Initially, we planned a trip to Waterloo to visit the famous battlefield. After two years and two months in Belgium, we still haven’t seen this historic (or perhaps infamous) site. But when it came time to buy train tickets, I decided on Leuven instead. When my wife asked why, I told her it was to see the renowned Leuven Town Hall. She needed to see it, I thought. This was actually my second time in Leuven—the first was back in 2018.
You could easily ask ChatGPT or Claude what makes Leuven special, but here’s what I can tell you: it’s about a 30-minute train ride from Brussels, with weekend tickets costing 15.80 EUR for two people. One of the first things you see upon arrival is the Stella Artois brewery, and as you might guess, Stella tops the list at any bar here and is significantly cheaper than in Brussels. Consider yourself warned. Leuven also has a beautiful “Grand Place” with numerous bars and restaurants. By pure chance, we arrived during a street food event right next to the Town Hall. Although we didn’t sample anything, it was lovely to see.
Remember my trip to Mechelen? Leuven has a similar vibe—modern, mainly due to the architecture. As my photos show, the city has a mix of new buildings standing right beside historic Belgian houses. We even found a canal, where, as one might expect, new homes have sprung up along the banks.
We visited a magnificent church and tried a croque-monsieur (toasted bread and cheese) with cappuccinos. We drank beer—though not Stella. I also stumbled across a bookshop and managed to find a book I’d been eager to read. Does anyone still use Elmo’s Twitter? I don’t. But I wanted to see how that wannabe dictator destroyed one of the best social media platforms of the 21st century. Originally, I intended to pick up the new book by Guenther Steiner, but unfortunately, it wasn’t in stock. Hopefully, better luck next time.
Ah, yes, one more thing. My wonderful wife wanted to visit the Leuven Botanical Garden. We saw plants and turtles. My woman was happy.
I haven’t even mentioned the statues yet. Leuven is filled with wonderful statues. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see one of them in action, one that’s particularly up my alley, if you know what I mean. The church of Leuven has a clock, and right next to it, there’s a bell and a golden figure. I can’t say for sure, but I’d bet a good bottle of champagne that this gilded man rings the bell on the hour, or maybe every other hour.
And did I mention the fountains? Leuven has fountains, some even crafted from statues, flowing elegantly through the city.
Belgium is a wonderful country, and Leuven is just one of the many reasons that make it so special. Also, for those wondering whether I managed to find a new card deck in Leuven, I may disappoint you. I didn’t.
Kindly,
Olaaf
