The Beauty of Brussels, Belgium
Brussels is one of the quietest and quaintest European cities.
I formed this opinion while on a three months work assignment. As I moved about the city, I was mesmerized by the cool, confident, culture. Almost every single day was peaceful, orderly, and well-organized. It was like living in a paradise of sorts, or a dream even. From catching the morning tram, to taking midday pauses in elegant restaurants, and enjoying the evening walk back to my apartment, this city felt like the paradise towns described in romance novels. The many 18th and 19th century buildings beautifully complement the more modern structures. The civility of the people makes for ease of operations and though not slow paced, it is by no means a fast city. The tempo is just right. Here, the old and the new exist in harmony and the past greets the future with grace. If I had just one word to describe Brussels, it would be “Balance”. Yet, for there to be balance, interruptions must occur. So, in this article I recall two occasions that disrupted the usual lull of the city, one was a bit riotous and the other celebratory.
The culture on the street trams is the same as for the rest of the city. People enter in an orderly fashion, take their seats, sip their coffees, and read the morning papers. Greetings are said in hushed tones and conversations are kept to a minimum. One morning, I observed a small group of backpackers board the tram about two stops from where I got on. I could tell from their scruffy faces, their accents, and dirty clothes, that they had been travelling around Europe for some time. They were due some good rest but they were too excited to slow down or pause. After about five minutes of observing the other people on the tram, the back packers grew restless. Apparently, the silence was too deafening for them. They broke out into loud chatter and started to share stories of their last destinations. As they spoke, their enthusiasm increased, and along with it, the decibels of their voices. Youthful, carefree, laughter rang out. Hands flailed. Unaccustomed exuberance filled the tram. And all this to the dismay of the native Brussels Tram passengers. The foreign travelers didn’t notice how their actions displaced the tranquility. They were too pumped by the caffeine in the coffee that they drank and by their anxiety to see new sights. But I saw the men in their suits tighten their ties. I saw the women put down their coffees. Children got wide eyed and news papers slammed on the tables and seats. This level of energy at this time of the morning broke into and shattered the serene morning routine. The locals became discontent and about two or three of the men spoke up and sternly demanded that the young travelers pipe it down or get off the tram. One guy even went as far as to remind the foreigners that this was not the USA and being loud was not acceptable here. I was saddened by the way the situation was handled and I felt bad for the foreigners. But this incident reminded me of a very useful travel tip. It is prudent to take the first few days of a visit to a new country to silently observe the culture. Once understood, it should be respected. I don’t believe that the young travelers on the tram meant to be disrespectful of the acceptable noise levels of the Brussels tram, but I believe that if they had been mindful of those around them, the whole incident would never have happened.
Bear in mind that you can use the tram to tour the city or if you have the time and prefer, you can walk around to as many places as you like. Here is a list of a few places that I would recommend:
6 Places to visit in Brussels
1) The Royal Palace of Brussels
2) The Atomium
3) The Manneken Pis
4) Mini Europe Park
5) The Parc du Cinquantenaire
6) The City Square
And as you walk through the city, don’t forget to slip into one of the bakeries and order a fresh batch of Belgian waffles.
And now, back to my recount and the second encounter.
One day as I strolled around the city, I was fortunate to stumble upon a live, outdoor, concert. This was no usual affair, not only because the streets are usually quiet but also because of who was causing the stir. The Maestro was a famous classical singer who, in my opinion, successfully blended classical music with contemporary sounds. He was none other than the famous Belgian singer-songwriter, Helmut Lotti and the park was packed with people seated on folded chairs to observe his free performance. I joined them and was tantalized by some of the most unique and pleasant sounds that I have ever heard in my life.
So, you see, it is not that Brussels is against loud sounds. The city welcomes sounds, pleasant, peaceful, harmonized sounds, sounds that balance and equalize and relax.
Whenever I hear such sounds, I am reminded of Brussels, and I reminisce of the nights, when I returned to my rooftop apartment, graced by skies filled with beautiful sunsets and birds that danced calmly over the tranquil city.
Until next time
Venture Out. Keep exploring. Travel Smart and Stay Safe.
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(Some of the photos used in this article do not belong to me.)