The city of Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish-Brabant, and perhaps best known throughout the world for its magnificent architecture, it's internationally renowned University and last but far from being least, its world famous beer. Although Leuven suffered heavily under the two World Wars it is now a very modern city with a very rich past, which charms visitors throughout the world.

I had waited for a long time to visit Leuven. Many of my Belgian friends had really recommended the city,  many of them had studied in the university there and their memories were of cause inflected by the best years of their life! I went there with my son, every time he comes down here in Brussels to visit me, we try to visit a new city every time, it is a goal of ours.

We left Brussels and Leuven is just ½ hours drive from my home. The first thing that met us was the Stella Artois brewery with its distinct smell of malt. It reminds me of home in Frederiksberg, Copenhagen where I didn’t live far from the Carlsberg brewery.

We parked under the square at the Library at Monseigneur Ladeuzeplein. The Library is newly constructed 'old' building. The impressive building in Flemish Renaissance style was constructed between 1921 and 1928. It was designed by the American architects Warren and Wetmore and built thanks to donations of American Colleges and Universities. It replaces the former university library which used to be in the university halls in the Naamsestraat. The library had been destroyed in 1914. The present building also suffered damage during a fire in 1940. Numerous important tomes were lost forever (also the Papal document for the creation of the Leuven University in 1425). In the high-rising tower is a 'beiaard' (set of bells) that was donated by the Americans.

We walked round in the busy city streets ��" it was Saturday and the shopping was lively. It was one of these days where the spring was just around the corner but it could not get the grasp of it. After a while walking towards the central train station we walked back to the old city centre and found a café just in front of the awesome town hall.

Just next to the town hall at Grote Markt actually between the Saint Peter's Church and the town hall a medieval-looking building can be spotted. It's the 'Tafelrond'. This neogothic replica of a 15th century guild hall is now used as the Leuven branch of the Belgian National Bank. It was built in 1927 after the original one had been destroyed during the First World War.

We were sitting just in front of the magnificent town hall enjoying the view of people walking by and we were both amazed by the details on the Mayor's House built in the Brabantine Gothic style.

The harmonious dimensions and rich decoration of the walls make the of the town hall a shrine of medieval splendor. The first stone was laid in 1439, the designer was the architect Sulpitius Van der Vorst. He died shortly afterwards and architect Keldermans continued his work. When Keldermans died in 1445 a third architect, Mathijs de Layens, continued the construction from 1447 until 1468. It was Mathijs de Layens who gave the flamboyant Gothic look to the building. He is therefore also considered the creator of the town hall.

In 1706 the staircase at the entrance was added. The town hall was renovated for the first time in the 19th century. During the restoration new neo-gothic elements were added. A first restoration ran from 1829 until 1841. During the second half of the century the statues were added to further decorate the façade. This was due to the French writer Victor Hugo, who, during his stay in Leuven, insisted that statues would be made to fill out the empty niches because he found that such a splendid building could not be left unfinished. From 1893 until 1907 the beautifully sculptured pedestals on which the statues rest, were renovated too. During the bombings of 1944 the town hall suffered considerable damage which resulted in another renovation campaign from 1962 until 1983. In the 1990's the building, which had become very black, was thoroughly cleaned.

The town hall looks like a delicately wrought relic shrine. It shows the late gothic style at its most splendid. The elegant lines are accentuated by the proportions of the facades. The main facades count 10 bays, whereas the side facades count only 3. The vertical movement, which is so typical for the Gothic style, is reinforced by the slim towers on all four corners of the building. There is a total of 236 statues (made in the 19th century). They represent artists, scientists, historic persons and other people that played an important role in the history of the city. On the higher floors the Counts of Leuven and the Dukes of Brabant are shown.

Just behind us the bells of the impressive St. Peter's church kept on pounding for more than 10 minutes ��" we both laughed because the time was only passing 1.30 pm and we wondered how much noise it make at the strike of a full hour or even at 12 o’clock.

We walked to the Oude Markt and what a place, this was for sertain the place where my most of my colleagues burnt most of their brain cells during their hard years of studying.  This square is jam-packed with places to drink and is known by locals as 'the longest bar in the world'. Do sample the local beer - Stella Artois may be available worldwide, but a beer always tastes different in its home town! For a real home brew try Domus, a cosy bar where the beer is piped in direct from its own brewery next door.

November 9

Hitched to Leuven and walked in the city before dusk, early. Then went with Stan to stay at his parents in Lubeek

November 10

Quiet day, it is grey and cold outside. By the evening we go visit a photo exhibit in Lubeek hall (lovely) before going to the annual fire of the village. That was tame though.

November 11

Walked on the countryside of Lubbeek to do some pictures of the autumn craze. I went to meet the neighbour of Stan who are HC members.

November 12

By Midday, I hitched back to Brussels from the southern entrance and went to Achim, relaxing and watching a movie.

Notre Dame is a cheap restaurant in the very center of Leuven. The fact that it has cheap prices doesn't mean the food isn't great. Don't expect a five star quality or an exeptional interior design here, but if you'd like to have a nice dish for a good price, this place is the bomb. There is absolutely no restaurant I've been more in my life than Notre Dame. I go here with friends after shopping or before going out, because plates are filled well, service is friendly, and well, prices can't be much lower compared to what you get for it. You can have a well filled plate and a drink here for under 14 Euros easily. Some plates cost more, others cost even less. The place is big to so mostly it is not necessary to make a reservation. They have a large area in front of the restaurant, than some more tables at the bar in the back, and another area on the first level. It is more cosy to sit in the back or upstairs, because the downside of the large size is that there can be quite some noise sometimes. But I take that. Don't come to Notre Dame for a romantic date, because you won't get much intimacy. Yet for a quick snack or a well filled course this restaurants is ideal, just as for dessert with coffee or simply a drink. You won't pay to much and you'll be seated at the very center of town at the Grote Markt itself. You can't have a better scenery in whole of Leuven! There is a terrace right at the market square but it is mostly on the shady side. There is only sun in the very early morning. You'll find it therefore pretty empty in spring but when it's hot in summer people will "fight" for a place over there because it is cool. Anyway, keep this place in mind when coming to Leuven, especially when you're on a budget but don't like to skip when it comes to a good meal :)

The College is a small and a bit old fashioned cocktail bar in the center of Leuven, in the Munstraat, where many restaurants are located. This is not one of those trendy bars with a modern interior, but the cocktails here are the best to be had in Leuven. They come with huge pieces of ceveral fruits and chips, and glasses are well filled. There is a great deal of choice too. I honestly think that any cocktail your hart desires is to be had here, and it will taste lovely for sure. My favorite is the Blue Lagoon, a classic alright, but I can't get out of The Professor without having one. As I'm still busy trying every other name on the menu I at least have to drink to each time I visit: the Blue Lagoon and the new one. But I've never regreted it. Prices are no more expensive than anywhere else in Leuven, about 5,5 Euro for one, and you get better quality than in most other bars. So if I may place a suggestion, go to The Professor for cocktails and invite me when you're planning too. I'll be happy to come :)

I used to start this review by saying the Professor is the best cocktailbar in Leuven, but I've deleted that. It is still good though, but recently I like "The College" better. Check out my other reviews for that. Though "The Professor" is crowded with people (mainly students) every night, it is worth a visit. You can choose from about 150 different cocktails, you get some ships with it, and the price is ok. There are tables outside in the summertime, and the service is friendly. I've been here countless times, and yet I haven't tasted even half of the cocktails served. Unfortunately I'm very good at trying out more than one per evening. I've left pretty dizzy more than ones, but then again, they're all so great! The Professor is located in the Naamsestraat, which starts at the Grand Place and is connected to the Old Market by small streets. The Professor is at the corner of the first small connection road, when you're coming from the Grand Place at your right.

"De Vaartkom" is were the canal between Mechelen and Leuven ends. It used to be a busy industrial zone some decades ago, but now it is no longer that importance. Goods are transported by truck these days, and therefore the canal has lost it's benefits for the economy. The times that factories and silo's were build next to the water to simplify the distributions are over. What you will find in de Vaartkom are the old and rundown buildings that once were the heart of the Leuven economy. The old Interbrew (Stella) factories and the Hungaria-silo are the most remarkable ones. These buildings can't be visited from the inside, but I find their rundown architecture somehow intriguing. Actually they aren't a tourist attraction at all, but I like the atmosphere hanging around the canal and the infrastructure. Nowadays most of the buildings that were once emptied have made place for offices. Inbev has occupied a large part of the Hungaria-building (and other areas), and on the main floor there is the trendy Hungaria restaurant. Apple has one of it's stores at this side of the water too. Last but not least there is the disco/club "Silo" in what used to be a tower for grain storage. Some of the old Interbrew factories are still in use, either for manufacturing or storage. And in the old mills of "Orshoven", some of Leuvens most remarkable youth dance and theater studios have found shelter (Braakland Zhe Building, Fabuleus, Mooss,...). The area may look rundown and deadly, some of the more fancier organizations and enterprises have found the location as intriguing as I do and made it their home. That's why I think that when you're in Leuven and have some spare time, you could as well come down here to witness the old industrial history of the city.

This beguinage is a wonderful place because it's been preserved just the way it was, when founded in the 13th century. Small cobblestone streets, little houses, chapels and tiny gardens are everywhere. On top of that, the river Dijle runs right trough the beguinage, which looks like a miniature village. The Groot Begijnhof is located in a very quite part of town, outside the former city walls, and really makes you feel like you're back in the dark ages. It is very quite here, and usually there aren't many people around. In the 13th century this place was inhabited by beguines, but nowadays employees of the university and students live here. Since 2000 this place is part of the Unesco Inheritance. I think the beguinage is a place well worth visiting for foreigners, especially from outside Europe, because it is so typically medieval and rustic. And apart from that, it is the most peaceful area in Leuven. You can enter everyday at every hour, but motorized vehicles, dogs and noisy people can not come in. There is no entrance fee.

Leuven is a beautiful city, best known for its university, the remarkable architecture, and Stella Artois. It is quite small, and I guess that's why most tourists leave it alone. Indeed, when you only have a few days to spend in Belgium, you better visit Antwerp, Brugge and Brussels. But if you got some more time and you'd like to get away from the big cities, Leuven is a great choice.

Though it is quite small (you can perfectly walk from one interesting place to another), you'll find many shops, café's, restaurants, cultural activities and tourist attractions here. And because of the many students hanging around, nightlife as well is vivid and much fun.

Vince (VPedicino) has described Leuven as followed in his blog: "What a cute little town! It is was what most Americans think of when they think of when they imagine a smallish European city. Cobblestone streets, cafes all over, pigeons, old churches, a beautiful city hall, etc. It was nice." I can not confirm since I'm not an American and basically used to cobblestones, pigeons, old buildings and cafés, but the description is correct allright :)

I've written this blog to unite all the reviews I post about Leuven. I write about the places I like most, but ofcourse there are many more things to see, places to stay, etc. So if you have any special interests or questions, just send me a message!

By the way we had a wonderful February winters day yesterday so I went out with my camera and replaced the previous pics by ones I made myself. Enjoy!

Leuven is located in the hart of Belgium. From here, there are excellent connections to all other cities. It takes two hours to go to the coast, half an hour to go to Brussels and Mechelen, and about one hour and a half to visit Gent.

The region Leuven is in, is called "Het Hageland" (land of the Hedges). The name dates back centuries, because there aren't  that many hedges at all, but anyway, it sounds peaceful :)
This region is known for its local beers and wines, fruits, walkingpaths and the typical landscapes they run through. I've uploaded some pictures too, the previous weren't mine but these are. I actually don't live in Leuven itself but closeby. So I have many landscape pictures to take. The ones you see here are taken at walking distance from my house.

If you'd like to discover the smaller villages around Leuven, and the Hageland, you can contact the touristic sevice for more information about routes, events, etc. Use the following email adress or telephonenumber: info@toerismehageland.be / + 32 16 31 18 60

Seriously, I should have written about Ghent long time back, when the events and name of streets were still fresh in my memory. Plus, the last two months of beer drinking has started to show its side effects on my brain cells, manifesting itself in form of memory lapses of the magnitude I have not suffered from ever before.
Still I will give it my best shot. As always the journey from Leuven was straight forward. This is definitely one of the good aspects of Belgium; travel time is never more than a couple of hours. The reason for my heading off to Ghent was the Ghent festival.

I am not very sure if I am in a position to comment too much about the city of Ghent,  since I spent all my time at the festival. There were some big squares where stages were ... really donot have any idea how those places look like now. Couple of things though: There is a very nice castle next to the canal. Didnt get a chance to see it from the inside but seemed pretty good from outside. And where there are canals there are boat rides. So yes, you can take a boat ride down the canal and appreciate the beauty of the place. There was also a dodgy looking market. Reminded me of similar places we find in India. I am not sure if that market is there always or was erected only during the festival period. Anyways if you go to Ghent and if its still there then you won't miss it.

And here's the cliche again: there are beautiful churches too. And remember to check out Vlasmar(k)t street; not very sure if this really is the name of the street and if it is usually as crowded and bustling as it was during the festival. Sorry for being so vague but I was there last month.

Well one point I would like to make, and I hope that I am able to emphasize on it enough; is that you should visit Ghent during the Ghent festival period. Yes the city in itself is beautiful and surely you will like it, but you have absolutely no idea how much fun you will be missing out on, in case you don't follow my advice.

Check the next blog for something on Belgian beaches ... yes there is one that I know of in Belgium :)

Cheers

Well i ended my last blog with a promise to come back and tell something about Hotton. I headed off again to Wallonia (just can't get enough of this area). This time, as always, the driving force was beer. The occassion was the Beer festival in Hotton. The journey was straight forward. The town is around 2 km from the railway station. Quite manageable even on foot. The town is pretty small but nice with a stream flowing through it. There is a quite big green area, aptly called the island, where the festival was being held.
The first thing I noticed when I reached the place was the church. Extremely beautiful building with the stream flowing by. I realized it only afterwards that on sunny days, as was the day, the stream side turned into a big picnic, swimming and sun bathing spot. Well I did end up getting bit more brown.

As far as the key attractions are concerned I would definitely recommend the Caves of Hotton. The caves have supposedely the highest galleria in Belgium and are extremely beautiful. The tour takes you through some really beautiful natural formations and to the source of it all: the underground torrent. Well 'torrent' will be a bit of over statement to make, but I guess thats what it once was and maybe its scientifically a more appropriate term to use. The tour was pretty nice. Do remember to take a jacket with you since it can be a bit cold in there. Officially the tours are in Dutch and French, but for groups can also be made in English. This is where I had one of my best experiences and says a lot about the staff at this place. In the tour group of 20 odd people, I was the only one who could not understand Dutch and French. And just for a single person, the tour guide made the extra effort to explain everything in English.
So because of me, the tour took more time then it was supposed to, since now my guide had to repeat everything in three languages rather than two. It says a lot about the extra effort the staff is willing to make in order to make it a memorable experience for you. The tour was extremely exciting. Do check out some pics
And off I went to the beer festival and everything was the usual again. Drinking, meeting new people, more drinking, missing my train, staying at the station for the night, returning home next morning and a bad hangover for whole of the rest day.
Somethings never change :)
Check out the next blog for something about Gent. And in coming weeks I may have something to write about the beaches in Belgium.
Till then ....

After my exploits on Day - 1, I was pretty upbeat about Day 2. The plan was to see the town of Dinant and then head off to the villages of Crupet and Celles.

As usual I took my bike and landed up at Dinant. I had absolutely no idea that there was a biker's gathering happening that day. Motorbikers from all over belgium and France came down to Dinant. A reception was arranged for them. Funky motorbikes were on display. After downing couple of pints with the bikers (nothing as compared to what I did the previous day), I started off with my sight seeing.

The first stop was the church. Well like almost all the churches in Belgium this one was old and beautiful. A nice place to visit. The second stop was Grand Rue (kind of main street). Most of the shops are on this road. The third stop was the fortress. There are guided tours every half an hour. The unfortunate part is that the tours are in dutch and french (again no english :( ). The good thing was that almost all the exhibits have information plaques in english, so I could get the essence of things. The tour was bit long but pretty good. The fortress is on the top of the hill and provides an impressive view of the town below.

Dinant is a nice small town, with lots of pubs and restaurants. I was also informed that there are very beautiful caves around 10 minutes from the town center and an abbey. Because of lack of time, I couldnot visit them. You can find more information on these from the Tourist Office, which is couple of minutes from the railway station.

I picked the bike up and headed off for Crupet. Right on the outskirts of Dinant another festival was going on. Great music, drinks, food and lots of french speaking beautiful Wallonian girls ;). One thing I would always remember from the festival was the game of human fuβball. 

After nearly half an hour the realisation dawned on me that I was on my way to Crupet. So off I started again. This time I went awfully awry on my route. Thankfully I kept running into English speaking Wallonians (a very rare breed indeed ;)) and finally did manage to reach Crupet. Crupet is around 15 kms from Dinant, and take my advice, please DONOT do this route on a bike. The ride is uphill most of the time and gets painfully tough. I lost nearly an hour due to slow ascent speed and my wandering ways. But since every cloud has a silver lining I managed to visit some places which I would not have seen had I not got lost.

The first of such places is the village of Spontin. Spontin is a beautiful little village. The second place was Durnal. The village of Durnal has an awesome camping site and the village in itself is extremely beautiful. If you are interested in hiking, I think the route from Dinant to Crupet is good for that. The beautiful village of Dorienne also lies in the way. Crupet is a more commercially active village than Falaen and Soulme. Maybe that's because of the camping site in Dural. There is a decent pub and hotel at the center of the village and lot more people out on the streets.

Right opposite to the pub is a very peculiar structure. On first look it seems like a ruin. I am not sure if it is really a church or not.  The structure is extremely beautiful. You can also check out the river flowing near the village. On a nice sunny day (as was on Sunday), this village and the hills around it can be a superb place to spend the afternoon.

The time had come for me to head off to Celles. I again lost my way and by now was running around 1 and a half hour behind schedule. I couldnot figure out my direction and in the end landed up on the highway with a signboard directing towards Dinant. Since I was running behind schedule and had to report back to work on Monday (yes that's what I came to Belgium for), I decided to call off my trip to Celles and headed back to Dinant. It was disappointing since I have been told that Celles is a very beautiful village located in a wooded valley like Crupet. Maybe I will visit it some other time.

Even if you donot want to visit the villages, I would still recommend Dinant. It is well connected by trains to all the Belgian cities. It should be inexpensive to travel from any city in Belgium and the place is definitely worth visiting.

Next week I head off to Hotton where a major beer festival is being held. Its again in Wallonia. So hopefully I would have more to share with you all next week.

Until then ......

cheers

Sid

I went to (re)visit Spain this summer, since I'm in love with the country. Don't go expecting party reviews and other 'sexy' stories, because I traveled with my parents the whole ten days of the trip. Yet is was great! We visited Madrid, Sevilla and Granada for culture and sightseeing, and then ended with a day in Malaga to enjoy some sun.

My parents usually go on 'swimming pool holidays', and I always used to have a bit of a laugh at them since they never got to see too much of the country they traveled to. They tent to go and visit some nearby places or museums, but nothing much. So this year, after some of the usual discussion, they challenged me to plan a ten days culture trip for them and guide them along. So I did and got to select all the things I wanted myself and them to see, they accepted the plans I made, and we had a great time in my favorite European country.

The poem I added is written by one of my favorite poets: Federico García Lorca. I love it, and I found it the ultimate prologue for this travel blog.

Arbolé, arbolé seco y verde.
La niña de bello rostro
Está cogiendo aceituna.
El viento, galán de torres,
La prende por la cintura.

Pasaron cuatro jinetes,
Sobre jacas Andaluzas
Con trajes de azul y verde,
Con largas capas oscuras.
"Vente a Córdoba, muchacha."
La niña no los escucha.

Pasaron tres torerillos,
Delgaditos de cintura,
Con trajes color naranja,
Y espada de plata antiqua.
"Vente a Sevilla, muchacha."
La niña no los escucha.

Cuando la tarde se puso,
Morada, con luz difusa,
Pasó un joven que llevava
Rosas y mirtos de luna.
"Vente a Granada, muchacha."
Y la niña no lo escucha.

La niña del bello rostro,
Sigue cogiendo aceituna,
Con el brazo gris del viento
Ceñido por la cintura.

Arbolé, Arbolé
Seco y verde.

Explanation 1: the French invented fries, that's why we call them French Fries. Wrong, though. There is no proove of this at all. They just claim the invention, like they do with almost every recepy, since they're the French right?

Explanation 2: during the first World War, American soldiers came to our country and discovered our fries. As the inhabitants spoke French (the biggest battles were fought in Ieper near the French border), the soldiers called them French Fries. Wrong again.

In fact, the explanation is quite simple: in English, 'to french' means (or at least meant) 'to cut into lengthwise pieces'. You probably know 'frenched beans'. So logically, French Fries is short for 'frenched and fried potatoes'. In fact, the English call them 'chips', a word which has a similar meaning (a chipped piece of wood).

Anyway: it's Belgian Fries, not French Fries :)

P.S. I've got this text from the Belgian Fries website: www.belgianfries.com
Wonderful for any information about Belgian fries history, stalls worldwide, etc.