Brussels: The Cheap Way

Brussels is a beautiful city, though it can be quite harsh on the pocketbooks of travelers. It is often the case that museums may cost 10+ Euro for admission (to only the one museum, which doesn't even hold that many attractions). A meal, depending on where you are, can cost from 15 Euro to 35+ Euro for one. So, being the cheap SOB that I am, took matters into my own hands. Yet again, preparing a somewhat homemade meal, consisting of olives, hummus, and pita bread.

Where would you enjoy such a meal, without the ambiance of bustling (or annoyance of thousands upon thousands) of tourists?

Parks are always free (except certain ones in the US, where we feel we can charge $7 or even higher for entrance). And nothing beats something that costs free dollars and free cents. That is surely the best four letter word in the English dictionary.

Though my meal was quite delicious, there are just some things that aren't included. Such as a properly poured stout, or as last night had, a Belgian tripel. I went to a pub that had over 2000 different brews in stock, and 100 on tap. It was truly remarkable, and jammed full of non-english speakers (mainly french). So it must have been good, and it was.

Today, I went to see a couple main attractions: the big Cathedral, and the European Parliament buildings. I actually went inside the church to have a look around. There were lots of stained glass windows and a bigass pipe organ.

Then I walked over to see the European Union Parliament building. For whatever reason, I didn't really get a good picture of it. But it did feature signage in for each language in the EU, which is something that we cannot say for America (we don't have an official language, but if you don't speak english at home, you're an outcaste).

Also, in the plaza between the buildings were quotes about certain (international) treaties signed in Belgium, or the EU. Most had to do with social issues, such as diminishing the numbers of impoverished, or providing a high standard of living, while also diminishing violent crimes across the country. Something that sometimes may be put in hindsight in America, that many of the fortunate take for granted, while there is an exceedingly large class of American's who know the consequences of these basic life functions all all too well.