Brussels City Break | March 2018

Part 2 of 2 | City Hopping 

In the early hours of the 12th of March, Myself and Patrick made our way toward Amsterdam Centraal where we would catch my first intercity train (ever) to Brussels. 

It wasn't quite as mindblowing as I expected it to be but it was fun and now I see the appeal of interrailing. The distance itself from the two stations I believe is about 210km and we got there in about an hour and thirty minutes. That's amazing, I swear I've been on a bus from Howth to the City Centre for longer than that.

We booked an airbnb off a lovely old man who I will never be able to think about again without laughing because of Patrick. He was sweet and his apartment was located on the top floor of his apartment block. 

I've never seen someone experience an epiphany until the day we arrived here and Patrick put two and two together and realised that by staying in the European Quarter of Brussels we would in fact be staying literally right in the middle of the most concentrated area of European Institutions.

I can't really imagine the elation but then again I'm not an Economics and Politics student, so it's understandable.

Also, there may be some resentment considering this is the exact place that's taking him away from me for a entire school year in September.

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Etterbeek
The area where we were staying was a great place, it was within walking distance of most things and for those that were far away that we wanted to visit like the Bois de la Cambre and Université Libre de Bruxelles, we were a 7 minute walk from a major train station. 

Etterbeek was perfect and completely satisfied us i.e cheap wine, good food and delivery McDonalds. 

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Delirium Café

I was never really one to understand the whole drinking culture of sitting somewhere and having a few beers. As someone who can't STAND the smell or the taste of beer, not to mention that I try to avoid gluten-filled food and drinks, I found this place quite endearing. 

It's walls are plastered in retro vintage sign posts and brewery memorabilia. None of the furniture matches, you're either tucked into a dark corner of the room or in the middle of the floor, but there's something really attractive about this 'beer village' that houses over 2000 types of beers. I finished my first ever beer here, it was called the 'Delirium Red' and apparently some element of it was cherry flavoured.

It's located down a small alley facing Jeanneke Pis who definitely rakes in the money night after night outside this bar. 

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Of all the trips I've been on, Brussels was perhaps the most relaxed. I managed to visit all the Pis', The Grand Place, Bois de La Cambre, Université de Libre Bruxelles, the Comic Strip Walk and The Museum of Natural Sciences.

This trip meant a great deal to me because it's a possibility(definite) that Patrick will go here and I'll miss him more than I'll ever ever ever be able to explain. 
However, it does have my approval. Of the few cities I've visited, this is one of my favourites. 

Thanks for reading, love ya lots.