Aachen Christmas Market

It's Christmas time :-)
It is said that in Aix-la-Chapelle (also known as Aachen), Germany, you can find one of the most beautiful Christmas markets. Every year, in the historic center around the Cathedral and Town Hall, people are gathering in order to celebrate. You can hear them laughing, enjoying gluhwein and the famous wurst. It's such a pleasant and familiar atmosphere. 
Every year, aprox 1.5 million people from Belgium, the Netherlands, France, United Kingdom come here to see the paradise of lights and colors. 
You still have time to visit it, until the the day before Christmas Eve.

SNCB (http://www.belgianrail.be) offers tickets 'Week-end Aix-la-Chapelle' at half price.  So, book now and go visit the festive fair. It takes 2,5 h by train from Brussels to Aachen and is totally worth it. 

Christmas decorations

All is prepared for the festive season. Stores are nicely decorated for Christmas: ornaments, lights, trees decorations...everything is so colorful. 
Are you searching for Christmas gifts? Just go around Grand-Place and you will find the perfect present.

Brussels Christmas Market, Day II

If you go to Grand Place these days you will feel like in Winter Land. The organizers prepared for you a spectacular 15 minutes lights and musical show, which will introduce you to the "Magical History City".

The show takes place every day:

 # Monday -> Thursday: 15 minutes every hour, from 6 pm to 10 pm;

 # Friday -> Sunday: at every half hour,  from 6 pm to 11 pm.

Winter Wonders will last until 5th of January 2014.

It's magic everywhere :-)

Things to do in Brussels: The Art of the Brick

Starting 22.11.2013 until 21.04.2014 you can visit the exhibition The Art of the Brick at Brussels Stock Exchange ( La Bourse), recognized as one of the CNN's 10 must see exhibitions. You can admire here the LEGO world of the american artist Nathan Sawaya. 

The exhibition comes as a premiere in Belgium, after North America, Australia and Asia.

A special playground for kids was specially designed, so feel free to bring them with you. 

Keep in mind that everyone wants to see it, so you must reserve tickets in advance. And a special thing for Belgium, it is open every day !!!

For more info, visit: http://www.expo-artofthebrick.be

Map & Directions

Brussels Christmas Market, Day I

November 29, 2013 - Rue du Marché au Herbes/Grassmarkt
Near Grand-Place and St Hubert Galleries. 
Map & Directions

Brussels Christmas Market

Christmas market, December 2011, Brussels
The festive season began with the big tree and the spectacular lights in Grand Place. The view was splendid. And the music...you should have been there to see how marvelous it was. The young, the old, lots of children...they all enjoyed the spectacle. 
Map & Directions

Forests in Brussels Part I - Foret de Soignes

Brussels is well known for its green areas. Sonian Forest or by its french name, Forêt de Soignes, is located at the south-east of the city. And the best part is that today it is open to the public, because for a log period of time it was the exclusive property of Brussels' elite which used to go hunting there.
Next weekend just go there for a long walk and to breath the fresh air. It is worth it!!

And don't forget to tell me whether you saw the 200 years old trees ;-)

Map & Directions

Graffiti in Ixelles

This is the charm of Ixelles: buildings decorated with graffiti. It all started decades ago, when some teenagers began decorating the walls, as a result of some pictures from the United States. And soon it became an art: street-art more precisely. 
If you look closer, you will notice some social or political messages carefully (or not) expressed by the artists. However the opinions are spread between people who appreciate this artistic work and public authorities that are against. 
What do you think? What is your opinion?