No mussels in Brussels

A few years ago I'd never had any real desire to visit Belgium - they seemed a little odd - who chooses mayo over ketchup to accompany chips. But then I met Maartje backpacking in China, and I'm now a regular visitor.

That said its Ghent I've been to the most - and 'the capital of Europe' as Brussels amusingly likes to call itself has evaded me. It's meant to have the biggest Christmas market in Europe ( never got to check this; Belgium decided to open the market the week after I was visiting) - so the plan was to meet Maartje in Ghent for a night, but then train it to Brussels for Saturday night to drink mulled wine at the Xmas market - ho hum.

To get things starting off in the right vein, I had a glass of champagne ( toasting new baby Newbolt) in the lovely bar at St Pancras, and hopped on the train. I bloomin love the Eurostar - it's all so easy, lovely French accents help you onboard. Gatwick Airport needs to come visit and learn a few things.

Friday night was spent exchanging gifts ( they have a cute tradition in Belgium - on December 6th children put a shoe out for St Nicholas overnight, a la Rudolph and Santa - and they get filled with chocolates).

We arrive in Brussels the next day, I'd bargain hunted a room in the lovely Hilton Brussels city for €70 - and after a bit of tourist time staring at buildings and chocolate shops we made the most of the spa. Ignoring the naked couple in the steam room it was a great way to spend the afternoon. Stress oozed out of every pore.

There is a beautiful cinema in Brussels- Galleries Cinema which is in a gorgeous, ornate shopping arcade. One of those arty cinema's I love - but in a city whose main language is French, but the rest of Belgium is Flemish/Dutch speaking the chances of an English film showing was slim. The girl assured us though that a Danish movie had English subtitles. Cool. Only it didn't. Tempting though it was to admire the person in front's head and stare at the ceiling - trying to work out Danish ( with Dutch subtitles) film- we only saw the trailers and 5 minutes of the movie. Jagten will have to wait. Mojitos in a South American place were a good consolation ( people book in Brussels, we had many other doors closed on us with a very impolite 'non')

Sunday proved to me that although Brussels is a lovely city, it's inhabitants are indeed weird. Post Brunch in the lovely Louisa area of town ,we head into Parc de Bruxelles. There were curious objects dotted around the place, up close they were 2 metre statues of erm Sprouts, Mussels and Frites.

Odd I tell you..........