The Rainy Day Traveler

Brussels is the capital of Belgium and the seat of the European Union. It is a sophisticated, lively city full of great museums and fantastic restaurants. One of the best places to start is the Grand Place. Made up of former guild houses, decorated with clues about the guilds that used to reside there, and the town hall. Although it is mostly surrounded by tourist traps, there are still few good places to to shop and eat.

Just a few blocks off the Grand Place is the famous statue Manneken Pis. Most guidebooks show big pictures, but be aware--the statue is actually quite small. It is located on the side of a building and not in a main square. Indeed, if not specifically looking for it, you can easily walk right past the statue.

Branching out from the Grand Place, travelers can choose among some great museums, but if you are tired of seeing yet another 17th-century painting, try going to the Museum of the Musical Instrument. Looking for something a bit different? A visit to the Belgian Comic Strip Center. may be just what you need. There is also the Museum of the Royal Toone Theater. This organization, upstairs from a bar and just off the Grand Place, features plays, usually in French, performed by marionettes. Just be prepared that there may be a lot of children in both the Comic Museum and the Marionette Theater, so if you do not want to be around kids, you may not really want to visit here.

A bit further from the center of Brussels is The Atomium. Originally built for the 1958 World's Fair, the structure is open to the public. Right by the Atomium is Mini-Europe. Here, visitors can see just about every major city in Europe, miniaturized.

Of course, to combat some bad weather, chocolate tasting could be just what is needed to chase away the rainy day blues. By the Grand Place are a few internationally known chocolatiers including Neuhaus and Godiva. A bit of a walk from there is Wittamer. In addition to selling chocolates in traditional and unusual flavors in its shop, it also offers a cafe with delicious pastries, but you may want to call ahead to reserve a table.

Bruges, or Brugge in the Flemish dialect, is located about an hour away from Brussels, Belgium. Full of quaint alleyways and charming architecture, it is also a wonderful place to sit back and relax. Rain or shine, it is a great town to wander around, admire the architecture, and window shop.

If ever there was a place that could be called a chocolate lover's heaven, Bruges could be it. Walking down the streets, it seems as if every other store is a chocolate shop. From The Chocolate Line to Van Oost to Dumon, each one offers something different. Not tired of chocolate yet? How about paying a visit to The Chocolate Museum.

If the weather is beautiful, try taking one of the many cruises that go through the canals of the city, wander around the Mark't, or walk through the park surrounding Minnewater. But if the weather is not so cooperative, there are other great places to spend some time. For example, Church of Our Lady has the only Michaelangelo statue to have left Italy before his death. In keeping with this religious vein, travellers can visit the Basilica of the Holy Blood, which claims to have a vial of blood from Jesus. If something less religious is preferred, try going to the Gruuthuse Museum, where visitors can see how day-to-day life was lived in Bruges between the 15th and 19th centuries.

One of the great places to spend some time out of the rain is De Halve Maan Brewery, the home of Straffe Hendrick beer. Not your ordinary museum, De Halve Maan (or The Half-Moon in English) takes you on a tour of the brewery, and ends in a tasting room. If the tour does not satisfy your thirst, try stopping in at t'Brugs Beertje. Mentioned in just about every guidebook for the city, it really is worth stopping in. Not sure what to order? Just ask the bartender!