This weekend for me was a long one, so what does that mean? Time to do some travelling! I was so close to going to Lille, but at the last moment I switched my ticket to Brussels. By the way have you ever been to an international train station? Or maybe just a regular train station (I wouldn't know because I've never been to one)? Maybe it's just the adventurer in me, but I love it. The huge sign that tells you all the destinations and times is so exciting. And a train station is so much better than an airport because you can see your method of transportation right in front of you. It helps you realize how real your trip is from the beginning.
Anyway, Brussels. It was cool. I can't say it was super fun or super crazy because going to Brussels was kind of a vacation for me...in which I stayed in a cheap hostel and ate fast food all the time...I just didn't stress too much getting to see all the sites. It was just a time to enjoy not having work and not having to babysit. And Brussels was cool, kind of perfect for that.
Brussels, as the capital of Belgium, has 1 million inhabitants, which is half of Paris, but you feel the difference in the less crowded streets and the overall higher level of cleanliness. Don't give me wrong, Brussels is still a big city like Paris, with street performers, creeps, and overpriced food, but I find that on the whole, you'll find nicer people and better prices. Definitely try some frites with andalouse sauce and a Liège waffle, you won't be disappointed with either. I think the architecture in Brussels is really pretty impressive, even if it is all reconstructed from after the war.
Brussels might also be the easiest mainland metropolitan to get around in without knowing the language. All official buildings and signs are in both French and Dutch, but a lot of companies will even use english in their signs and almost everybody speaks English.
The weather for me was particularly humid on Saturday, but it cooled off a bit for Sunday and was even cooler Monday because of the rain. The first day was slightly miserable because of the humidity, but I still got to see a lot of the city. I just wouldn't recommend walking around on a very humid day with a huge backpack when you only brought one change of clothes. Unless you like wearing sweated-in clothes...it's less-than-desirable to me.
The hostel I stayed in wasn't too bad. It was pretty cheap, which I liked and provided me the 3 things I really needed: a bed, a place to shower, and breakfast. I also got to meet these hilarious British girls that I roomed with the first night. Overall a good experience at the hostel because nothing got stolen and it was at least a few steps from sleeping on the streets. Maybe my standards are a little lower than yours. I loved it though. I could have stayed there longer, but I was running out of money and had work, so maybe next time I'm in Europe (next summer, anyone?).
I would make a list of all the things you NEED to see when you go to Brussels, but I don't really believe in lists like that. Find about the things that interest you in the city and go check those places out. Like the atomium. It's the most visited monument in Brussels, and I'll agree, it looks cool, but it's not that cool. And in the end I didn't want to spend the 8 euro to get into the exhibit, so I didn't, and I left just knowing that I saw it. Kind of a waste of time. On the other hand, when I was wandering in the neighborhood close to my hostel, I found a brasserie with live music, and what's more, a greek band! I wish I knew more greek dancing than I do, because I would have loved to dance along. I still cannot wait until I get to check out Greece. Or spend the whole summer there. That's something to consider...
I realize this is nowhere close to a thorough report of Brussels, but that's okay! Travelling is about exploring, and if you're always relying on what other people tell you is worth seeing, I doubt you'll ever be completely satisfied with your vacation. You can quote me on that.
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