When I went to stay in Belgium, Charline said that we had to have a day trip to Brussels, and I'm so glad she did.
As we went in mid-July, the weather was glorious. It was the kind of day where you don't have to wear a coat, which is a bit of a novelty for us Mancunians. We saw some classic attractions, walked around in the sun, and took a lot of photographs. I was lucky enough to have Charline showing me around and she knew all the places that were worth visiting.
First, we stopped at Biscuits Delacre.
They have a beautiful selection of biscuits and treats. I got a little bag to bring home to my boyfriend, which he definitely approved of. If you want to bring something home for your loved ones (or you want to treat yourself), I highly recommend this shop. Don't forget the street waffles if you have a serious sweet tooth - they're everywhere in Belgium and they were one of the highlights of the trip for me.
Then, we visited manneken pis.
Manneken Pis (or 'Little Man Pee' in English) is literally a little statue of a man dressed up in an eccentric outfit, having a wee. It's been around for a while and apparently symbolises the sense of humour of the people in Brussels, which I think is pretty great.
Perhaps the most beautiful part of Brussels is Grand Place.
I mean... just look at the photographs. Even with the crowds, the buildings are breathtaking. I can definitely see why so many people want to walk around here and take pictures. It's honestly like nothing I've ever seen before.
Speaking of beautiful architecture... Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert took my breath away.
This ridiculously photogenic shopping mall is another sight that you have to see in Brussels. When I pointed my camera in the window for this macaron shop I expected the shop assistant to look annoyed or pretend not to notice me - instead, she posed for the camera and gave me a big smile.
Then we visited Ristorante Giannino...
...Well, I think that was the restaurant we went to, but to be honest I didn't make a note of it and I can only use the pictures on Google to assume it was this one. Anyway, I had a plate of spaghetti carbonara that could have fed a family of four and polished some bread as well. I needed it, as we walked over five miles that day!
Finally, we hoped on a tube and went to look at Brussels Atomium.
I couldn't leave without a photograph of this iconic building. We'd been walking around in hot weather all day and were exhausted at this point, but it was worth checking it out. It's an incredible sight.
Have you ever been to Brussels? Let me know in the comments!
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