Have just had a very enjoyable weekend in Belgium, visiting Fabienne. Kt and I took the train from Waterloo to Brussels on Friday morning - it's a nice easy trip (apart from the security scanner queue at either end) which takes under two and a half hours each way. I last took the Eurostar about seven years ago and the British track has been relaid since there, so it's a lot faster on this side of the channel. It's all very smooth and chic!
After arriving in Brussels and checking into our hotel (the five star Le Meridien - a bargain on the Eurostar site), we wandered around the Grand Place etc. before meeting Fabienne. After lunch and waffles, we walked around the main sites of the city, before visiting the Sablon district and Fabienne's favourite chocolatier, Pierre Marcolini. The chocolate shop was beautiful - there was one case of award winning pastries and desserts that looked too good to eat!
After visiting the supermarket and stocking up on chocolate and beer, we went for a drink in one of the great little bars off the Grand Place, and then for dinner at Aux Armes de Bruxelles, one of the traditional Belgian restaurants. We were seated right next to the area where the Crêpes flambées à la liqueur mandarine Napoléon were made and we were amazed that there were not scorch marks on the ceiling from the flames!
The next morning, Fabienne picked us up and we had breakfast in the car while we drove to Antwerp. After an hour's drive we reached the city and the first stop, Diamondland. There were different craftsmen working on diamonds that we could watch - polishing, drilling and setting the diamonds. We also wanted to visit the Mode Museum which showed fashion exhibitions, but it was closed while they installed the next exhibition. We visited Antwerp's Grand Place and the riverfront, and then had lunch at Kookaburra. Fabienne had learnt the kookaburra song when she was a child as well, although the words were slightly different (and in French).
After leaving Antwerp we drove to beautiful Bruges. It was just as beautiful as I remembered it, and there was still a chocolate shop on every corner! It was bitterly cold when we were there, but it was still enjoyable to walk around, stopping off for chocolate every now and then. We had some lovely mussels and frites at the Maria van Bourgandie restaurant before driving back to Brussels.
On Sunday, we had breakfast at Le Pain Quotidien (the daily bread). We then drove out to the Atomium on the outskirts of Brussels. The Atomium had been built for the 1958 International Exhibition, and has just reopened after renovation. It took about an hour to queue to get in (it was the last day of the Carnival holiday in Belgium) but it was worth it - you can take a lift right up to the top to get a view over Brussels. You can also visit the other pods which have been renovated and are lit beautifully. Fantastic!
We also visited the Horta Museum, the home of Belgian architect Victor Horta. Many buildings in Brussels are in an art nouveau style, and Horta is the main exponent. The fittings - door handles and locks etc - were all intricate and so stylish.
After a dejeuner rapide at Fabienne's house, we left Brussels on the train once again, promising to return!
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