These are a few of my favourite spots...

I'm nearing three years of stay in Belgium. During this time, I've visited some interesting tourist sites in and around the country.

I loved the places that I visited. Some were more memorable than the other but they all helped me understand European life a little more.

I'm listing down some of the best places I visited in Europe starting with the best liked and down the pecking order...

1. Amsterdam (Wednesday in Amsterdam)

Nothing beats Amsterdam in terms of excitement, culture and tolerance. An hour long cruise down the winding canals showcases the true beauty of the city - rows of canal houses with hooks on the top facade, crown shaped church spiral, museums of every kind, Anne Frank house, Nemo, floating pagoda restaurant and the list goes on.

A walk through the red-light district and a visit to the Sex museum near the railway station will touch upon the well known tolerance of the city. A rare sight for those from the East where it is a taboo to even mention the subject.

2. Maastrict (Destination Maastrict)

I can still feel the uneven, cobbled streets and the gentle breeze from River Muese (Maas) when I think about Maastrict. I huffed and puffed while I climbed up the spiralling stairs to the St. Jean's church belfry. St. Servatius basilica ranks as one of the most glorious monuments I have ever seen in my life.

3. Rotterdam (Rotterdam - A Taste of Modernity)

Modern yet an amazingly refreshing city - the highlights being the Erasmus brigdge, the harbour, Euromast, Speedo boat and ofcourse, the Pancake cruise.

4. Paris (It's the season to be jolly)

Well, Paris is just Paris - a tourist paradise which cannot be described.

5. Dinant (Charming Dinant)

Dinant is charming town bordering the River Muese with a towering citadel and world war bunkers. The cruise through the river reveals the scenic beauty of the town.

6. Belgian Coast (Oostende / Knokke / Blankenberge)

We took a ride on the tram that chugs along the coast and it was well worth the trouble. But what surprised me most was the Atlantic wall with its underground war bunkers - a testament to German ingenuity.

7. Keukenhof (The Keukenhof Experience)

Fields of tulips in all colours lined the road leading to the gardens as if welcoming us. It felt heavenly inside with flowers of every kind and shape. Swans quietly glided away in the green- tinged waters nearby. I have never seen any other place nearly as beautiful and well kept as the tulip gardens of Keukenhof

8. Grand Place (Of Moules Frites, Escargots & Waffles)

I pop into the crowded Brussels city centre once in a while on a sunny day or during christmas . The golden gilted guild houses, artists sketching away, chocolate fountains, waffles and ice cream shops are all huddled together in the vicinity.

Toss in a generous helping of street artists (some smeared with shiny silver paste and others with musical instruments), vendors selling hot wine or snail soup, and the small statue of a boy pissing (mannequin pis) - and you have Grand Place in all its splendour.

9. Bruges

A little bit of the medieval era in Belgium - ideal for kindling a quick romance and for the lovely canal ride.

10. Atomium & Mini Europe (Hallmark of Brussels)

The huge steel balls suspended in air can be seen from many places around Brussels. Mini Europe, the park with miniature European monuments, took a long time to visit. Neverthless, the trip was informative with the interactive exhibits.

So, these are a few of my favourite places that I would love to visit yet again!!

"Den Haag" or The Hague - Seat of the International Court of Justice

"Den Haag"(The Hague) has a reputation for being very international owing to the many institutions located there. The city is always in the news in connection with the International Court of Justice or International Criminal Court.

While in Hague, I realized that the international nature of Hague was different from that of Amsterdam. Amsterdam is exciting, highly touristy and inviting. In stark contrast, The Hague is a sleepy town without the toursitic pomp of Amsterdam.

We reached Hague after a few hours drive from Brussels. We fumbled a bit on finding the entry point to the city from the highway. We got some brochures outlining the attractions in Hague from the tourist office.

We walked around the city for sometime observing the architecture and lifestyle in Hague. It looked like a cosmopolitan city with many expatriates in town for work purposes (not for tourism).


In the centre of the town, there was an enclosure with sand sculptures of the buildings in Hague...nothing spectacular but interesting indeed.


The Dutch government buildings are based in The Hague although Amsterdam is the official capital. This complex of buildings, called Biennhof, houses the Parliament and the Prime-Minister's office of Netherlands.

The Government complex had an ancient castle-like look with beautiful architecture and canals all around.


The fountain in the inner compound of the complex had lovely carvings of golden colour.

I found The Hague to be only mildly interesting as I didn't feel that there was much to see there compared to all the media attention the place gets.

However, I must say that the architechture is impressive and the city is green and picturesque. The tram lines cris-cross the old and cobbled streets lined with cafes. This gives Den Haag the feel of a picnic spot rather than that of a genuine tourist destination.

Knokke - A Belgian Seaside Resort!!

Sunny days are never be wasted in Belgium. I mean temperatures around 22 to 26 degrees when I say sunny weather in Belgium.

Fortunately for us, this weather coincided with the long weekend. We decided to explore the coastal resort of Knokke during the holidays.

As a seaside resort, the main attraction of Knokke are its pleasant beaches. I felt as though all of Belgium had flocked to the coast to enjoy the sun.

Belgians bare it all and take to very little clothing during these rare sunny days. Knokke was no exception and was teaming with people enjoying the sun.

The Butterfly Museum in Knokke looked very ordinary from outside. We were taken aback by the recreation of tropical atmosphere inside. Butterflies of all colours fluttered around as though in it's natural surroundings.

It was an amazing sight to yet again see natural beauty in its purest form.

Knokke is also known for the Zwin nature reserve. This preserved area is exceptional as it is the resting ground for a variety of birds.

This coastal town is yet another example of the beauty of the Belgian coast. It is surprising that a tiny country such as Belgium can offer such a wide range of tourist spots.