Recommend September 2011 - (Page 51)

Capital of Comics As if being known as the capital of Eu rope and the o cia of Belgium and Fla l capital nders isn’t enough , Brussels is also kn the “capital of comi own as cs,” the home of int ernational cartoon Tintin and The Smurf favorites s, as well as a variet y of other comic ch that are well know aracters n throughout Europ e. In the immediate po st-World War II perio d, the rise of two children’s magazin es—”Le Journal de Tintin” and “Le Journa Spirou”—shook the l de publishing world in Belgium before sen shock waves throu ding gh the rest of Europ e. However, Tintin an were only the rst d Spirou in a line of heroes tha t were to appear on pages: Corentin, Bla these ke and Mortimer, Lu cky Luke, Buck Dann Johan and Pirlouit, y, Alix, as well as all the frie nds that accompanie on their adventures d them also played a role. The precision of the se drawings, know n as the clear line tec nique, and the richn hess of the colors pro mpted the publishe bring out beautiful rs to hardcover editions of these wonderful quickly whetting the stories, collectors’ appetite s. Moving away fro American in uences, m the the Belgian cartoonis ts were the creators a “9th art” that appe of aled to all readersh ips. In Brussels, the Centre for Comic Str Belgian ip Art, housed in an Art Nouveau build the living expressio ing, is n of this with its the matic exhibitions, its and its cafeteria, wh library ich are always very “animated.” Throughout Brusse ls, several booksho ps are devoted exc to new, second-han lusively d and collectors’ co mic books. But abov don’t miss the “comi e all, c strip trail,” which fea tures 30 walls in the capital that are cove red with larger-than -life comic strip chara portrayed in the mo cters st comical of situati ons. music and architecture—they also just opened a summertime bar—is a great precursor to the Art Nouveau Walk where you’ll see some of the city’s great architectural treasures like the Horta Pavilion, named after the architect Victor Horta who started it all. You’ll also have the opportunity to see Art Nouveau in uence in the Marie-Louise and Margueritte Squares, the Rue Archimede and its cosmopolitan restaurants, the entrance to the Avenue de Tervueren with its cafes and terraces, and the Rue de Tongres, housing tearooms, shops for clothes, chocolates and perfumes. After the Art Nouveau Walk, this would be a good time to spend a few hours shopping before lunch and the Place du Grand Salon with its traditional chocolatiers, haberdasheries, shoe shops and antique shops is a good place to start. Next, try Rue Dansaert for avant-garde fashion and design stores, where you’ll be guaranteed to nd some of the trendiest fashion stores anywhere. The Modo Brussels also organizes tailor-made walks in the fashion areas of Brussels. Art Nouveau Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts— that were most popular during 1890–1905. Three motifs seem to predominate the Art Noueveau style: the arabesque, the oral or animal pattern and the feminine silhouette. There were several Art Nouveau movers and shakers in Brussels, but it was Victor Horta who asked, “Why don’t we change everything?” With that he brought about a revolution in architecture and true stars of the movement came out to play, including Paul Hamesse, Leon Sneyers, Paul Hankar, Henri Jacobs and Antoine Pompe, among many others. They created exquisite Art Nouveau structures, including the Horta Museum, the Maison Cauchie, the Cite Hellemans social housing project, Kindergarten, the House-Rue Faider, Paul Hankar’s house, and the Hotel Van Eetvelde, among an array of other marvelous creations. A must-see is the Dieweg Cemetery, the resting place of a number of personalities, including the father of Tintin, and boasting Art Nouveau sculptures. Afternoon—Day 2 At lunch time, you must head back over to St. Catherines Place to the Noordzee, a quaint, thoroughly Belgian street stall with what many people say is some of the best seafood in the city, all complemented by an excellent wine selection. After lunch, this is a good time to wander on over to Rue Gheude for a visit to the Cantillion Brewery, a small Belgian traditional family brewery based in Brussels and founded in 1900. This is the home of the famed Gueuze Lambic beer, a taste treat that cannot be missed if you’re visiting Brussels. For a truly unique visit this afternoon, go to the Congolese neighborhood of Matonge where there are more than 100 di erent nationalities from all around the world living. While many of the original African residents no longer live here, their in uence is still ☞ www.visitflanders.us / F9 http://www.visitflanders.us

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend September 2011

Editor's Notes/Agent Speak
Hotel Desk: Hilton Hotels & Resorts
Tour Talk: Abercrombie & Kent
Sunset Key Guest Cottages, Key West
Can't Get Enough of Jupiter Beach, Florida
Hanging Out in the Outer Banks
Aloha to Families in Hawaii's Resorts
Cruise Stockholm
Galapagos Islands- Cruising 101: Back to Basics
The Ultimate Family Adventure in Costa Rica
Flanders Travel Planner
Fabulous Family Voyages
China: A Wonderland for Kids
India: Pure Wonderment
An African Adventure
Dreams Punta Cana Resort & Spa, D.R.
The Bahamas: Islands of Adventure
Cayman Islands: A Home Away from Home
Mazatlan Reinvigorated
CasaMagna Marriott Cancun Resort

Recommend September 2011