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The Mini Europe in Brussels

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2February2012

Situated at the foot of the Atomium in Brussels, Belgium, Mini-Europe is one of the most unique amusement parks and probably the only one which allows you to experience the whole of Europe within the duration of just a few hours. The park’s area is about 24000 square meter and about €10 million were invested in its construction.

Almost 80 cities and 350 buildings of Europe can be seen here. Though only representations these monuments have a very realistic feel and is worth visiting. So if you can’t afford a trip to Europe you may want to visit Mini-Europe in Brussels instead!

Its models are extremely costly and many of them were built from money given by European cities. Silicone molding, epoxy resin and polyester are only few of the materials used. The artists who constructed these representations are the best in their field and what they’ve created is unbelievable.

The park does not comprise of only dead, still replicas of great monuments, it even features simulations or live action models of trains, mills, eruption of Mount Vesuvius, Airbus, cable cars and more.

‘The spirit of Europe’ which presents all the information pertaining to the Europe Union and the best part is that it isn’t some boring display of large placards that you have to read! Most of it is in the form of multimedia games!

A large amount of greenery gives it the aesthetic sense that it requires. Ground covers, dwarf trees, bonsais and grafted trees are only few of the kinds of plants found here.

All in all it is a place that must be visited if you happen to find yourself in Brussels.

The Anderlecht Beguinage in Brussels

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4January2012

The beguinages are the homes of beguinages which were actually small communities of women that emerged as early as the 13th Century in countries like Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands. These ladies, known as Beguines, led a sacred life in a quiet seclusion, without taking religious vows. Belgium has the remnants of the beguinages in 20 cities, of which 13 have been inscribed on UNESCO’S World Heritage List and the Anderlecht Beguinage in Brussels is one of them.

The Anderlecht Beguinage is composed of four simple houses which are arranged around a central garden close to the church. It was actually the tiniest beguinage of Belgium with only eight residents and was built by the funding of one of the canons, William Doyen of the Chapter of Anderlecht.

In 1930, the structure was turned into a museum open to public. The museum is made up of two houses and there is a narrow path leading to the entrance. They are located around a lovely inner courtyard, offering a splendid view of the nearby Collegial Church of St Peter and St Guido. The inner garden has a covered well and is flanked by two rows of maisonettes.

For the history lovers, the museum contains a local history collection documenting a thousand years of Anderlecht past. The museum shares a common administrative office with the Erasmus House, the former home of the great Renaissance scholar Erasmus of Rotterdam.

Parks And Gardens In Brussels

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20December2011

The city of Brussels abounds in greenery with a host of parks and gardens, each one unique in its own history, organization, sculptures, architecture, trees, and so on. Some of the famous parks and gardens in Brussels are:

The Colonial Garden:
Standing next to the royal park of Laeken, this garden was created in 1905 by king Leopold II so that he could bring his collections of exotic plants from Belgian Congo there. At the entrance of the garden, Léopold II built a ‘cottage’ in Norman style according to the plans of the architect Haneau. The garden happens to be a part of a green walk which connects the Heysel with the Wood of Laerbeek.

Park of Laeken:
Opne all the year round, the park has an open view on Brussels on one of its sides and a great view on the royal palace at its other side. The park takes pride in its collection of trees like chestnut-trees, rowan trees, purple beeches, and so on. Some of them are more than 100 years old.

Osseghem Park:
Standing in a quiet place within the pulsating urban habitation, this park is situated not far from the Atomium. From 1 April till 30 September, it is open from 6 am till 10 pm and from 1 October till 31 March, it is open from 7 am till 9 pm.

The Leopold Park:
The pond of this park is the last vestige of the Maelbeek valley. It is open from 1 April to 30 September from 6 am to 10 pm and from 1 October to 31 March from 7 am to 9 pm. Visitors can discover the medieval Eggevoort Tower, which dates from the 15th century. On the spot of the former greenhouse Victoria Regia stands the bust of Jean Linden, botanist and traveler (1817-1898) who introduced a variety of more than 650 plants in Europe.

Manneken Pis: The marvel in Brussels

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19November2011

The city of Brussels takes pride in its figure of Manneken Pis, which happens to be a tiny figure of a peeing boy which is located at the junction of Rue de l’Étuve/Stoofstraat and Rue du Chêne/Eikstraat. To find it, one takes the left lane next to the Brussels Town Hall from the famous Grand Place and walks a few hundred metres to arrive at the spot. The statue will be on the left corner.

The statue has always been an object of controversy in the history of Brussels. Since the time when the original version of the statue, cast in bronze by Jerome Duquesnoy, was installed on the site in 1619, it has faced a lot of attacks and yet it manages to stand there. On one occasion, the figure was shattered to pieces. The remains were used to create the mold from which the contemporary version of the statue was cast.

Apart from threats from vandals, it has also managed to stay one piece even during war times. During times of war, it was always disassembled and hidden to avoid destruction in bomb raids. Once, this statue was stolen by residents of the Flemish town, Geraardsbergen, who claimed that their own statue of the peeing boy is the oldest in Belgium.

The statue is dressed in costume several times each week and its wardrobe consists of more than 600 costumes which are kept at a permanent exhibition inside the City Museum, located in the Grand Place, immediately opposite the Town Hall. The collection also includes folklore costumes and a collection of special outfits, such as the complete Elvis Presley or Mickey Mouse costumes. The costumes are managed by the non-profit association The Friends of Manneken-Pis, who review hundreds of designs submitted each year, and select a small number to be produced and used. Many costumes represent the national dress of nations whose citizens come to Brussels as tourists; others are the uniforms of assorted trades, professions, associations, and branches of the civil and military services.

On occasion, the statue is hooked up to a keg of beer. Cups will be filled up with the beer flowing from the statue and given out to people passing by.

The visit to Brussels is incomplete without a look at this marvel. There are many hotels near Manneken-Pis some of which are Hotel Amigo, Bedford Hotel and Congress Centre, Eurostars Grand Place Hotel, Hotel Mozart, and many others.

Conrad Brussels, 5 star hotel in Brussels

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9March2011

Conrad Brussels 5 star hotel in Brussels

Conrad Brussels 5 star hotel in Brussels

•    Overview of the Hotel: Situated on the Avenue Louise, the luxurious Conard Brussels is the hotel that is surrounded by the stylish shops, restaurants and bars.    Guest at the hotel can enjoy and can have access to the Aspria Wellness Centre. The private health club there at the hotel provides about various different beauty treatments. Restaurant Café Wiltcher’s serves international meals and as well has entirely covered terrace that provides the views of the courtyard. The smoking area in the Loui Lounge & Bar provides a range of cigars and whiskeys. The hotel is about 5-minute walk away from the Louise Metro Station that provides the direct access to the Brussels South Station in 3 stops. The Magritte Museum and Royal Palace are about 15-minute walk away from there. The hotel has total 269 rooms and it is the part of the chain of the Hilton Hotels,Conrad Hotels & Resorts.

•    Amenities at the Hotel: With reference to general amenities in the hotel it include facilities as restaurant, bar, 24-hour front desk, newspapers,        terrace, non-smoking rooms, rooms/facilities for disabled guests,         elevator, safe, baggage storage,  all public and private spaces non-smoking and air conditioning. In services the hotel include as room service,  meeting/banquet facilities, business center, babysitting/child services, laundry, dry cleaning, hair/beauty salon, breakfast in the room, ironing service, currency exchange, shoe shine, car rental, tour desk, fax/photocopying and ticket service.

•    Hotel Rules: As for hotel rules in the common areas in the hotel same rules are applies whereas for the different rooms in the hotel the varying rules therefore are easily available and are provided. The check in time into the hotel is 15:00 hours and the checkout time is until 12:00 hours. Cancellation and prepayment policy there vary according to the room type. Pets are allowed there on a certain applicable charges. The hotel accepts cards like as American Express, Visa, Euro-Master Card, Carte Bleue, Diners Club and JCB.

•    Hotel Room Types and Rates:

Classic Double Room: € 146.73
Premium King Room: € 213.73
Junior Suite: € 263.98
King Room: € 146.73
Deluxe King Room:  € 166.83

Halle Gate, the fortified gate of Brussels

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28February2011

The Porte de Hal as called in French) or Hallepoort as called in Dutch is a very old medieval fortified city gate of the second walls of Brussels. Constructed in 1381, Halle Gate is a 14th century gate as developed as the second set of defensive walls that surrounded the Brussels. The gate therefore named as the city of Halle in Flemish Brabant which it faces. The original gate there includes a portcullis and drawbridge over a moat. The structure that is still visible at the time. There for an unforeseen reason the other six gateways and the defensive wall were demolished, however, the Halle Gate somehow survived as it was used up there as a prison. Sometimes it was used as custom house, grain storage and a Lutheran church.

The architect Henri Beyaert restored and modified this 13th century structure as between the 1868 and 1870, and added to it more the austere medieval tower with more romantic Neo Gothic embellishments. The outer entrance of the gate that is towards the Saint-Gilles, is now close to its original appearance. At front of the inner gate, at towards the city of Brussels, Beyaert added a circular tower as been topped by a conical roof, involving a monumental spiral staircase. Beyaert even added turrets and a large roof.

In 1847 the Halle Gate made a property of Belgium’s Musée Royal d’Armures, d’Antiquités et d’Ethnologie (Museum of Armour, Antiquity and Ethnology), now famous as a the Royal Museums for Art and History. By 1889, the Halle Gate was felt too small to keep the most of the collection; therefore remaining items were transferred to the   Cinquantenaire Museum. However it kept on showing the armour and weapons. In 1976, the building was in too much risky position to fall due to the dangerous condition of disrepair and thus was closed down. Finally renovations started, the Gate was once again started in 1991. However, it this time too faced the lack of money however museum there kept some temporary article and collections. In March 2007 a new repair work started and the park finally reopened for the public in June 6, 2008. The museum now keeps the exhibits about the history of the building, and of the city of Brussels and its defence. The primary part of the museum on each floor includes as Armour and Armaments, the Gothic Room, the Guilds Room and the roof space for the smaller exhibitions.

Be Manos Hotel, 5 star hotel in Brussels

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21February2011

Be Manos hotel 5 star hotel in Brussels

Be Manos hotel 5 star hotel in Brussels

•    Overview of the Hotel: The hotel is located about at a distance and walk of five minutes from Brussel’s Midi South Station with many Thalys and Eurostar intentional train connections.  There a buffer breakfast is there provided in the morning. For lunch and dinner, Belgian specialties and healthy menu choices are too provided there. There are total 60 rooms in the hotel.

•    Amenities at the Hotel: With respect to the general facilities as included in the hotel involves as restaurant, bar, 24-hour front desk, newspapers, terrace,        non-smoking rooms, elevator, safe, heating, design hotel and baggage storage. In services in the hotel are included as room service, meeting/banquet facilities, business center, babysitting/child services, laundry, dry cleaning,  breakfast in the room, ironing service and fax/photocopying.

•    Hotel Rules: With respect to hotel rules and policies in the hotel Be Manos, there exists a uniform and lateral policy at the common areas and rooms of the hotel. However, these hotel policies get varies as a person changes rooms. The check in time into the hotel is 14:00 hours and the checkout time is until 14:00 hours. There cancellation and prepayment policy differ according to the type of room where a person stays in.  Pets are allowed in the hotel free of any extra charges. Hotel accepts credit cards as American Express, Euro/Mastercard, Carte Bleue, Diners Club, Maestro, Bancontact and Debit card.

•    Hotel Room Types and Rates:

Standard Room: € 180 (Per Night)
Junior Suite: € 200 (Per Night)

Brussels lace, the popular hand crafted lace from Brussels

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12February2011
Brussels Lace

Brussels Lace

Brussels lace is a sort of pillow lace that has roots around Brussels. There are many laces around Brussels that are too popular; however, the Brussels lace is strictly interpreted to bobbin lace in which the pattern is prepared first, then the ground. Brussels lace therefore should not be confused with Brussels point that is a sort of needle lace. Brussels lace is prepared in pieces, with the flowers and design different from the ground, unlike Mechlin lace or Valenciennes lace this help the long threads that form the design to be according to the curves of the pattern, whereas in bobbin laces prepared instantly, the threads run parallel  to the entire length of the lace.

Brussels lace easily can be recognized through its réseau or background, the toilé or pattern, and the lack of a cordonnet which outlines the pattern. The réseau is hexagonal, with four threads plaited four times on two sides, and two threads twisted twice on the remaining four sides. The toilé can be of two types, the standard woven texture like a piece of fabric, or a more open version with more of the appearance of a netted réseau. This brings the impact of the shades in the design an effect that was further used in the later designs. In Brussels lace, in place of cordonnet, the pattern is bordered with open stitches that then move around from the réseau or background.

Brussels lace is far popular for its delicacy and beauty. At its reality, it was prepared with the finest spun lined thread that is spun in dark damp rooms so that the threads do not become too much brittle. There only one ray of light use to be allowed in the room and falling straight on to the thread.  This the quality of this fine thread that prevents the mechanized production of the Brussels lace as well its production at other places as well. Brussels lace cost wise charge more than Mechlin lace, and is in much demand in   England and France. The production of the Brussels lace started in the   15th century and for the first time in detail is explained in England in a list given to Princess Mary at New Years 1543.

On the basis of Production, Brussels lace is found in three types including Point d’Angleterre came as the smuggled Brussels lace into the England due to a 1662 English Parliament bill that banned the import all sort of laces into the United Kingdom. And the lace with this name too becomes popular at other parts of Europe as well. Point plat appliqué is the name given to Brussels lace where the design is made on machine net, in place of handmade réseau. Point Duchesse is the type of Brussels lace that does not have a réseau.

Le Plaza, 5 star hotel in Brussels

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4February2011
Le Plaza 5 Star Hotel in Brussels

Le Plaza 5 Star Hotel in Brussels

•    Overview of the Hotel: The hotel with ample space for private parking and spacious rooms is situated next to the City2 Shopping Mall. The restaurant there has a painted ceiling and a fitness room as well. The air-conditioned rooms there are quite decorated with soft colors and light materials. There a large breakfast buffet is provided in the spacious salon having high ceilings and glass chandeliers. Hotel Le Plaza is situated about a 5 minute walk from Brussels North train station and a 10 minute walk from Grand Place. The Rogier Metro Station is 220 yards away from the hotel. The hotel has about 193 rooms and it is the chain of hotel Worldhotels.

•    Amenities at the Hotel: One can have the best state of the art facilities in the hotel including restaurant, bar, 24-hour front desk, newspapers, non-smoking rooms, rooms/facilities for disabled guests, elevator, safe, baggage storage and air conditioning. In services one can enjoy the convenience of room service,        meeting/banquet facilities, business center, laundry, dry cleaning, vip room facilities, breakfast in the room, ironing service, honeymoon suite,      currency exchange, souvenirs/gift shop, shoe shine, car rental, tour desk and         fax/photocopying.

•    Hotel Rules: As far as for hotel rules, the common areas of the hotel are being governed by the hotel Le Plaza. The Check in time into the hotel is 15:00 hours and the check out time is until 12:00 hours. The cancellation and prepayment policies there vary according to the room type. Pets are allowed in the hotel on certain applicable charges. The hotel accepts cards as American Express, Visa, Euro/Mastercard and Diners Club.

•    Hotel Room Types and Rates:

Classic Room: € 110 (Per Night)
Deluxe Room: € 140 (Per Night)
Prestige Room: € 170 (Per Night)

The Death of Marat, painting at the museum of fine arts in Brussels

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29January2011

The Death of Marat is an eighteenth century (Year 1793) painting in the Neo-classical style by the Jacques- Louis David. The painting is being revered and is praised as an image from the French Revolution. This painting depicts the killing of radical journalist Jean-Paul Marat, killed on the 13th of July 1793 by Charlotte Corday. Corday was a French Revolutionary figure hailing from a mediocre aristocratic family. Corday, held Marat for the September Massacres and feared an all out civil war. He favored the assassination as terming it as an effort to save one lakh lives by killing the only one.

Jean-Paul Marat was a Swiss-born French physician, philosopher, political theorist and scientist and was referred as the well known radical journalist and politician from the French Revolution. It is said about him that Marat use to take shelter of cold bath to ease him from the violent itching as emerging from skin diseases that he suffered for a long period and are said to be caused as when he was forced to escape in Paris sewers to save him from his enemies. David was a close friend of Marat, as well as a strong supporter of Robespierre and the Jacobins. As he had a facial tumor as occurred due to fencing, David was excessively happy with his capacity to convince crowd for their speeches. He as an effort to memorize his friend, David painted this portrait of Marat.

Marat is quite praised one and is idealized and the painting there keeps no sign of skin problems. However in this painting he is not shown with the marks of his skin problems. David, however, collected the details from his visit to Marat’s residence well before the assassination as including, the green rug, the papers, and the pen.  David, there promised his friends in the National Convention that would inspect and show their murdered friend invocatively. The Death of Marat is there referred and designed as a personal hero. Yet the name Charlotte Corday can be seen there on the paper as kept in Marat’s left hand, the assassin herself is not visible.

While a close look of this painting shows Marat at his last breath when Corday and many others were yet close to them. And there David had tried to preserve more than the horror of martyrdom. In this manner, the painting, entirely from its beginning is a systematic construction of the victim and according to many critiques is termed as the “awful beautiful lie”. Many a times, the painting Death of Marat is been compared to the Michelangelo’s Pieta.