Wandering Around Brussels

Hotel Amigo is one of the nicest hotels in which I’ve stayed, and the staff is extremely accommodating. One of my favorite places is the restaurant, where an extensive breakfast is served. I was amazed on my first visit there to discover so many Fornasetti plates decorating the walls. I even recognized a few that I own!

Fornasetti in Brussels

Today, I decided to simply wander around the city and visit a few of the well-known sites.

One of the most iconic sites in Brussels is Manneken Pis, or the Little Pissing Man. I’m not sure why it’s so popular, perhaps because it symbolizes the playful and rebellious spirit of Brussels. I couldn’t resist joining the hoards to pay my respect to the little boy, who was dressed today in a uniform I couldn’t identify. (I did return the next morning and saw him in all his naked glory.)

Manneken Pis

Pissing sculptures must be a thing in Brussels, and my concierge told me about Jeanneke Pis, the pissing girl, and Het Zinneke, the pissing dog. Naturally, I had to check those out as well. I have no idea what was on the little girl’s head.

Jeanneke Pis and Het Zinneke

I did manage to see some of Brussels’ architecturally and historically significant buildings, and I returned to the Grand Place several times during the day. What a beautiful square.

La Bourse de Bruxelles, the Brussels Stock Exchange

Many Visits to Grand Place

I Also Returned to Les Galleries Royales Saint-Hubert

For lunch, I decided that I needed to indulge in Belgium’s favorite treat, so I visited La Maison des Gaufres, a historic tearoom touted as the “Finest Belgian Waffles House.” Here, I enjoyed a delicious waffle with strawberries.

The Best Waffles

In the evening, I paid a visit to Hotel Amigo’s bar, Bar Magritte, named for René Magritte, a Belgian surrealist artist known for his depictions of familiar objects in unfamiliar, unexpected contexts. The bar has created signature cocktails inspired by Magritte, and I decided to try his namesake. What I was not expecting was the presentation. The cocktail was served in a bowler hat like the one depicted in one of his paintings. The bartender urged me to pose in a real hat that is kept behind the bar for such purposes! That was fun!

Bar Magritte

Sarah Trying to Channel René Magritte