Day Four and Five: Bruxelles by Train for a Day

They say France is always a good idea, but Brussels, we've found, is an even better one. That's why we hopped a train out of Paris for a short jaunt in another country. 

James and kids at train station in Paris

James catching zzzs on train to Brussels

Belgium from the train

The train ride was supposed to take 2 hours but there was technical difficulties in other trains along the track. We were stopped for an hour. And then when we arrived there was something going on. Half the platform was taped off. Many police. Camera crew filming in two spots. We never figured out what. We think it was from a threat a few days earlier. Many people don't want to travel the trains to Brussels fearing another terrorist attack.  The news here said they were urging tourists from London and Paris to come to Brussels by dropping fares to 19 euro each way. We hope that works. Fear is felt a bit along the streets with so many police and military present throughout. 

Police and Military Presence Brussels

The train was a great place for each of us to have alone time. James slept, Madeline texted her friends (keeping them up until 3am); Fischer and Nolan enjoyed their WiFi. I read and listened to my ipod (I'm reading The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux written in 1975). My book attracted the attention of the guys in the seats next to me. They are from Belgium returning from vacation in Paris. I attempted basic Dutch with him (dank u; 

Ja; nee, etc.) He said not to worry many avoid Flemish and speak French instead. "Nee, Merci is okay, ja." What I should have done is ask about speaking Engels. 

Sure, they don't speak Engels.

We found that most Belgians do not speak Engels (English). No joke. It goes like this: 

"Parle Engels?" 

"Nee."

"OK. C'est combien?" (How much is it?)

"Ah, 25 euro, come wid me, maybe you like dis one?"

"Oh, nee (nay), just this."

"Et maybe also (pointing) ten euro?"

So, if you want directions, they do not know Engels. They only seem to be rehearsed in selling. Unless you are in the train station, in which case you are attempting to buy three sandwiches and a coke. You say, "C'est combien?" He says, some price you do the understand because it has gone above ten, which is all I can count to (my French teacher would be so disappointed). I say, "En Engels?" He looks at me and says nothing. I say, "En anglais?" He says, "Ah, oui...(and then repeats the price in French and adds even more words)." I hand him 20 euro. He says, "Nee, nee." Gives me back 5 euro from my stack plus change. 

Belgium briefly: 

The winding cobblestone streets that weave in an out of the city from the Grand Palace are unlike any other we've strolled along before (even combining mine and James' travels). We only get to be here for one sleepover which ends up being less than 24 hours since arriving by train, but it will be enough (we say out loud to ourselves), even if it leaves us feeling like we wish we'd stayed longer. 

In the center of Grand Palace Brussels

James and the boys at the International Food Festival Brazil ordered empanada 

Fischer eating Escargot in Brussels at the International Food Festival (ate it in France, loved it, wanted more)

Belgium is still celebrating Christmas while preparing for the New Years eve festivities. It is a concentrated city filled with chocolate shops and souvenir shops with many restaurants. It smells like waffles wherever you go. Paris smells like bread (not as pleasant). Belgium is filled with chocolate pouring down fountains in windows and syrup roasting on waffles being sold out of vans, VW buses and shops. 1 euro for waffle plain (all have some kind of delectable sucre (sugar) but toppings are extra). Waffle plus one topping from a van, 2 euro. Waffle plus chocolate and speculoos (graham cracker spread like peanut butter but no nuts) 5 euro from a shop. 

Monchichi in Brussels

Every hour a live performance is held in the Grand Palace square. You won't see the performer among the tourists, but the sound is so clear and loud, and the lights on all the buildings go along with the rhythm of the song. You can see this happening all throughout the city on the tallest steeple. 

Grand Palace in Brussels

Performers on every corner, people dancing and laughing, young and old. Gorgeous! The feeling is warmer and livelier than France, but the weather is much, much colder. The cobblestones are slippery with freshly frozen ice. Belgians thrive on tourists so they want to make you happy (mostly French tourists). They want to show you how they heal from their wounds only through others who visit them. 

Best Photobomb ever by Fischer as I capture the graphite in Brussels

Lost along the cobblestone in Brussels

The only reservation we had was our hotel (Novotel Grand Palace). We had three things to see: The Music Museum, the Comic Book museum, and the mannequin pis. We only made it to two. We rushed to get to The musee music (remember our train was delayed, and then The McGehee's Abroad got lost looking for the hotel in a city where they Nee Parle Engels). The city has free 2g WiFi which is intermittent for GPS. We got in line at the musee 30 minutes before ticket sales closed. An example of how untrusting the Belgian and French have become: one Portuguese man had accidentally purchased deux (two) tickets and needed to sell one because the musee wouldn't refund his money at the counter where he picked up his tickets. We bought one from him no problem. He was grateful. An hour later we encountered him again at the same instrument, he is a singer on the way to Bolivia for the new year just finishing out his time in Belgium. This place, the building, the instruments were amazing. You just walk around with a headset, punch in codes for each instrument and listen to classical music. Travel tip: Do buy these tickets online. The audio is necessary for the full experience and are included in the ticket price. Also, make it to the 10th floor to see an impeccable view of the city. However, do be careful, the lift will take you to negative un (one), and then to each floor on the way back up. It can be challenging. You will become frustrated, especially as the announcement indicates the musee is closing, it will be okay once the lift bursts open on the tenth floor finally. 

Madeline at Music Musee in Brussels

You are starving, so you eat a waffle from a van. It will be the best food you think you've ever eaten in that moment. You will go and sit on the steps overlooking the city and the cook in the van will see you struggling with the creme freche on your mouth and the chocolate dripping from your chins, and he will leave his compact business and bring you a handful of paper towels even though you didn't mind the food on your face in that moment. You'll always remember his kindness and how much he must have been watching us as we were watching the city. 

The city smells of waffles, Belgium

You think you have energy to keep pushing. Already you've shopped for souvenirs, posed by mannequin pis, and attended the musee music. But, the cold will slow you down and take your energy. Frost is forming everywhere. You want dinner, but Ball and Glory is sold out of food, the markets are packed, you find Brussels Grill and are seated on the second floor no problem. You cannot remember that you should order mussels and frites because you just want to rest. So, you order sopa and salade kreta, and kebobs, and noodles. Only on the way out, when you are stuffed, you will see the big sign out front that says mussels and frites and think: man, we should have ordered that, all well. 

Fischer in New Hat from Brussels

Nolan at the Brussels Grill Belgium

Hotel Novotel is much more modern than the French Hotel Leveque and has more room to stretch out (the French hotel is much more like a closet for one). So, you tuck yourself in and drift off to sleep thinking about how many things you believe you can get done before 11:30am. The comic book musee opens at 10am, and Madeline wants to go back to the music shop for a vinyl, we want to take part in the free hotel breakfast, and we want to walk about. This seems like a reality until you get a knock on your hotel door and the lights are turned on and the maid says, "hallo, bonjour!" You have slept past 10am and now you have missed the free breakfast and you are rushing. You dart out the door, briskly, but carefully walk to waffle shop you saw the day before, realize you must skip the comic book musee but you might be able to get Madeline a vinyl from the shop--it will be closed. You have only time to hurry with your waffle, buy a couple of things and then you are in a taxi going to the train. You walk right onto the train, feeling grateful you didn't miss it. Then, the bell dings, the announcement comes on, the brakes to the train are not passing the safety test, we are delayed. 

Vinyl Shop in Belgium

Waffle Breakfast Last Day in Belgium

In light of all the rushing, you have taken part in the holiday festivals in two countries and found an entirely underestimated country you feel you should return to in the future. And, even though we missed the comic book museum, we played I Spy With My Little Eye and came up with Rin Tin Tin and the Smurfs in various places of the city which was satisfying enough. 

Rin Tin Tin Sighting #1 by Mannequin Pis in Belgium

Rin Tin Tin in Belgium Sighting #2 by the Midi

As I write this, it is New Year's Eve and we are already aware of a possible three terrorist attacks in Berlin, Baghdad, and possibly Helsinki, and so we are hoping for the best as we bring in the new year with the people of the world who are with us in France tonight. Bon annet!