Arts & Entertainment

Brussels a 'must' for travelers

Europe's 'most beautiful city' offers cheap beer, loads of music by summer

By Sarah Ohmer
The Daily Cougar

If you ask the locals about Brussels, their pride lights up in their faces right away. The people of Brussels love their city, their king and their beer. You can feel the joy in the streets of Brussels, especially in the rue des Poissoniers, where the seafood and other restaurants post their hosts on the street to entertain and allure the passersby.

Although the city houses formal establishments such as the European Union and NATO, the Brussels police force is incredibly laid back. The language barrier is almost invisible because the city is too international to seclude any foreigners. It is a bilingual city with French-speaking Wallons and Dutch-speaking Flemish who live harmoniously in separate cultures and speak plenty of English.

Don't fall into the tourist bus trap, the city center is small enough to walk around, and the streets are worthy of long walks. The subway, trams and buses rarely have any controllers, so hop on them to save a few blocks worth of energy. The gates in the subway are not even gates -- lines determine the boundary of the controlled zone, and they trust you to buy a ticket and punch it as required.

Brussels is an indispensable stop in Europe because it has "the most beautiful square in Europe," and has houses designed by Horta, a famous contemporary architect. When you get to the middle of the square, you understand why they are so proud of it. Six buildings from the 17th century, with a city hall that dates back to the 15th century, watch a baby Jesus during Christmas, an ice rink in the winter, a parterre de fleurs or (a floor of flowers), in the spring and joyful people throughout the year. Remember to drink plenty of Belgian beer here -- the standard Jupiler, the strong Chimay, the flavorful Duvel or the cherry-flavored Kriek. Beer never cost more than three euros ($3.75). You can also check out the campus at Louvain-la-Neuve, a short train ride away from Brussels' train station.

With students from around the world and beer for one euro ($1.25), you'll meet plenty of interesting people, as long as you visit during the week. Everyone goes home to their families during the weekend, and then they go out on the town. They have drinks at the Sablon, a square of bars and the Petit Sablon, a smaller square of bars. In the Petit Sablon, if you ask for the Gare de la Chapelle, you'll be directed to a small train station.

Belgium has a great deal to offer for music lovers, especially in the summer. The Wechter Festival, in late June, the Pukkel Pop Festivel and the Dour Festival, both in August, bring rock, trip-hop, reggae and punk in four-day camps. Last year, Wechter featured Radiohead, Bjork, Massive Attack, Tricky, Cypress Hill, the Foo Fighters, Pennywise, Good Charlotte and the reggae stylings of Morgan Heritage among many others for 100 euros (about $125), food not included. So be sure to pack a tent and canned food if you stop by Belgium. Dour is the cheapest festival, only 50 euros (about $62), and lasts four days long also, but it offers less popular music.

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