Today we head to Brussels, Belgium! We checked out of our Airbnb around 10AM and headed to Gare du Nord to board the Thalys train. We arrived at the station but made the mistake of entering into a side entrance instead of the main entrance. We were lost on how to get inside but fortunately there were many people who were friendly (didn't speak English) that helped directed us to go to the main entrance.
Once you get to the main entrance, there are screens that you can check to see what lane you should be boarding depending on which train and final destination you're heading to. The lane will display your boarding area 15 minutes prior to the time you depart. Once the lane is displayed, you can head over to the train. The Thalys train is the red train. Head to your carriage number and there will be someone checking your ticket before you board. There are areas where you can put your luggage (above your seat or designated area before you enter your carriage). Then head to your seat number.
We booked standard seating which includes an area where you can plug in your electronics. Make sure you have a plug converter in order to use this. There is also a tray for you to use if you wanted to go on your laptop or to eat. There is a Welcome Bar where you can purchase food to eat. We decided to get a sandwich and a wrap to eat while riding the train. It took 1 hour and 30 minutes to get to Brussels from Paris.
Once you get to Bruxelles-Midi Station, you can get off and follow the signs to exit to the main floor. We couldn't check into our Airbnb until 6:30PM since our host couldn't get off work earlier so we needed a place to hold our luggage. Fortunately, the train station has a luggage storage area. We used the largest locker which cost 5,50 Euros. It printed out a ticket which we would need to scan once we pick up our luggage.
After putting away our luggage, we decided to walk to Saint-Gilles which is a trendy multicultural district in Brussels. The architectural buildings are so breathtaking and makes you appreciate how unique they look and how they preserved some of the history into their buildings.
We finally made it to Market of Place Van Meenen which is a 25 minute walk from the Bruxelles-Midi Station. Market of Place Van Meenen is a market that has food trucks and fruit/vegetable stalls. We tried out a sausage from Francoise and Renaud. The sausage was juicy and the inside had a garlic Italian spice taste to it. We went to Creperie Brentonne and ordered the Nordique which has salmon, chive, lemon and cheese and the coco chocolate which is coconut and chocolate. We also ordered apple juice and espresso. All very delicious and well worth the money. The last place we went to was La Galette Artisanale. We bought one galette to try. A galette is a cake in the shape of a waffle that has a sweet filling. This was only 80 cents. It was crunchy and the inside tasted like syrup.
On our way back we saw this castle in the middle of the city. It's called Halle Gate and is a fairy tale monument that shows Brussels's medieval past.
We still had some time to kill so we headed back to Bruxelles-Midi Train Station and to use the toilets. The thing about public bathrooms in Brussels is that there are not that many. We did see a square compartment for men to use to pee in public which I think is so weird because it only covers their front half while exposing their back when they pee in public. Otherwise in the train station, you have to pay to use the toilets. It cost 60 cents so you have to put your change into the machine and it spits out a ticket. You then scan it at the entrance of the restroom in order to enter through the gates. Kind of ridiculous I have to say.
While waiting for E to use the bathroom, I was approached by a guy asking for money in which I said I didn't have cash. He then proceeded to ask me to buy him food. I repeated myself and said I didn't have money. The guy was well dressed so I find it odd that he was asking for money. He walked away and went into a fast food area in which he sat down with a girl and they proceeded to chat as it seems like they knew each other. Again, be careful of your surroundings and people who are around you.
We tried out Fritkot fries. The fries were a bit soggy and not as crunchy as I like them. But the cool part about Fritkot is that you can get as many sauce as you want for 80 cents each. We got the samurai sauce and the Brazil sauce. The samurai sauce was spicy while the Brazil sauce was sweet. They both balanced each other out.
Next we went to Haagen-Dazs and bought the Belgian waffle with ice cream. We also ordered cappuccino and espresso. The waffle was crunchy and a good combination with the caramel and ice cream. Definitely sweet and fulfilling. The drinks balanced out the bitterness with the sweet.
We finally picked up our luggage after exploring for a couple of hours and went to our airbnb which was a 15 min walk from the train station. We rented a studio apartment on the top floor. The apartment does not have an elevator and the stairs are narrow. However, it's super cute with such a fun colorful ambiance to it.
We headed to a grocery store for some drinks and snacks. What we noticed is that you have to bring your own bag for groceries. Most places don't have bags for you to use. If they do, they charge you for the bags. So keep that in mind if you decide to grocery shop in Europe.
Lastly, our dinner for the night...we walked past this place called Sushi Bourse owned by Japanese people. They had the menu on their window and it had pictures of sushi boat. I love sushi and I wanted to try out the sushi here in Brussels. So we decided to eat here. The owner spoke some English and was very nice and helped us with the menu. We got the sushi boat for 2 people (32 pieces) and the sashimi bowl. The sashimi were thick cuts and the sushi rolls were a good size. It was so tasty and delicious. Definitely reminds me of Japan. I was so full afterwards that I didn't think I would make it back to the Airbnb.
Overall, what a busy first day in Brussels. Can't wait for the next full day to explore! Until then good night!
Video link: will be available soon