Brussels is a short 3 hours by ICE from Frankfurt, and a nice change of scenery from the big city. Although bustling in its own right, Brussels was peaceful at 9:30 am, when my train arrived. Most shops were closed, but luckily Dandoy's breakfast stand was open - perfect, to warm up and eat a waffle. Although I didn't taste their delicious-looking, but extremely pricey "handmade" biscuits, my waffle and fruit sauce hit the spot!The Grand Place in Brussels, which appeared to be the centerpoint for tourists like myself, is simply stunning. Even on a dreary gray day, the gold-leafed buildings seemed to glimmer a little more brightly and were a nice change from the dark stone buildings in the Marktplatz of many German towns we've seen. I walked around the square to take it all in, snapped a few pictures, and headed up to see the Manneken Pis and his costume of the day. Definitely a tourist trap, but also only a 10 minute walk from the Grand Place, so why not?
On the recommendation of a friend, I headed off to the Comic Strip Museum. It's a bit off the beaten path, but the 20 minute walk gave me a good sense of the business side of Brussels. It could be any city, though I enjoyed seeing street signs and billboards written in Flemish, French, and English. En route, I swung by a grocery store to pick up food-related souvenirs - more waffles, and some speculus biscuits. The Belgian chocolate purchase would have to wait until I found the specialty shops.
After getting my fill of the history of Belgian comic strips, I headed back towards Rue Antoine Dansaert to wander and grab a bite to eat at Le Petit Chou de Bruxelles. I tried Flemish stew - their version was hearty and delicious until it cooled down; then the meat got tough. The meal hit the spot though, giving me energy to window-shop a bit longer before heading for the Place du Grand Sablon, the corner of all the chocolate shops.
It's a good thing I walked (~ 1 mile), because nearly every shop has free samples and tempting chocolates to buy, smell, or gawk at. I stopped by Wittamer for a delicious almond cake - the cafe upstairs was buzzing with people - and popped in and out of Godiva, Leonidas, Pierre Marcolino, and a few other specialty shops. My favorite though, was Frederic Blondeel, off the main road and with only a few tables and small drinks menu. I had a delicious Ghanaian chocolate hot cocoa, served with 2 delectable dark chocolates and a glass of water. Only EUR 3,60! The staff was extremely hospitable, and it just felt like a cozy place to stay a while.
On a nice day, I would have spent more time at the huge antiques market at the Grand Sablon, but it was too chilly to browse antique jewelry and knicknacks. Just as well, who has room in the house! Instead, I holed up with my hot chocolate until it was time to head back to Centraal Station for the train home. There, I was surprised with the lack of healthy eating options - better at Brussels-Noord, but probably best to buy something before you get to the station if you'll be eating a takeaway meal on the way home. Though a second day - perhaps in Brugge - would have been a nice continuation of the Belgian exploration, Brussels made for the perfect 1-day adventure.
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