#brusselstime

[elisabeth515]

Brussels Time!

(Part 2)

(Part 3)

I’ve just been to Brussels last weekend since the Royal Crypt in Laeken was opening on the Sunday. It’s been a great trip: I managed to buy a bunch of chocolate and had some Belgian waffles, visit one of the largest WWI collections in the world, as well as having a great time in Atomium (will definitely go there again if I didn’t realise that Our Lady of Laeken closes at 5pm). So, I’m just going to do some photo dump here.

I will be dividing it into several parts: this part will be focusing on more general travelling in Brussels stuff. The next part will be more historical stuff. Unless specified, the mention of “Albert” will be referring to Albert I, King of the Belgians.

1) Bruxelles-Midi/Zuidstation: This is where you will arrive if you take the Charleroi airport shuttle bus to Brussels (which was what I did because my flight lands at Charleroi), or the Eurostar (the line via Lille); they got Tintin in it (he’s part of my childhood)

2) Get a MOBIB pass—this will be very helpful for you if you intended to take a lot of the public transport in the city

3) Obligatory Manneken Pis picture to show that I’m actually in Brussels. Personally, I don’t recommend staying too long at this place because there’s just so much people clustering around and space is limited.

4) Dear Brussels: WHY DO YOU SEPARATE ALBERT AND ELISABETH

Here’s a closer look of Albert

The building near him is the Royal Library of Belgium (KBR). The current building was built in 1960s and named after none other than the man himself—very fitting honestly, considering that he loved books and is an avid reader (and he had a good grandson). The library was also called “Albertine” because it’s near Place Albertine, which is also related to Albert. Accessing the building is free, but library reading room requires a reader’s card which is €5/day and €25/year for the general public (*they offer discounts for university students who study in Belgium). I ended up sitting somewhere at the lobby to work on my philosophy essay since I was totally unaware of that.

5) Sts. Michael & Gulda Cathedral: just like other cathedrals in Brussels, it’s free entry but please be mindful of the etiquette of visiting places of worship. I actually didn’t expect that I’ll be there but I just stumbled into it because it’s looks like a cool place.

Stay tuned for part 2!

[elisabeth515]

Brussels Time!

(Part 1)

(Part 2)

(Part 3)

Unless specified, mentions of Albert will be referring to Albert I, King of the Belgians.

This is the very last part of this series, and I would like to post it today, on the anniversary of the death of our beloved Albert.

Visiting the royal crypt is the very reason why I decided to make my trip to Belgium at the start of 2023, and it was opening on 8th January (check other dates here). This place only opens once a month, and I was so lucky that I had the opportunity to pay a visit to the final resting place of one of my favourite historical figures.

Laeken is a very peaceful neighbourhood, which is well-connected to the city centre with the railway and tram. Getting off at the station closest to the cathedral, you can just walk straight to Atomium (the World Expo area) across Parc de Laeken.

It’s already late afternoon by the time I was there, but at least I have around an hour and half to go around the cathedral, as well as the crypt.

Near the entrance of the crypt there is the family tree for the Belgian Royal Family, displayed; those who were interred in the royal crypt are marked. As you see, besides all the past monarchs who have passed away, some of the Belgian princes and princesses are buried there as well, notably Albert’s parents and Charlotte (Carlotta), wife of Archduke Maximilian (Emperor Maximiliano) and Empress of Mexico and the sister in-law to Empress Sisi, the godmother and namesake to Elisabeth, Albert’s wife.

Entrance to the Royal Crypt; Albert’s tomb is right at the entrance as pictured.

I went in from the other door (partially shown in the picture above) because I want to save Albert’s tomb the last and I just had a nice time chilling around. In the centre was the tomb of Leopold I, the first King of the Belgians and ancestor to all the monarchs of Belgium. The doors behind goes to Laeken cemetery.

Aaaaaaaand look at ✨them✨ (Albert you’re handsome as ever😭😭😭😭)

The crypt is simple and bright, yet solemn. There were not much people by the time I was there, so I have time to just look at Albert’s grave and collect my thoughts. After that, I walked back up to the ground level and sit at one of the chairs at the nave and enjoy some peace, before I started my way back to the hotel and pack for the morning flight back to the UK on the next day.

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Bonus: actually I was in Atomium just before the royal crypt

And here’s Parc de Laeken from the top. You can see a small bit of Château de Laeken (private residence of the King) in the picture.

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Anyways, that’s a wrap and have a waffle🧇 (it was perhaps the best waffle I’ve ever had as I was thinking about Albert when I was enjoying this)

Thanks for reading this entire series of me messing around Brussels🙈 I hope you enjoyed the series and stay tuned for more original content 🥺✨

[elisabeth515]

Brussels Time!

(Part 1)

(Part 2)

Part 4–will be done later

All mentions of “Albert” will be referred to Albert I, King of the Belgians, unless specified.

Happy Chinese new year (and other lunar new years for fellow east and south east asians who celebrate it)! I hope all of you enjoyed the last part where I walked around the WWI section of the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History. This part will be mainly on Albert-related stuff that I found in the museum.

Firstly, I’ve never expected that I could find Albert-related stuff in the 19th century gallery but there you goooooooooo

This is Albert before beard era; you can also find a portrait of his brother Baudouin there.

Two busts of Albert as a child

(Have a picture of a bust of young Philippe, Count of Flanders, for comparison)

Next, we go to the WWI section (for the walkthrough please see part 2). I can tell you that I have literally just stood at this display box and fangirled for a while because like Albert 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

(You can also see his sword and marshal baton here, below the uniforms.)

At the centre of the gallery there’s a section of pictures depicting WWI events and I have only taken a picture of a depiction of Albert visiting soldiers because you guessed it, Albert.

Here’s a statue of Albert on horseback (look how majestic he is🥰)

There’s a painting of him hung high up of the wall and he’s in his classic WWI attire

There’s so much stuff in the post WWI-WWII galleries in the museum that I haven’t had time to take pics with but at least, I managed to find this magnificent display of Albert’s uniform with all his chivalric orders beside it. Albert was hailed as a hero for his actions in WWI as the one who led the country to defend from the invaders (fun fact: he was nominated for Nobel Peace Prize in 1915, as the representative of the Belgians)

Also I found this portrait 🥺 (think I’ve stayed there for a while because urgh, look at him 🥰🥰🥰)

Last but not the least, appreciate this babey🥰🥰 (found him at the entrance)

It’s a shame that I did not get anything related to him from the museum but this means, I have a reason to be there again 🙈

Stay tuned for part 4!

[meilanhsiao]

In this difficult time, when we have to implement #socialdistancing but with #tea we still embrace others from heart. Starting from today 17:00 #brusselstime #virtualteatime on line on line. (at Belgium Chinese Tea Arts Centre) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9y3bY0HWrm/?igshid=14hz0bcjqsv4b

[pavlospapalexiou]

#BurgerTime #BrusselsTime #SummerTime #WeAreLateTime #number_goes_here (στην τοποθεσία Burger King) https://www.instagram.com/p/B0jB9ZNlpPO/?igshid=mxkuikcmaqpe