I’ve never really visited Belgium before now, but that’s not to say I’ve never been. Previously, it’s always been a thoroughfare, a place to pass through, en-route to a destination so I’ve never had the opportunity to get a feel for its vibe and personality. Until now.
Our visit here had a clear purpose; as we changed tack on our life’s journey and headed into mainland Europe with our three girls we felt that we needed to give them (well, all of us really) an overview of Europe and it’s political heartland, so what better place than the home of the European Union’s (EU) corridors of power… Brussels.
Having located a place not too far from the centre to park up for our first night we navigated our plus-size motorhome into the city, grateful that rush-hour in Brussels is more like school-pick up time in our home town than teatime on the UK’s M25! This great location meant that we could easily get a tram into the city centre for some sight-seeing the next morning. We enjoyed getting around this city, the trams and metro are well-signed and the transport maps and app easy to understand which, with our three children in tow, was a real blessing and felt like the entry-level introduction to big-city tourism our young family needed.
We loved wandering through the capital’s centre, which has an unassuming and gentle air of olde-world charm and irregular uniformity. The Grote Markt (or Grand Place, Brussels’ central square), St Catherine’s Square and surrounding areas transport you back in time, so that you’re more likely to expect a horse-drawn carriage to pass you than a car. Beautiful and ornate buildings line the streets and gilded buildings in the Grote Markt glisten in the morning sun like sparklers on Bonfire Night. Beer, glühwein and chocolate vendors are three-a-penny, the latter making the walk through town a very slow one as our young family stopped at every door to drink in the confectionery wonders (and hope that we might cave into their pleas for a taste of their wares).
Our main destination was to the EU Parliament buildings for a tour but we had time to visit the national cathedral on the way. Having spent much of my childhood in or around cathedrals I love visiting them. To me they have an architectural majesty and their influence on a city over the centuries can often be felt. Free to visit, this one was hosting an exhibition of models of crib scenes, each a different interpretation from different countries around the world who celebrate the birth of Jesus. The way each culture depicted the same scene and story was a timely reminder that unity and diversity are not mutually exclusive.
The tour of the EU Parliament buildings was enlightening. As the ‘B-word’* has become the focus for the UK’s national conversation about the EU, it has overshadowed the reality of the EU’s governance structures and its influence and impact, so our tour was both a refreshing and valuable educational experience for all of our family (really!). The EU Parliament is the only elected governing body of the EU and while its legal seat is in Strasbourg, the location of both the EU Council and Commission in Brussels has meant that (for practical and common sense reasons) the Parliament also has sessions here. Whatever one’s opinion of the current state of EU (and UK) affairs, the union has brought countries together, countries that throughout the previous centuries were almost continually at war with one another in one shape or form and has been a vehicle for much positive social change.
The EU’s political and administrative presence here has a clear effect on the city and its people. Even in the snapshot of life we saw here it was clear to us that it has brought an influx of people from different countries, creating a multicultural environment, yet one that is transient, with many of its workforce either decamping to another of the EU’s sites or to their homelands on a regular basis. Here, the corridors of power appear to be just that – corridors, without a destination and the city seems to feel the weight of this administration burdened by the power it houses yet without feeling its benefit.
But for us, this corridor was an insightful and valuable entrance into Europe’s political capital, with a wonderful interactive information centre that our kids didn’t want to leave behind. Brussels had one more attraction up its sleeve that helped set the scene for our European journey – Mini-Europe! This fascinating model ‘village’ featuring key countries and landmarks from all over Europe was fun to wander through and show us some of the places we may visit for real on our tour. As well as the models themselves, there were plenty of buttons to press (or wheels to turn) to engage the kids in the mini-scenes and dioramas, including activating Viking fight scenes, rescuing princesses, chasing art-thieves and more.
Our visit to Brussels felt a bit like its character – gentle, easy, non-plussed, yet meaningful in the context of its bigger picture. And, like many of its citizens, we too were passing through its corridors as our journey to find a different way was just beginning…
*Brexit
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