Democrat, Bureaucrat,Technocrat, Eurocrat,

I thought Brussels would be the most boring city in Europe, I assumed it get the heart pounding, like a late session on the CAP. My ignorance shaped my views; my day in the def-facto capital of Europe was better than expected.                          

I have a friend who works here as a lobbyist, one of the 12,000 faceless cogs of national and trans-national interests. He is a pin-point of pressure for a Drugs company selling drugs, or might be a Paint company selling paint. For that matter he might represent, the interests of the Painters of a Drug company. I don't know, and I don't particularly care.

If I sound disparaging of my friends profession, in the balance of fairness, you should understand that I have a personal agenda to press with my Lobbyist friend. I had been on/off planning on visiting him for the past part of two years. When I finally arranged the dates and brought the ticket, with his enthusiastic consent and agreement, just like the Lisbon treaty the Deal fell through.

This is the verbatim transcript of the facebook conversation I had with him. Spelling mistakes and all.

Sds Lyons: mate im coming to visit in, just past eatser you free there for a beer or too?

The Lobbysist: Yeah definitely. Sorry I thought I replied, but my internet is a bit shit.

You just hitting brussels? Or on to other places... or is the beginning of the massive trip?

Sds Lyons: Can I saty at yours 7th of April Babes? one night only?

The lobbysist: I assume you mean "can I satay at yours". In which case the answers is yes, I love peanut flavoured chicken. But you can't stay here. No way.

A week later I sent a confirmation email and he replied with the following punch to the gut.

The Lobbyist:  Stuart... I think I fucked up. I think I just booked a skiing holiday from 3-10 april.

I'm sorry. Can you come week before? or after? You can still sleep in my house if you need somewhere to stay.

I'm so sorry.

Sds Lyons: Ha ha, you fucked up you douche. Ive already booked a ticket to brussels! Why would I ever want to come to brussels?!? the dryest city in europe, unless it was to see someone? Ill just have to go straight to Paris on the day. Nice one dick face

So you see Brussels from the first Brussels, began as a bad smell. But the proof is in the Pudding and Brussels or at least Belgium delivered with amongst other things, its exquisite Waffles . 
I got of at the wrong station. I spent ages wondering around this city. I was getting disspondent and worrying that I be stuck in EU forever, but I caught sight of a spire and headed straight to it. It was Brussels Cathedral, a Baroque masterpiece. There was an organist and Flutist playing Bach inside too, which was an extra treat. I didn't have a map though, so I couldn't work out where I was but I picked down hill.

I found the Galries St Hubert, the worlds first shopping mall. I had read about it previously and wanted to visit as this place was the home, to the home of Chocolate. It looks like a posh Burlington arcade and anywhere that posh puts me on edge. The Chocolate shop I wanted to see is called Neuhaus; it was here that Praline Chocolates were invented. The Chocolate shops in Brussels look like Pharmacies, their lab coat dressed assistants serve tablets of coca heaven. 


Outside Neuhaus their were a crowd of a Japanese tourists taking the picture I wanted too. I waited for them to clear, it took ten minutes. The Photo is below, as you can see its not Neuhaus, Neuhaus was the shop next door, I somehow managed to take photos of the wrong shop. Wounder I know.

I strolled on, I wanted a waffle and found the statue of the little boy weeing. Its not so good you know. Its pretty small. I thought i had the wrong one. I didnt its just small. I brought a waffle, One-point -five-oh Europes. Delicious.