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Brussels – the Global Village
Every year some 18 million passengers breeze through Brussels. They come from all parts of the globe. To see this diverse range of peoples gathered under one roof in bonhomie and friendship, is a delightfully re-assuring, and feel-good experience.
Tall Africans in long flowing robes; Fez-capped individuals in white suits; Americans in Bermuda shorts; Japanese bowing and smiling; Arabic gentlemen in dish dash, headgear and goggles; girls in long sleeved jackets and straw hats; Athletic built Caribbeans talking to men in handlebar moustaches; Scores of back-packers, some with guitars; Indians - girls in shimmering salwar kameez; silk sari-clad women next to their men sporting diplomatic élan, in achkins… Vasudhaiva Kutumbhakam, the world family, is there in the airport’s arrival hall!
What brings them to Brussels?
Official work? Business? Holiday and sight-seeing? Honeymoon? Week-end sports? To that list, add beer connoisseurs, historians, art aficionados, musicians, and scuba-divers! Yes, that’s some of the people at the airport lounge and beyond.
With a £20 Brussels Card and access to over 30 museums and public transport for 3 days, most visitors cover the city’s attractions including the Sunday antique market in the Atomium, a retro futuristic atom shaped tower originally built for the 1958 World Trade Fair.
At an outdoor cafe near Grand Place, an affable youngish guy with ‘Cornell’ emblazoned on his sweat-shirt, sipping beer, had his take on the city, ‘How does one describe a city whose main attraction is a pint sized statue of a naked little boy smiling with pride as he takes a leak into the fountain below?’ Smiling, he went on, ‘How can I summarize a city where the main dishes are chocolate, waffles and monk-brewed beer, often served together as a meal? Brussels has so many personalities it’s impossible to properly define it.’
Then there were the two individuals who had come to Brussels for scuba diving! Scuba diving? Had they landed by mistake in Brussels instead of the Bahamas? In time, it became clear that they were here to scuba dive in the deepest swimming pool in the world, at Nemo33!
The reason for the presence of so many nationalities at the airport was becoming clear.
Capital of an expanding Europe, World
Politics and world matters bring many representatives of nations to Brussels. After all, it is home to the European Union, NATO and a host of international organizations. Besides Eurocrats, the city houses a number of foreign embassies and diplomats.
Then again, the place is more than business and politics. There is an old world charm and dollops of history everywhere. Impressive buildings with rich and striking architecture and wonderful leafy parks, squares and fountains abound in the small city. Studded in this landscape are superb restaurants, ballet theatres, designer stores, shopping ops, side-walk cafes, a range of museums including one for cartoons and animation, and of course, the Manneken Pis the iconic micturating minor.
12th century Grand Place - the flower-filled square, is enclosed by tall, gabled, buildings. It has been central to Brussels’s commercial and public life for the last eight hundred years. In pre-industrial times, textile workers, masons, carpenters, glassworkers and such craftsmen formed associations and built their trade-based buildings, guildhalls, with distinctive decorative gables, medieval banners and highly ornate facades. These remarkable edifices when illuminated become more beautiful by night.
One such building, the former Butcher’s Guild, is today a posh restaurant, La Maison du Cygne or The House of the Swan, with its old castle’s dining hall like setting - polished walnut paneling, shimmering green velvet and chandeliers.
In addition to this traditional view of Brussels, a new modern, cool, exciting happening city is rearing to unfold - the new emerging, with-it city
In a bid to ‘shed the EU bastion’s drab image as a place stuck in an Art Deco time warp’, the city fathers are pumping up Brussels into ‘a must-do cool short break destination’.
As part of this program, there is a well-ordered calendar of events. At any time, details of forthcoming activities are listed - of performing arts and other entertainment, trade shows and exhibitions, food, wine and beer festivals, sporting events, and fashion shows.
The ‘sleepy city for fashion’ image is also getting a make-over as an increasing number of fashion stylists sashay in, and big international labels hit the shopping districts.
‘Shopping has become a sleek laid-back affair, darling,’ says an upwardly mobile young thing Vrithi Munish, ‘Couture to casual are yours for the picking in the chic Boulevard de Waterloo and Avenue Louise Quarter.’
Recently, the city had the outdoor Atomium Film Show. Cinema classics such as Nicholas Ray’s Rebel Without A Cause (1955), Roger Vadim’s And God created Woman (1956) were screened. Later, as part of 50 years of the Atomium and Expo 58 celebrations, there were dance events. Many took the floor to rock to the hits of the 1950s!
Here are some other little known nuggets of happening Brussels:
Nuit Blanche or White Night
A city sponsored all night festival, generally a September do, pulls in the fun crowd from all over. When the mega bash unfolds, abstract lounges to small city squares reverberate to music rock concerts, opera recitals, jazz festival, art shows, theatre, circus, food fairs and all night wine and beer-guzzling parties!
To cart away the party-weary gang, the city has guides and buses that run all night for free.
Scuba diving in the deepest swimming in the world
The landlocked city has re-invented itself as a scuba diving destination at a hi-tech facility in Uccle on the outskirts of Brussels.
Named Nemo33, the deepest pool in the world has some 2.5 million liters of spring water maintained at a constant 30°C for swimming and scuba diving. Inside the fabulous pool are simulated caves, steps and platforms, and other under water gizmos to knock the socks off any aquanaut!
The pool’s attached bar and restaurant, have rows of large observation windows to view the divers ‘happily blowing bubbles in the blue water’.
Since it opened in 2004, more than 100,000 people have used this multi-purpose recreational facility. ‘It is like a sauna or yoga. All the stress of work, of the week, is gone in one hour,’ says John Beernaerts, the man behind Nemo33.
Belgian Grand Prix
Some 110 km from Brussels airport is Spa, one of the world’s most famous car racing tracks and the setting for the famed Belgian Grand Prix. Michael Schumacher, who made his debut here in 1991 and won his first race in 1992, says it’s ‘the best race track in the world’.
There! Now that you have an idea what people do in this ‘sumptuous, historic and luxuriously cozy city and its environs’ lob up and check it out first hand! As some one said, ‘With artistry richer than chocolate, architecture as graceful as its cuisine and diversity frothier than the beer, Brussels is an heirloom of northern culture at its best.’ So how can you miss this cool exciting Brussels experience?
Little known facts and firsts of Belgium
Did you know that_
-actor Audrey Hepburn, cartoonist Herge, actor Jean Claude Van damme, tennis-player Justin Henin, the famous Formula 1 motor-racing star Jacky Ickx, the director of the Las Vegas live show, Cirque du Soleil, Franco Dragone are all Belgians?
-the first solid chocolate as we know it today was fashioned here?
-no other European country has as many street and music festivals all year as Belgium?
-the dance hit, Pump up the Jam is by the Belgian band, Technotronic?
-the Big Bang theory was invented by a Belgian padre?
-the world’s most translated books after the Bible, are those of Belgian author Georges Simenon?
-the face on the Sterling £50 note is that of a Belgian who founded The Bank of England?
- the roller-skates inventor was a Belgian? He rode on them to a London masquerade party in 1760s!
-a Belgian invented the saxophone?
-the bloodhound, the scenting and tracking dog usually linked with Sherlock Holmes and Scotland Yard is actually a special breed of dog from Belgium?
Eating and Drinking
‘Brussels is a foodies' paradise –No neighbourhood is short of beer-haunts or restaurants, where the sweet-savory blend of Belgian cooking comes into its own every season and there’s a glass for each variety of beer — and there are over 400 - hanging above the bar.’
There are a number of chic restaurants and cozy little cafés to enjoy anything from a simple snack to a three-course dinner. You are spoilt for choices and end up asking ‘Where does one begin the Brussels ‘culinary trip’?
Brussels is well known for its fresh fish and eclectic dishes featuring mussels, shrimp, escargot and other seafood. They are all concentrated in the Grand Place area.
In addition to French, Greek, Chinese, Spanish and Belgian, there are several Indian restaurants that serve veg and non-veg items – all at reasonable prices.
Check the local food guides.A Swift Pint in London
'...No, Sir; there is nothing which has yet been contrived by man, by which so much happiness is produced as by a good tavern or inn.'
Long before Boswell recorded that observation of the famed lexicographer's, the early Romans, some 2000 years ago, went about merrily establishing taverns and inns all over the conquered land of Londinium. The present generation is dutifully following in those footsteps - to 'produce happiness'. As an upshot, London has 'contrived' some 4500 pubs and bars to down a swift pint.
The tipplers - Ben Johnson, Samuel Pepys, Dr. Samuel Johnson and such pillars of tavern society, if around today, would be spoilt for choice. There are swanky modern age watering holes that razzle dazzle visitors, most everywhere in town. Amidst them, and in far larger numbers are the rambling, half or fully timbered, old historic pubs and inns.
Probably the most famous inn of them all is The Tabard, in Southwark, London, where, in 1388, Chaucer began his Canterbury Tales. Like The Tabard, old beauties with eclectic names such as Hoop and Grapes , The Slug and Lettuce, The Bricklayers Arms, Prospect of Whitby (established 1543) and such continue to hand pump the stuff with the same energy and zest as they did in the days of yore.
On a recent sweltering hot August day, after a longish walking tour, I happened on Microbar off Lavender Hill, Battersea.
The cool, laid-back ambience was most inviting. A chic display of beer bottle art and advertising beer plates on the walls greet the eye. This is a 'trendy pub' focused heavily on micro-brewed beer for happiness. The place stacks some 120 labels and 13 draught beers! The tipple comes from all parts of the UK and far flung corners of the world. Every conceivable brand or variation of the drink – from Corsican to Aussie stout, lager, ale… is gleefully listed, alphabetically and by country!
When I entered Microbar inside somewhere in the cool ambience, the rock band Coldplay was putting out a romantic ballad and filling the room with dreamy, soothing notes. As I made my way to the stairs, there was more 'beery-cheer' lighting and decoration to make visitors let hair down and relax. The stairs took me to a leafy beer garden where the jazz fusion guitarist Earl Klugh was lighting up things from concealed speakers!
Talk of beer heaven, and London's Microbar springs to mind.
Another day, another pub
One early evening, en route to Leicester Square, with some time to kill, I walked into by-lanes that easily are one of the oldest in London. Then I came upon a 'ye olde pub', The Porcupine Public House. Intrigued by the name, I stepped in.
At one end of the bar was a staircase leading to 'Theatre Bar'. As I wondered what that was, an old gent on a bar stool, bent over a newspaper crossword, turned, and asked, 'Son, is Bogart with an 'e' or an 'a'?'
'If you are talking of Casablanca, it is 'a'', I said. The stranger took me in with a quizzical look, 'haven’t I seen you somewhere before,' he managed finally, 'Aren't you from Birmingham?'
As a kid, I was told not to chat with strangers. Here was a total albeit senior stranger chatting me up. And I was far from home, so I said, quickly, 'Nah. I am from India.' And looked at the tall dark frothy tipple placed on the man's cork place mat.
The pub, I gathered, was a favorite haunt of the local freemasons. In 1807, it became the meeting place for the Lodge of Confidence and remained so until 1829. That's when a kill-joy Masonic ruling was enforced. Booze was banned during meetings. But the pub grub - fish and chips, bangers and mash, and steak pies, continue to be demolished wholesale by hungry diners.
According to the menu, The Porcupine used to be frequented by highwaymen and robbers. These days, its location attracts the tourist crowd floating in from Leicester Square's movie-halls and theatres, as well as those out for a chilled lager after work.
On the outside, an oblong shaped bronze plaque had a short and fascinating history of the pub. It occupies the 'exact same', to borrow contemporary phraseology, location on Charing* Cross Road, when it was first established in 1725! The road itself was not begun until 1877 though. In the old days, Porcupine’s address was No. 1 Castle Street. Be that as it may, I realized I was sitting in one of the oldest, continuously functioning pubs of the world.
'India, eh? Oooh,' the old crossword gent next to me, interrupted, smiling, 'You've come a long way to slake a thirst, haven't you, laddie?' Then turning to the man pulling on the handle, he said, 'Bar bloke, give me young friend a drink if you please?'
Strangers. But here was an old-timer reaching out. I put my guard down. Soon we were chatting like old friends. My newfound buddy, a wrong side of 70, looked like someone out of Charles Dickens – round-faced, long white side-burns, sunburnt nose and ruddy cheeks, and half-moons. He said, he once worked for forty years on Fleet Street, was based in NYC. That The Times crossword was a bitch. That he knew a thing or two about pubs.
'Pub, that's a Victorian abbreviation for 'public house', he said, 'It's not just a watering hole. It's a place to meet people, old friends and new, you know. Heck! Aren't all peoples of the world, friends that one hasn't met?'
And so flew some forty minutes. Shaking myself up to the dulcet clarinet notes of Mr. Acker Bilk's Mack the Knife** coming from somewhere above, I stepped out into the cool breezy evening for the photography date in Leicester Square.
Later, returning to Chelsea, on a double-decker, the Porcupine ambience and Samuel Johnson’s famous quote on happiness, returned and stayed cheerfully on top of the mind.
*meaning 'bend in the river'
**to listen to Bobby Darin’s version, open http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=4Qrjtr_uFac
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