Wanderers : Belgium 🇧🇪 - Brussels: A Grand Stay in the Heart of Europe

Brussels, at first, underwhelmed us. Everything we saw on our Uber ride from the train station to our hotel looked sketchy. Rob thought we had gotten on the wrong train and ended up in a third world country. But after the first day it grew on us and we never felt unsafe.

🏛️ What We Loved About Brussels

Black Tower is one of the best preserved remains of the first fortifications of Brussels, built at the start of the 13th century. It is quite the juxtaposition surrounded by modern buildings.

The Church of Our Lady of the Chapel built between the 12th & 13 century & Statue Pieter Bruegel

And we'll put a happy little
Rob back here

The Church of Our Lady of Victories at the Sablon Built in the 15th century.

Comic Culture from Victor Horta’s architectural gems to the cheeky murals of Tintin and Lucky Luke, Brussels celebrates creativity in every alley.

Kinky & Cosy

Neron

Rik Ringers

Asterix en Obelix

Lucky Luke

The Pipes
Hmm 😒 🤔 overlooking
a small playground

The Grand Place (Grote Markt): This UNESCO-listed square has ornate guildhalls and a gothic Town Hall. Visit at dusk when the façades glow gold.

Grande Roue Place Poelaert the Ferris Wheel

We did a 3.2 mile death march one-way to see Rob's 80s and 90s idol, Jean Claude Van Damme statue located in the middle of 2 roads. (Sorry for all the pics).

I can only imagine the reaction of the passing vehicles watching Rob perform his moves, lol. We had a lot of laughs and got a lot of steps that day.

Pis Statues starting with Manneken Pis Dutch for 'Little Pissing Man' "Depicts a naked little boy urinating into the fountain's basin. It's existence is attested as early as the mid-15th century,"

There was even music for the celebration

No costume today!

Jeanneke Pis Dutch for 'Little Pissing Joan' "Erected in 1986 depicting a naked little girl with pigtails squatting and urinating."

"Cheerful, pensive, cheeky and cynical...'m the most mischievous litle girl in Brussels"

Zinneke Pis erected in 1999

Saint Catherine Catholic Church

Saint Antoine de Padoue

Saint Catherine raised
to heaven

Anciet Bell Tower next to Saint Catherine Church

Statue of Gabrielle Petit

Architecture around town

🍽️ Where did we eat?

Le Bonn Chere - was a Gault&Millau rated restaurant recommended by a restaurant and wine reveiwer friend of ours. It was incredibly god and creative.

We did the grand tasting menu with wine pairing

Shrimp & Oysters

The tables were decorated with fresh herbs 🌿.

Pizza

Pizza with a yellow
tomato ketchup

Remember the fresh
herbs 🌿 decoration>
The water is now in
my bowl.

Bite, sip, bite, sip.
Creative and delicious!

Hamachi paired with a Mise du Printemps Le Pinot Blanc white wine from Alsace, France.

Hamachi with a Horseradish
emulsion and Caviar lemon 🍋

Porcini paired with Tantaka white wine from Spain.

Porcini mushroom with
celery & fir

Yes eat the mushrooms 🍄

To get the last drops

Red Mullet paired with a 2022 Rose` from France.

Red mullet, carrot & hops

Partridge two ways paired with a Philippe Alliet red wine from Chinon France.

Partridge Legs
I tried one bite

Partridge with beetroot & plum

Goat and Herve Cheesecake paired a white wine from Belgium

Goat cheese foam

Poached Pear paired with Atelier Brumont Hopjopper. A cider that we did not prefer but went well the pears.

Wait there is still more because we did not have enough.

Rob had to roll me home, but it was so good. Highly recommend 👌.

Marriot Lounge

When in Belgium, you must eat a waffle.

We discovered Poechenellekelder on our walk to the Manneken Pis statue and thought it looked like an interesting place and it did not disappoint.

Nice little chartreuterie platter

🏨 Where did we stay? Marriott Hotel Grand Place -- if location is everything, the Marriott delivers. Situated just around the corner from the Grand Place, this hotel offers instant access to Brussels’ most photogenic square, plus easy walking distance to chocolate shops, beer bars, and a metro station (that we never used).