When I told my former roommate Jeff that I would spending part of last week's European vacation in Brussels, he beamed and explained to me that Brussels was one of his favorite places, as he spent a summer there interning at the EU headquarters. However, when I pressed him as to why he enjoyed the city so much, he really couldn't explain it.
After having been there myself, I can't quite explain it either. Perhaps it might be easier to point out what Brussels is not. It's not prim and proper like London, it's not obsessed with itself like Paris, it's not overly reserved like Switzerland, it's not gratuitously Baroque like Vienna, it's not compact like Amsterdam, it's not overwhelming like New York, it's not sprawling like Tokyo, it's not steeped in history like Rome, and it's not out of control like Cairo. There is no one attraction that defines Brussels. In fact, I didn't know a damn thing about what's there, short of a couple random Arte Nouveau buildings, until I showed up.
So what is Brussels? It's actually a wonderful place to walk around and explore. There is a Lower Town area with cobblestone streets and buildings and squares dating from the 16th and 17th centuries. There is a palace area with a park and the royal residence and other government buildings. There are shopping districts akin to the Champs-Elysees or Newbury Street. There's the newly-constructed EU headquarters. There are many surprisingly multi-cultural outlying neighborhoods. The people are friendly and seem to take much pride in their city.
It seems like the best way to enjoy Brussels is to linger. The attraction appears to be subtle and requires time to sink in. Jeff had an entire summer, I had 24 hours. I hope to return.
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