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Blitz Visit to Brussels

Moving on to the Low Countries and Brussels is our next destination. A rail workersâ€™ strike effectively reduced our time in Brussels from 1.5 days to a mere day trip. As a result, my planned visit is disrupted and to make do with the given time instead. Not going to let this setback affect our holiday mood, though. But rather, this perhaps gave me one reason to come back here again in the future.

The Eurostar train bound for Brussels departs from the stunningly beautiful St Pancras Station. And sharing the red-brick building is the posh St Pancras Renaissance Hotel London.

We arrived at Brussels Midi two hours later, locked up our luggage at the storage facility before heading out.

The Grand Place of Brussels

The Grand Place (Grote Markt) is an iconic cobbled town square surrounded by beautiful historical buildings. While constructed in different architectural styles, the unique blending coexists rather nicely and visually stunning. There is also a bi-annual event happening around Mid-August where a huge flower carpet will be displayed. But itâ€™s unlikely for me to see that since I have never thought of visiting Europe during summerâ€¦

One of the most noteworthy buildings is the imposing Town Hall (Hotel de Ville) being used as a civil-building. The whole building is decorated with a great abundance of statues and ornaments which outshine the others.

Facing the Town Hall on the opposite side is the Kingâ€™s House (Maison du Roi), although no king has ever lived there before. The building now houses Museum of the City of Brussels (Musee de la Ville de Bruxelles) where the original Mannekin Pis and his extensive wardrobe is kept.

In addition, the numerous beautiful guildhalls elevate the charm of the Grand Place to yet another level. The popularity of the town square makes it tough to take a photo due to the crowds.

Somewhere in between the street leading from Grand Place to Manneken Pis is this Waffles Factory, and their waffles are quite good.

Manneken Pis

Unlike other famous statues of prominent historical figures, the beloved statue of Brussels is a naked little boy peeing into the fountainâ€™s basin. The cheeky Manneken Pis statue is among the cityâ€™s best-known landmarks. There are many explanations about why the statue was erected but nobody seems to know for sure.

Whichever the case, Manneken Pis is well-loved and has received many costumes to dress up for different occasions. But we only get see his birthday suit that day.

Many of the souvenir and chocolates all around Brussels come in the form of Manneken Pis.

Belgium Chocolates

Finally, how can we not to talk about Belgium chocolate? This speciality of Belgium is renowned all over the world for its fine quality and taste. But there are countless chocolatiers in Brussels till we are literally spoiled for choices. Hence I decided to go with chocolate brands not found in Singapore and ended up in Pierre Marcolini Chocolatier.

And wow! The chocolates at Pierre Marcolini are goddamn good!! While itâ€™s on the pricey side but the quality totally makes up for that. Maybe thatâ€™s why it is called luxury chocolate?

We explored the area a little more before itâ€™s time to return to Brussels Midi. If only we have more time, there are still so many things which I would like to see especially the street arts. Next time ya, Brussels?

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What are your thoughts about Brussels? Leave a comment and share it with me.

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November 20, 2016
The Bank, Oxford Street and Piccadilly Circus

The Bank-Monument Station is one big interchange which connects the lines like Central, Circle, District, Northern, Waterloo and City, and DLR. Therefore often known to the locals as the most horrible tube station in London with maze-like levels and platforms. Hence, the Bank-Monument Station is definitely one to avoid during rush hour – we reached here after 10 am. While the underground is chaotic, above it are some of the nicest architectural buildings around.

The classic examples would be Mansion House, a government office, and Royal Exchange being an upscale shopping mall.

And for something modern would be Lloyd’s of London, the Gherkin and Leadenhall Building (it was under construction when I was there). Their unique design definitely stands out against other office buildings.

The Fryer’s Delight

The Fryer’s Delight is a well-known fish and chips place in Holborn according to my research, amid garnering a rather mixed review. What better way to find out than trying it then? The tastiest fish & chips in town read the signboard and I certainly hope so. The dated interior with Formica-topped tables and old-school menu up on the wall has a genuine retro feel.

As for the taste of this classic British fare at The Fryerâ€™s Delight, I personally find it to be rather bland and not to my liking. Perhaps I am too used to the taste of Fish & Chips served at those western food stalls back homeâ€¦

Oxford Street shopping

Next up is to check out Londonâ€™s major shopping streets. Oxford Street is often considered as the busiest street with major department stores like Selfridges, John Lewis, Primark etc. Not forgetting numerous flagship stores of major brands as well as many smaller shops. The wide ranges of choice from local to international designers are amazing. The shops on Oxford Street are geared to lighten any shoppers’ wallet. Hence, keep a sane mind when shopping around here ya!

If that is not enough, the upmarket Bond Street is not too far walk away. Hereâ€˜s where all the prestigious high-end brands congregate, catering to deep wallets and extravagant tastes.

Dinner at Pontiâ€™s Italian Kitchen

After what seems like an eternity waiting for wifey and her shopping, it is finally time for dinner, and Italian it will be. Literally a stoneâ€™s throw from Oxford Circus station, this modern family-run restaurant serves some great Italian food, like the wonderful pasta we had.

Piccadilly Circus and Chinatown

Thereafter, we made our way to Piccadilly Circus, one of the famous sites in London. And there is no performing circus anywhere nearby too. The word â€˜circusâ€™ is being used in reference to the Latin Circle if anybody is puzzled by its name. It is more of a street junction with bright illuminated advertisements. But the whole place is bustling with traffic, pedestrians, and tourists alike. The somewhat chaotic scene is perhaps the reason for a local phrase, â€œItâ€™s like Piccadilly Circusâ€.

We went on to check out London’s buzzing Chinatown and the happening Leicester Square before it started to pour like crazy. So we decided to head back to the hotel and conclude the last night in London.

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What are your thoughts on Oxford Street shopping and Piccadilly Circus? Leave a comment and share it with me.

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November 17, 2016