One of our best friends is acclaimed horror writer Vanessa Morgan, often hailed as the female version of Stephen King. Yesterday, she and I and two of her novels – Drowned Sorrow and Avalon – went for a walk in the heart of the Belgian capital.
First stop was at a cozy square between the Grand Place and the Koningsgalerij. One of the statues proved to be a nice resting place for Avalon.
Before we had time to figure out who the famous gentleman of the statue was. it started raining very hard and we had to seek refuge in the Koningsgalerij. To be honest, I am not a fan of shopping, but this gallery is truly one of the most beautiful places in the center of Brussels. Vanessa and I were looking for Halloween decorations, but found … none.
A bookshop with grandeur: that is the best description of Tropismes. Most of the books seem to be in French, but Avalon didn’t seem to mind this. By the way, the ceiling itself is a work of art.
Right next to the Koningsgalerij is the Beenhouwersstraat, one of the most popular and therefore crowded streets of the Belgian capital. The kitsch and sometimes overpriced restaurants draw a lot of tourists. And some cats as well, which happen to be Vanessa’s favorite animals. I think she will publish these two on her blog.
The next place needs no introduction: the Grand Place!
I was really happy when Vanessa was willing to accompany me to one of my favorite places, the Sint-Katelijneplein. This is one of the spots where the yearly Christmas market takes place.
Our next stop was near the Grand Place, at a very special monument. It is called the “Monument aan Everard ‘t Serclaes” and legend has it that when you rub the statue, it will bring you good luck. Of course, I forgot to rub it, but Vanessa didn’t.
Last but not least, a place we had talked about visiting so many times, but we never seemed to find time to actually do it. It is a café called Le Cercueil, which literally means The Coffin. Yes, it is quirky and dark and funny, with coffins as tables and the theme of death everywhere. Add a large choice of beers and cocktails and this is heaven on earth! Too bad the place only opened at 16.30 instead of 16.00, but it was worth the wait. This is a place I will visit again.