be.joy #2

You've got a day to spend in Belgium? Get out of Brussels. What will you do there? See the ever-disappointing sights: Mannekenpis, the Grand-Place (stumbled across a stupendously underwhelming light-and-sound show there last night: blinking lights! rotating squares! in time to music!) and its environs, the omnipresent shops of the Rue Neuve, see the dull grey horror of the Royal Palace? You won't even make it out to the Atomium, perhaps the only major monument of interest in the city. No, head out to Antwerp or, better yet, Ghent (maybe check out the bar pictured below).

Brussel's joys are strewn about haphazardly and meant to be stumbled across rather than studiously trekked to. Like the little fellow above: he's awesome when you come across him unaware, but I would never tell you "You have to go see this."