Brussels - Renowned Waffles, Stunning Design, And Excellent Memories   by Ben Pate

in Travel / Travel Tips    (submitted 2011-08-02)

Brussels has a long history. Working as an important fortress in the 10th century, it's evolved over the centuries into a very significant world city. Brussels is actually the largest city in Belgium with around two million people calling the city home. This, along with its vast influence in the economy of Europe and it's location, it's a city full of different cultures, making it a great spot for a vacation. Just be sure to get a new U.S. passport before you leave.

While it never seemed possible in the past, getting a passport these days is a total breeze. All you have to do is go online. From here, you can pick your passport service and decide when you need it to be delivered. This means never having to deal with the pain of driving to the post office, sitting in long lines, trying to complete confusing paperwork, and then waiting for it to arrive. Going online means having access to a range of passport services, including getting expedited passport pages. Make sure your current one has enough pages, as some countries will actually ban you from entering if you don't have enough blank pages.

Deciding on in a place in which to get your adventure started can be daunting, but look no further than Grand-Place. Grand-Place is Brussels' central square, and it is actually an official UNESCO World Heritage Site as well. Once you step into the square, you will be surrounded by buildings three centuries old. Of course you can expect to experience shopping in authentic Belgian stores, as well as opportunities to sample some Belgian cuisine (including famous Belgian waffles), to do a little people-watching, and to see some very important Belgian landmarks. One of the most famous landmarks in Belgium, and one of the most famous statues in the world, is Mannekin Pis, a 17th century bronze statue of a young boy peeing into the fountain he stands on.

Also in Place-Royal is Musee Rene Magritte. Brussels is home to many worthwhile museums, and this is consistently a favorite. This museum features the surrealist artwork of Rene Magritte, over 200 works of art on all sorts of different media. Another great museum is the Museum des Sciences Naturelles, a well-rounded and very interesting natural science museum famous for its dinosaur exhibit. One spot that serves as not only an architectural jewel but also a great place to learn a little bit about Belgian culture is the Musee des Instruments de Musique, or the Museum of Musical Instruments. As a world-famous instrument museum, it contains around 7000 different instruments.

Beer is an imperative part to Belgian culture, and if you find you have a taste for it, be sure to visit the Cantillon Brewery. This is a traditional brewery famous for the scrumptious beer served right on premises. The tour is fun and informative, and you even get some free samples. Be sure to pick up a case of one of the flavored beers on your way out!

About the Author

There are so many sides to Belgian culture, and getting to visit and experience a little bit of this conglomeration is among the best things about Brussels. Don't forget to get your new American passport before you leave. Remember to make sure you have enough pages too. If not, get expedited American passport pages online.