A short trip to Belgium

Being in southwest Germany, it is in fact a moral obligation to go to beer mecca. No, I don't mean Oregon, California, Washington, or Colorado. I mean Belgium. Basically, everyone (except Germans) know that Belgium makes the world's best and most unique (native) styles and beers. For goodness sake, I named one of my cats after a brewery in Belgium. I have not been to Belgium since I was able to drink or liked beer. So, if I didn't make it this time, I would be more than remiss. In fact, I would be a bad person, and in need of seeking absolution from the beer gods.

So I went. From Cologne it's really not very far. About 1.5 hour train ride including crossing a border. I got to Brussels, with only one day to spend and didn't even have a hotel booked. So I stepped off the train, with no map, no hotel, and no knowledge of brussels except a few travel articles I'd read and a fervid love of all things ale. First of all, however, I decided a little sightseeing would be in order. I got into Brussels central train station and walked out acting as if I knew what the hell I was doing and found the main cathedral. So I walked about 250m to the cathedral and checked it out. I love stepping into cathedrals. They are always beautiful, impressive, and usually well temperature controlled, as well as quiet. If you need a break from wherever you are, step into one. They are nice. Sadly for me, before I had enough time to orient myself, it was 6PM and I had to leave the cathedral. It was hot outside. Brussels, is known for being cold and rainy, and for the two days I was there, wouldn't you know it... It was upper 80s and sunny! The beer gods had smiled on me. I set out to look for a place to sleep. Before that, however, I decided to get a crepe and a beer. Orval at the little creperie. This must be heaven! I sat down in a park and picked up someone's unlocked internet connection long enough to search out a couple small B&B places and set out to stay in one of them. Some of them no longer exist, don't rent in the summer season (because the owners are elsewhere I suspect), or are full. Finally I found one. It was a nice cheap €45/night and I took it. I had my own private bathroom and was conveniently located for walking anywhere in central brussels.

I went to my room long enough to shower and look at a map. Enough time there, I have some beer to drink, and mussels to eat! A quick stop by the Mannekin Pis (little pissing boy) and then toward the Delirium Bar! I found the Delirium bar and saw that it is open until 4AM everyday and decided eating a huge pot of mussels would be a good idea before indulging in what would promise to be a very long night. In Central brussels, there is a small district replete with seafood restuarants, each serving shellfish towers, mussels, frites, and lots of beer.

A quick aside, I was shocked that every little kiosk and convenience store in Brussels sells nearly 100 varieties of beer. Brussels only has two functional breweries left. In the greater area, of course there are more, but every little shop in brussels sells as many as they can possibly stock on their shelves.

I went to one of the closer food stalls (restaurants if you like) and ordered burgundy snails and a pot of mussels in white wine. The snails were slightly overcooked and a touch rubbery, but that butter sauce was to die for! The pot of mussels was like ordering mussels for 3. I couldn't even finish the mussels themselves, forget the frites. I did eat some of the frites because they are delicious, but only a couple. I had to save room for the beer! Finally I made my way to the delirium bar, which was utterly overrun with foreign tourists smoking and having a grand old time out in the alley, but I waited it out. I found my niche and was able to mostly disguise the fact that I'm an american by ordering beers that the bartenders had trouble finding. I was proud of that. The rest of the night, that a story for another entry...