Bruxelles: Deuxième partie

For Valentine's weekend, I went to Brussels again, not because it was Valentine's day or anything, I just happened to get a free ticket from a friend and decided to go. With the weather as it was/is in Paris (blah, cold, rainy, snowy) any excuse to get away is a good one. However, the weather in Brussels proved to be just as horrendous, if not more so (incredibly colder and constant wet unpleasant snow).

Some fun artwork adorning a construction site by the European Union headquarters

Unlike last time, this trip I went prepared with a list of things I wanted to see and places to visit. Brussels is a cool city and it has a lot of culture. I did some searching and found a few things that seemed interesting. One of which was a car museum (eh, I am a daughter of the South), but it ended up being too expensive for such a small space, so I opted out. Fortunately, the walk to the museum was beautiful and the park was lovely looking with all of the snow.

The basilica of the Sacred Heart in Brussels

A couple of the things I wanted to see most were the Basilica and the Atomium. I walked a million miles in the worst temperature to see the Basilica and ended up not going into the chapel because of a funeral. I must admit, I wasn't that impressed with it, even though it is one of the largest churches in Europe. It was rather too austere for my taste.

The Atomium: A very impressive structure just outside the city proper

The Atomium on the other hand, was definitely a cool sight. I didn't go in it because it seemed a bit too costly just to see such a small exhibit. I am sure it is worth the view of Brussels when the weather is nice.

Beautiful stain glass windows at the Falstaff restaurant

I did manage to get to some of the bars on my list where I was able to enjoy some fine Belgian beers. I do love beer. If it weren't so fattening, I'd drink one everyday. And the Belgians know how to make some yummy ones! I particularly like the Trappist beers, but this time I tried a cherry flavored one (Mort Subtile) and it was fantastic! I brought back 20 various brands in my little carry-on suitcase. It was heavy but worth it!

Hope everyone had a nice Valentine's day!