20 Years; 20 Places: No.4 Brussels

I am picking 20 Places and 20 Charlton Players to celebrate 20 years of this Blog. No pecking order, just those that were memorable.

Number four on my list of 20 Places is Brussels in Belgium.

From as far back to it’s existence my Mum had wanted to go on the Eurostar listed, so back in August 2015 my son and I took her to Brussels for a whirlwind weekend trip.

It was an early start from my parents home in Eastbourne as the only way to get on the Eurostar was to drive the country roads to Ashford International and pick up the solitary daily train to Brussels, which if I remember was just after 7am. Even that option these says wouldn’t be possible.

Brussels has been central to European history for over 1,000 years and despite it being surrounded by a multitude of cultures it very much has its own personality.

The ‘Capital of Europe’ tag gave an impression of a boring, characterless and dreary place but it was none of these things at all. Instead Brussels had life, personality and a bubbling conviviality. The city of Tintin, beer, great art, history and master-chocolatiers was eminently walkable and greatly interesting. The European influence only a side show to centuries of history within it’s ornate narrow streets and splendid large squares and all at the end of a train line.

Of course the greatest memory was that my son, my Mum and me spent a great weekend together making discoveries.

We stayed in a hotel near the Grand Place, which was in the heart of the capital and from here we walked and walked seeing exquisite guild houses and architectural jewels. We visited Tintin in his museum and saw the Manneken-Pis. We strolled around the Palais Royale and the Parc de Bruxelles. We jumped on and off the tram and explored the famous flea market. We did not leave a stone or a page in city guide book unturned.

Then there was the coffee, chocolate, macarons, waffles, mussels, beer and fries. We looked after ourselves and came home knackered but enlightened by travel and memories.

Brussels. Family weekend trip. 2015.