Recommend September 2011 - (Page 52)

48 HOURS IN BRUSSELS Continued Gay Brussels Brussels’ gay village on the Rue Marche au Charbon offers a pictureperfect location near the Grand’Place in the heart of the historic Quartier Saint-Jacques, all set amidst a cluster of stepped gabled townhouses, cozy old-fashioned pubs, lounge bars and sunny pavement cafes. A good place to get an overview of Brussels’ gay village is at the Le Platesteen cafe, which is not exclusively gay but does have a wide sunny terrace facing four of the area’s busiest bars, which makes it one of gay Brussels’ favorite meeting spots, along with Cafe le Fontainas where visitors can idle away an afternoon with an excellent view of the comings and goings in the gay village. For dining, try Mam Mam, gay Brussels’ favorite Thai restaurant, famous for its huge bowls of fragrant soup noodles, while the Lesbian-run Kika sports 1970s design and serves up cool bistro classics in a mellow lounge atmosphere. On the bar and club scene, there’s Le Belgica, one of the most famous night spots in the city and a good example of a traditional Brussels pub. Farther along Rue Marche au Charbon, Le Baroque takes the surrealist decor to new levels of campiness culminating in a fresco of Michelangelo’s “Creation of Adam.” It attracts an older, cruisy down-to-earth crowd, along with its neighbor, Dolores. L’Homo Erectus keeps the younger crowds happy with regular raucous karaoke, drag shows and striptease, while its sister bar L’Homo Erectus Classicus has a more laid-back ambiance. The Boys Boudoir is perfect for pre-clubbing cocktails, before hitting Bruxellois and its late-night “spectacles,” or the most famous drag bar in the city, Chez Maman. felt with a variety of African food shops, many African hairdressers and a lot of ambiance. There are numerous African bars and everyone is welcome. During the summer there are concerts in the street and it’s a fun, unique place to spend some time. Evening—Day 2 If you’re in the mood for seafood, try Bij den Boer, a specialized fish restaurant located in the very heart of Brussels. But keep in mind it’s a very popular restaurant and it’s often fully booked so it’s a good idea to make a reservation. It offers a varied, medium-priced weekly menu with four courses and located near the St. Catherine Church. For some excellent meat dishes, go to Rotisserie Vincent on Rue des Dominicains not too far from St. Michel Cathedral. There’s also plenty of mussels and eel dishes to choose from. After dinner, there’s a great late-night bar called I’Archiduc on Rue Dansaert where you can stop for some post-meal drinks. Located just down the way from the Stock Exchange building, I’Archiduc is a legendary Art Deco jazz bar that’s been entertaining patrons since 1937. l N PIS MANNEKE traction, dest visitor at an Brussels’ ol ating— llious spirit th be boy urin of the city ’s re tain of a little tter example famous foun orld—who is There’s no be Pis, the world , if not the w ns in Europe ld Manneken -o attractio the 800-year otographed 0 suits. distribution of the most ph more than 80 in the former certainly one e wardrobe of s remarkabl essential role s for hi ce he lost his played an equally famou Europe, but sin fountain that ell-known in was at first a s d was w neken Pis Manneken Pi th century an century, Man s er since the 15 ce in the 19th at d more legend conveyan of drinking w ork of water and more an n in the netw ussels folklore l of Br main functio e and symbo ld came an imag a two-year-o gradually be the name of the little guy. ops, up around ttle fought in ury ba sprung e his tro at a 12th cent b to encourag One states th on a tree lim another ng in a cradle g troops. Still as hu e opposin duke who w urinated on th b set by an ted a bom n the duke le Julien spot was won whe e city, while y named Litt fuse, saving th at a young bo his states th the burning on the fire with e and urinated a fire put out attacking forc there’s the awakened by boy wn. Then says a young m burning do still another itch who lived ng’s castle fro opped the ki e door of a w m urine and st inated on th ho ur she turned hi e little boy w her so angry one about th ands, making untain now st where the fo vernor of when the go ue. May 1, 1698, into a stat e on the tion started on e tradi a costum The wardrob d the statue nce nds presente of Brussels. Si strian Netherla of the guilds the Au zed by one ank them ni d to th stivities orga costumes an occasion of fe ctly from a ve contributed ch comes dire ss groups ha em beer, whi then, countle offers th costumes are e manneken more special for the gift, th . Among the e statue course, tached to th ume and, of beer barrel at y Mouse cost outfit, a Micke y an Elvis Presle Santa Claus. F10 / www.visitflanders.us 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