Brussels is a really cool, but weird city. It is tiny compared to Paris. There isn't a whole lot to see there, but what there is to see is really neat. I got there at 4:30 on Friday. Paige was nice enough to meet me at Midi, the train station. From there, we went back to her house so I could drop my stuff off. Then we were off to see the sights!
The Brussels metro is just like the Parisian one, except for where in Paris we have crazy gypsies singing songs and playing the accordion, in Brussels they have retro 90's pop blasting. It was pretty cool! So we took the metro from Paige's house to the Grand Place, the center of the old part of the city. I was pretty hungry after my train ride, so again being the gracious host she was, Paige and I found a waffle stand. Now, there are waffles and then there are waffles. I had a waffle! It was made right in front of my eyes, and topped with strawberries and nutella. Heaven, in food form.
After that devilshly good treat, Paige and I walked around some more. On our adventure, we came across a really odd marching band. Half of the people were wearing jester costumes and standing around. The other half were holding instruments and were wearing white and black outfits that were reminicent of Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum from "Alice and Wonderland." When the band members started to play, the colorful people started to dance what can only be described as a one legged man's attempt to tap dance.
After we wandered for a few hours, we were ready for dinner. Again, being in Belgium I had to try Mussels. So we wandered down a side street off of the Grand Place and we found a restaurant where, for twelve Euros, we got an aperitif (I gave mine to Paige...), appetizer, main course and dessert. It was wonderful. Mussles aren't actually as gross as I thought they would be. I don't think I'm going to have them again any time soon, but they weren't bad. And they go really well with fries.
After dinner, we met up with Paige's bff in Belgium, Mary. She is awesome. She is from Alabama and is also spending a semester there. We wandered around and then met up with some more of Paige's friends. We went to an awesome bar that looked like it was from the late 1800's. It's called Le Mort Sabite. Apparently it was on the travel channel or something like that. All I know is it was awesome. Although it was too laid back for the rest of the group. After that, we headed to an Irish Pub. Then home.
Saturday started around 10. Paige and I got up and went to the super market because we decided we were gonna cook that night. After our adventure to the market, Mary came over and we went to the Atomium. The Atomium is a really weird, Eiffel Tower-esque (meaning if the Effiel Tower was in the form of a molecule) tourist attraction kind of on the outer skirts of Brussels. You did get a great view from the top of it though.
After the Atuomium we walked around some more. We went to another great look point and saw the city. That lookout point, fun fact btw, is the same spot the roller blade party starts every friday night. That's right, every Friday night there is a roller blade party in Brussels. People all show up and skate around the city. It was awesome!
Then we headed over to a park where we got coffee and rested our legs for a while. Because Brussels is so small you walk EVERYWHERE. Needless to say none of my jeans fit me without a belt anymore... Except then we made dinner. God it was good. I had waaaay to much though.
After dinner, we went out and met up with more of Paige's friends. We headed to a bar called the Hairy Canary. Again, it was too laid back for everyone else, so we headed to a Karaoke bar. I guess if you are hammered I can see the appeal of a crowded smokey dive bar listening to terrible people sing songs, but being sober, not so great... But it was still funny watching my new friends sing.
And then we went home. And the next morning I hopped on the train. An hour and twenty two minutes later I arrived in Paris. That was my first trip (of hopefully MANY)!
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