It is nice to walk around in Brussels during the autumn. I noticed that the city has cleared many of the larger grass areas in the parks from old leaves. This lightens up the walks when you can see the still green grass and you also know, that it in a couple of weeks’ time, the days will be longer again.
Green grass
I decided to put together a nice, shorter walk among the EU buildings which is described below.
Start at Trône Metro station and walk up Rue de Luxembourg towards the Parliament. You will pass the Swedish permanent representation to EU at the Square de Meeuse. The Permanent Representations could be seen as an extended arm of their government in Brussels. Its main task is to ensure that national interests and policies are pursued as effectively as possible in the EU. The Permanent Representation is led by an Ambassador to the EU. It functions as a miniature version of the Government Offices in the capital, representing all the home ministries. An important task of the Permanent Representation is to supply analyses and assessment to their respective Government Offices, which are responsible for shaping EU policies. The Representation also acts as the Governments day-to-day communication link with the EU institutions.
If you continue straight ahead you will soon reach Place de Luxembourg. This square is filled with small restaurants/ bars and a very popular after work meeting spot. If you take the street to the right you will also see Luxembourg train station.
Place de Luxembourg
The Place de Luxembourg was a central feature of the Leopold Quarter and the most prestigious residential area in the capital for the bulk of the 19th century. Rue de Luxembourg was then in an embryonic state, and the square was created as its end point. The square was popular among merchants and restaurant and cafe owners due to its proximity to the station.
European Parliament
Towering ahead is the European Parliament buildings, continue straight ahead and through the main building then take a left. The Parliament holds 736 elected delegates but in total there are around 6,000 people working here. As many knows the original seat of the Parliament was in Strasbourg where they still must hold regular meeting according the constitution. Behind the buildings you can make a short cut through the Leopold Park, a popular place for a lunch break. The park was originally a botanic garden and you can still see some rare trees and animals around the pond which is fed by water from the Maalbeek stream.
Directly after the park take a right and then a left and head up to Schuman round about. Robert Schuman, was a French Prime minister in the early fifties, but he was also the main architect behind the build-up of EU and NATO. Now you can see and maybe also feel the power houses of EU. On the left is the Justus Lipsius building with its 24 km of corridors. Here the EU member states reside in the EU council and forms EUs Government. Opposite is the Berlaymont, a monster building of 240,000 sqm, the building holds 3,000 of the Commissions in total 25,000 employees and is lead by Manuel Barosso. Beside you will find a slightly smaller building Charlemagne where some of the other Commission DGs sits. This building now temporarily also holds the new EAS External Action Service lead by High representative Catherine Ashton, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She will most likely move into the glass building on the other side of Schuman during next year. Schuman also has a metro and train station where the walk ends.
Chimay Red
Beer: Chimay Red 7% is one of Chimay’s trappist beers where the brewery is using French barley from Champagne to enhance the flavour of this ruby red ale. It has a slightly bitter taste but is defintely not at all bad, however I like their Chimay Blue much better.
Coming weeks:
- EU continued
- In search for the best beer (an on-going quest for the perfect pint)
- More seafood
- Cheese
- Parks
- Culture, Comics
- Markets
- Politics
Facts of the week;
Drink; Chimay Red 7%
Location; EU city tour
Poi: Place de Luxembourg
