I am mighty pleased by the glorious sunshine we are getting in Belgium this week. I adore the occasional bursts of sunshine breaking the monotony of the usual dark, grey Belgian skies. Around here, the skies always seem to chant frightening tones warning those venturing outside to be wary of impending rain showers. So, a sunny weekend definitely means visiting some of the popular Brussels attractions without getting drenched and being blown away by the chilling breeze. 
I wanted to see the St. Michael's and St. Gudula Cathedral ever since I came here. I have always glazed at it with admiration from the windows of the yellow public buses. I finally got to see the grand gothic structure this saturday. This cathedral is dedicated to the two patrons of Brussels, St. Michael's and St. Gudula and was built around the thirteenth century. The architecture is magnificent as expected. The twelve pillars of the cathedral are decorated with statues of early christian saints such as St. Paul, St. Mathew and St. Philip.
The Cathedral also has smaller chapels attached dedicated to patron saints. The stained glass windows are richly decorated with work alluding to biblical themes. There are portraits of the Belgian royals who contributed to the construction of the cathedral on the massive walls.
The remains of the original church present in this location are preserved in a crypt below the cathedral. This monument has been renovated many times and is preserved in all its beauty. This is the place where the royal family comes to worship. There is a photo gallery near the entrance of the cathedral with pictures of the weddings and other sacraments of the royals that took place in the cathedral. This marks the significance of this cathedral in the country's history.
The cathedral was full of activity with people moving about viewing the statues, stained-glass paintings and relics. There were others offering prayers, lighting candles and sitting silently on the pews. I noticed an aura of sanctity inside the cathedral despite the constant flow of people. The atmosphere of strength in the cathedral was remarkable. It was as though the well-chiselled statuettes held some powerful energy.
The 'Palais Royal' or the Royal Palace was the next place of visit. I was impressed by the enormity of the buildings and I couldn't believe that such opulence was possible even in the days of royalty. This is unlike any hi-rise buildings of our time. The buildings are huge, interconnected and spans quite a lot of territory. This bulding is mainly used as the office of the King and also as Government offices. The palace is open to the public only for a few days in June. Visitors can see only the outside of the palace now but the view is worth the effort.
Brussels also has a Palace of Justice believed to be the biggest building built in the nineteenth century in the world. This gigantic edifice is a treat for the eyes. The tomb of the unknown soldier of Belgium is situated next to this structure. The Palace of Justice is currently the seat of the Supreme Court of Belgium.
Brussels also has many interesting restaurants for those who enjoy eating-out. Brussels Grill is one such joint situated on Avenue Louise, a famous street in Brussels. The inside of the restaurant is dimly lighted with ornate chandeliers. There are mirrors strategically placed all around the restaurant to accentuate the effect of the chandeliers.
This is where we decided to have lunch after the long walk through the city. This place mainly serves grilled chicken, meat, barbecued ribs and salmon roast. There were also many drinks on the menu with highly-imaginative names. The food was generally good, mildly-flavoured and a little heavy. The lunch was the fitting finale to the trip and we hurried back home to enjoy the rest of the weekend.
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