Atomium & Mini Europe - Hallmark of Brussels

Atomium is universally recognized as the symbol of Brussels. This monument was originally built for a world fair in 1958 and the structure soon became a part of the Brussels skyline.

I have seen the Atomium many times from afar but I wanted a closer look. I went to the Atomium and the adjacent Mini-Europe park on a lazy saturday a few weeks ago.

Atomium looked just the same to me but just a little bit bigger - more like gigantic. It represents the 9 atoms of a molecule magnified 165 million times. The balls are interconnected by escalators and visitors have a panoramic view of the city from the top.

Atomium and the neighboring Mini - Europe are popular venues for special events in Brussels.
Mini-Europe is a carefully designed park with miniature models of the popular landmarks in Europe. Like the name suggests, the park has all the scaled models of monuments in Europe such as the Eiffel tower, L'Arc de Triomphe, Leaning Tower of Pisa, Colosseum and much more.

This park is a wonderful mix of history, geography, architecture and leisure. Most of the displays are fun and also interactive.

You can play with the remotely controlled boats in the canals (modeled like the ones in the English Channel)...The ground beneath you trembles with a loud bang if you activate the button on the volcano. The Spanish bullfighters move around in the ring amidst the roar of the spectators at the touch of another button.

While Atomium is a symbol of Brussels, Mini-Europe introduces the visitors to the marvels of the European continent.

Visiting this side of the city was a complete learning experience for me. Atomium and Mini-Europe are two attractions that one should not miss while in Brussels.

Of Moules Frites, Escargots and Waffles!!

Belgium is known for moules-frites (a popular combination of mussels and fries), escargots (garden snails) and waffles. These dishes are served in elite restaurants as well as in street corners.

I tried some of these national favorites a few weeks ago during one of our random wanderings. We ordered moules-frites from a tavern near the grand place (city center).

A pot of steaming mussels and a plate of fries were soon placed on the table. The sight of half open mussels in a huge pot disgusted me at first. I just didn't want to open the shells and eat the morsel of meat.

I was tempted by the aroma of mussels cooked with garlic and leeks in dollops of butter. I decided to try a few mussels.

I can still feel the taste of the first mussel I tried. It was moist and packed with flavor. The broth was even more savoury. I couldn't resist finishing the pot and sipping the warm broth.


Escargots or garden snails are eaten as appetizers by the Belgians. We found an old couple selling escargots soup in a crowded street near the mannekin pis, the popular statue near the city center.

I did not try the snail soup. I could not even consider eating slimy garden snails.

This was not a problem for adventurous Frank. He had the snail soup and proclaimed that it tasted just the same as mussels.


Waffles are another Belgian gastronomical speciality. Hot waffles are sold at corner shops and food stalls in Brussels.

I like having the Liege waffles topped with strawberries and cream once in a while. It melts in the mouth and tastes simply divine. Waffles, chocolates and pastries are some of the sweet pleasures of Belgian cuisine.

French Immersion in Brussels..

Knowing French and speaking French is not the same. I noticed this when I came to live in Brussels, a very francophone city.

French was my second language all throughout schooling. I was proud of knowing another foreign language after learning French for about six years. I was in for a shock when I came to Brussels.

I realized painfully that I could not catch the flow of the spoken language. I could read and understand French but always heard only the first and the last words of the spoken word. The message in between was a blur.

I wanted to go for French classes ever since I came to Brussels to remedy my unfortunate condition.

I have always admired the French language. I believe it to be beautiful, romantic and passionate - almost like a language of love. I wanted to speak the language so badly. I was searching for a good language school in Brussels.

There was always some hindrance when I searched for language classes. Sometimes the timings didn't match or the school was too far. My quest for language fluency came to a stand-still for a while.

I was again searching for some intensive courses in French this summer. My internet search led me to a very reputed, government recognized language school in Brussels. I decided to give it a try.

I got on the bus to the institute after giving them a call to ask about the admissions. A very cheerful lady met me at their secretariat and explained the nature of the course to me. I was not yet convinced.

I met with Dominique next, the French professor, and asked permission to sit in class for an hour before deciding whether to join or not.

I was so impressed by her classes. It was perfect for my needs. The course was intensive but it was easy for me to follow. I had years of french lessons, the required vocabulary and grammer. The emphasis was on spoken language (oral) and this was what I had hoped for.

I stayed on for the entire day after informing Dominique that I was enrolling in her class. I also signed up for the entire course (50 hours in two weeks).

After a week of classes, I am so relieved to have gained the confidence to speak in French. I spoke in French to the police lady who came for a verification survey yesterday. My slightly bewildered husband looked on as I conversed with her. I felt so proud after the incident.

I understood the conversations around me for the first time after coming to Brussels. The announcements in the supermarket, the instructions at the shop counters, conversations in the bus and the random ramblings on the street all make sense to me now. It is all about picking up the flow of the language.

I was so excited after my first 25 hours of the course that I picked up French dictionary and newspapers for me to read from a shop near my institute.
There are 5 students in class besides me in my French class. We are allowed to speak only in French in the institute and the classes are held in only French (not a word of English).

Dominique, our instructor, has an interesting way of presenting the language. She is very enthusiastic and explains new French words using the French words we already know. If she can't get through to us, she uses actions (but never a word of English). She takes us to the video and computer labs (language labs) to help us understand the accents, tones and situations in French.

I made quite a few friends in my French class. Two of the lovely ladies in class are from Latvia. They work for the European Commission in Brussels. I go out for lunch with these two beautiful damsels to nearby eateries.

Inara, one of the Latvian ladies, is a tall and graceful female. I admire her maturity and her knowledge of world cultures and customs. She gave me a book called Monsoon Diary written by a South Indian about her Indian heritage. Isn't it so strange to get a book on Indian culture from a European?

Ivetta, the other Latvian, is vivacious, pretty and elegant. She has curly blond hair and takes great care to apply and reapply her make-up. I am not a fan of bright, violet lipstick but somehow, I love the contrast of her violet lips and clear, white skin.

Post lunch, we take a stroll on the crowded street below and visit a few shops. I gleefully notice few heads turning at the sight of a brown, Indian lady flanked by tall and fair-skinned European beauties.

Brigette, another one of the students, is a German expert in international relations for the European Commission. I look at her in awe during the coffee break as she explains her work and her trips to conflict zones such as Iraq, Afganistan and Kosovo.

Seyonara is a brazilian student who is here in Brussels to learn fashion. True to her interests, she stands out due to her stylish boots and chic outfits.
I can't leave out Claudio, a young Romanian, who boasted happily that he has a girl-friend in ever country he visits (how truly romantic).
I have the next 25 hours to finish up next week and we will sink into a more advanced
level of French.

There are downsides to this entire episode. I feel so tired after each day because the session is so intensive (continous thinking and training the brain to accept a foreign language). I go to bed early but need a crane to lift me up in the morning (Thank you Frank).

I constantly rush to the bus stop only to miss my bus by a whisker (how annoying). Then it is a harrowing 20 minutes wait at the bus stop followed by a sleepy 40 minutes bus ride.

The benefits of the course far outweigh the cons. I love the feel of the language around me during the classes. I try to extract the maximum out of the language classes with a zeal and persistence that amazes even myself.

It is one more trying week of intensive language lessons for me. I am going to make the most out of the experience.

As for now, Au revoir from Brussels!