler it was. Went down way too fast so back and this time it’s Tuborg. I like the guy on the sign, ok, now let’s try Luxembourg. That’s it, small rich countries, let’s drink to them. Mousel will do. Needless to say, we staggered out sometime later, having thoroughly enjoyed our beer tour. And then we hit the light at the exit, our eye have to adjust. How do these monks do it? I guess that’s why they always look so chubby. Oh…that’s right, we should have gotten some of the Friar beer…what ever it’s called. OK tomorrow…stop repeating me Ron!

For our stay in Brussels, we have 2 nights at the Hotel Metropole. Getting to the hotel from Franchorchamps involved a pretty spirited 2 hour drive, including chasing down a Ferrari 430 down on the E40, topping over 170mph! wait…what’s that…oh, that’s kilometers? What’s that…some thing like….105mph. Oh, ok! For a Jeep Renegade, not bad!

Yet getting to the hotel from all the  major construction going on in the Place De Brouckere proved another matter. With the construction, we circled around 2 or 3 times trying to figure it all out. With those huge bags, we were not able to pull up in front of the hotel, so we had to stop down the street and have a bellman come out and assist us. And what an assist it was. This bellman, dressed in the classic red, black and gold trim jacket, walking down this construction thorough fare with the large brass luggage cart, once again the travel gods have smiled upon us. Already were feeling like VIP as people walking by us and look up and smile at us. We get to the hotel and the gentleman at the front desk is more than courteous,  he’s downright jovial! Europe has it down when it comes to hospitality. Everyone is just so friendly and welcoming, it really makes a difference. We get up to the room and yeah, my good karma is on fire. We walked into the room and walk down the hallway, wow, a hallway! When we get into the main room, what is spread out in front of us is nothing but classic European luxury. The room, just a basic room mind you, is more like a junior suite. Luxuriously appointed and very, very spacious. You should be here!

The room contains small desk and chair for some business writing, and lounge for relaxing, 2 chairs for sitting and a nice, big time king size bed for sleeping. The bed is wonderfully soft and supportive and well appointed, accompanied by our chandelier. Yes, we have a chandelier! Step into the bathroom, and this again, it’s  appointed with wood trim, possibly Teak or maybe Belgium Fir, and marble. Polished chrome fixtures add a nice touch. Nice indeed!

Although the bathroom is generous and spacious, there’s only a huge tub. It looks more like a Jacuzzi tub, but no actual shower. So I guess this is Euro fashion, where you stand in the tub with the handheld and take your own shower. OK, when in Europe, do with the Europeans do, it’s bathtime!

The hotel itself was built back in 1895, and is historically modern. One of the cool features is the small elevator. Probably the original Otis elevator built back in the early 1900’s. Hmmm…plaque says 1970, close enough. The elevator still has the two-part door where you open the clear door to walk in, close it, and then pull close the collapsing metal railing before pressing the floor buttons. I haven’t seen this in so long and it is a bit nostalgic, although it’s also a bit tiny. But then, it’s not like I’m traveling with the soccer team, so fine by me. I love the decor.

Time for a beer and we head over to the bar which is incredible. The bar and restaurant, Cafe Metropole, is classic European. High ceilings give the place incredible volume, and the wood trim, all of it ornate, is elegantly detailed. Very classy indeed. For sure, this calls for a nice cool beer, a traditional blonde, please. The bar tendered brings over an Omer, and we just relax and take it in. wow, I’m staying here for the next days, this trip is going to be awesome!

Brussels or Bruxelles, contrary to popular belief, is an awesome city! And I say that as someone who has been to Brussels. Several people mentioned that Brussels was dead and boring, with not much to do, so you’re better off checking out other Belgium locations like Antwerp or Bruges. But this turned out to be the understatement of our vacation. The city starts off as a modern metropolis, then turns old world medieval, then modern, then medieval. A fascinating melding of the two which in turn makes it a mind expanding town to explore. First off,  it’s historic nature alone puts it in league with other world-class destinations.

Founded in 979, yes nine hundred seventy-nine, there are plenty of historical markers all around.  Most of what we see as modern-day Brussels, really kicked off in the early 13th century.  And that’s what I love about it: surrounding those historical markers is a thriving modern metropolis. How the two coexist is the beauty of Brussels. I love glass and steel. I love old wood trim. And Brussels gives me both. The capital, well tell that to Bruges, is a city that, and I quote, “We have no national language. We speak Dutch, French, English and beer.” And that was the customs agent when I asked him! I love this place!

Brussels, or Bruxelles, depending on which mile market….uh kilometer market you pass, has everything you want in a classic European city. Old medieval churches, check. Old city halls converted into museums, got it. Narrow cobble stone streets leading to underground beer halls, double-check.

I was told previously that there isn’t much to do in Brussels, it’s just another European city. Although the advice did lead to a day trip to Bruges, Brussels being just another Euro city couldn’t be further from the truth. Brussels is an exciting and vibrant city to hang out in and you could easily spend several days exploring. We had a day and two nights in the city, and we did make the most of it with a couple of restaurant excursions, a nighttime walking tour which was awesome, roaming the central markets, hitting a couple of beer spots, and just taking in the city. I wish I could’ve spent a week here, I would’ve had plenty to do and see.

One of the main tourist attractions in central Brussels, is the Grand Place. This giant square represents the old open market of ancient Brussels. Imagine this massive open space with the city buildings, the City Hall, House of Parliament, the Guild Houses, other government offices, and a Starbucks! Wow!!! (snark-snark) This is just one massive open air market for vendors of all sorts. Fish stalls, flowers, meat, fruit and vegetables all came here in the old world Swapmeet of sorts. Now days, it houses tourists doing selfies and visiting the museums. But they still have some art vendors to pickup lovely posters of Brussels scenery.

The buildings are sculpted with figurines and statues gilded in gold, and it provides quite a vision. There are thousands, I’m sure tens of thousands, of carvings added to the outside of the walls of the government buildings and churches. Each building has all sorts of monks, laborers, gargoyles and tapestries attached that I’m sure they have all sorts of stories to tell. Looking back, these were probably the first makings of graffitied buildings. But instead of spraying or painting, the churches and ministries of the time, they added these sculptures provided by the masons of the day. I guess this is why they are so secretive.

But the most famous sculpture in all of Brussels, some even say Belgium, even more say the entire European continent, has to be Menneken Pis. This small statue, the subject of visitations from people all over the world and a tribute to the sense of humor of the Belgian people, is a mystery and a revelation to all. It is not quite clear when the statue was built, and why. Documents show the statue being built in 1615, but it was also mentioned in text as early as 1451.

Maniken Peace

But why is still a mystery. Several legends have completely distinctive origins. One legend indicates that when Brussels was under attack by forces planting explosives, a small boy spied upon them and urinated to douse the fuse. Another story is of a wealthy merchant who’s small child was lost in the city and was found pissing in a small garden by the search party. The merchant thankful, decided to have a statue built to commemorate the event. This seems a little more feasible, but either way, the statue has been a beloved monument for hundreds of years and shows the humor and otherwise light-hearted good nature of the people of Brussels. You don’t keep a pissing statue around for some 600 hundred years unless you have an entire culture of good natured humor.

This cute little country side B&B provided cozy lodging for our 3 days of the race. Located 15 mins or so from the track, just outside the town of Trois-Ponts. The owner, Francois, has handed the property, under the previous name of Auberge du Pere Boigelot, over to his daughter, Caroline. They were totally awesome hosts, and had the most amazing chicken dinner. The food was so good, and since we already had a couple glasses of wine, I forgot to take pictures.

The dining areas are adorned with waffle skillets converted to wall lights. I wanted to take one home, but no such luck. The rooms are Euro small but large enough to register as cozy roomy. No air conditioning, and the windows don’t really open much, so the upper rooms tend to get a little stuffy. But these are sleep over rooms, not luxury vacation. So you’re up in the morning, and home late in the evening. The beer offerings, Lupulus and Lienne, both from nearby micro brews, rate positively in beer circles, and my own world. To be honest, after walking all day, then having 2 bottles of wines, and then trying the Lienne 7% beer, I really don’t remember much. So find one yourself and give it a try.

There is nothing in this area other than fields and the turn-about. But if you’re walking, head back to Trois-Pont. There a couple of bars and restaurants, a grocery store, some wine shops and various little village shops. The population is listed at 2,400 people, so this is a small town by every sense of the word. But the backyard is a great place to take a deep breathe and take the country air in. And if you really are up for it, sneak out back and snatch a fresh apple from the tree. Feel free to feed to remainder of what you don’t eat to the horses, they love apples!

Adding comments later…

Our first stop in our Belgium Formula One weekend was the small town of Waimes, Belgium, to drop off my buddy’s luggage at their hotel. I couldn’t wait to see this place, a 4-star resort in this remote forest area of Belgium? We drive through Malmedy, a town infamous for the 1944 massacre of 84 American soldiers by their German captors. But we drive through Malmedy, and reach Waimes, a small European town of 6,400 people. We arrive at Hotel Cyrano, and I realize, European back country 4-star is a little different than big city 4-star. We park across the street, yes, across the street and bring the luggage over. Stepping inside the hotel, its small, even tiny. We carry the bags upstairs to their room on the 3rd floor via a tiny narrow, twisting stair case. The room was spacious enough, but we were hungry and headed downstairs to eat. Upon walking down and finding the dining area, wow, what a surprise. The main restaurant area was designed in a soft raspbeey theme. Cool!  Very modern, classic European. don’t judge the book by the cover.

I walk through the dining area, and I see a bar. OK, cool, I’m happy now. Then we see the large community tables of the bar side bar area. OK, this is nice. Classic Germany bruhaus style layout, large table where everyone congregates and shares the stories of the day over a cold beer and brats. And fries, don’t forget the Belgian fries. Belgian, not French.

So nice area, large and spacious, I step back to the bathroom, uh, water closet, And notice there’s an outdoor patio area for dining as well. Oh, that’s nice. OK, so there is more room to this little spot than I reckoned. Then I turn and notice, more community tables along a side patio. Cool, this place has a plethora of seating choices. And if you know me, you know how much I love dining and drinking al fresco, so this spot is right up my alley.

So anyway, we sit inside at one of the large tables, get our menus, and start practicing our French for ordering. After all, we are in back country Belgium. Ron and Terri speak German, so we have that covered as backup, but whatever they throw at us, we’re ready.

“Hey guys, what’s up?” We look up in astonishment. We thought we were in a foreign country? These guys all spoke English as clear as anyone from LA. OK, so Ron speaks to her in German, no dice. I try French, and she laughs at me. Oh well, welcome to the new World Order: America is King! The music, the B-52’s. Everyone wears Levis. The t-shirts from Nike, Guns and Roses, or some other Americana marketing slogan campaign.

So on to the food. The menu is…uh…Nuevo Belgian Americana. We order the burger, The Maxi-Burger Chez Gerty. Any burger named after the restaurant, with a hyphen, has to be good. I get a side of Buffalo Wings. Oh come on, I gotta try it to see how funny it’s going to taste. Terri also adds to the order a delicious little side dish of thinly sliced green Apples layered with goat cheese and cold baby shrimp. Reading the description from the menu, it sounds like it ought to be good. It has all the key components of a good dish: Apples, Shrimp, Goat cheese. All favorites of mine, please don’t mess this up.

Oh my! The food was so good, we forgot about heading to the track for an hour. That apple shrimp feta thing was sooooo good. The burger was one of the juiciest, tastiest I’ve had in a while. The bun was some sort of crusty, sour-doughy, crunchy tasty yummy bread. Crunchy enough to hold it all together, light enough to be a flavor supporter of a great beef burger. Add 2 types of cheese, tomato, red onions, pickles and a tasty Chez Gerty sauce, the burger exceeded expectations. Then the B-Wings come out, plump, juicy, dang me! This was not expected at a Belgian brasserie… in Belgium. And those fries! I caused a bit of confusion when I asked for ketchup and mustard. OK, ketchup they understood, typical Americans. But mustard, they were perplexed, but brought out their version, which turned out to be a spicy Dijon mustard. Good enough, the fries were my style: Big, fat and tasty. I even tried the mayonnaise. OK… I tried the mayonnaise, let’s just leave it at that. The food was awesome. Loved the servers, so friendly, loved the layout, fun and open and it was the perfect first meal in a new country after getting off a 24-hour flight. And now, off to the races!