Garuda Indonesia Colours Magazine May 2018 | Page 122

120
Travel | Brussels
1
Place Royale brings you
into another era. This
neoclassical square was
laid out in the 18 th century.
2
The 1847 Italianate galleries are flooded with
light from glass ceilings. As well as upmarket
fashion boutiques, you’ll find outlets from
some of Belgium’s top chocolate makers.
Leonidas, which supplies goodies to the
Belgian court, tempts with chocolate-coated
marshmallows and caramelised almond
sticks, while Godiva has limited-edition
truffles that run to exotic flavours such as
cashew and honey, lemongrass and coconut,
or rum and lime.
Galeries Royales St-Hubert isn’t for the
light of wallet, but it does sit in the bargain
shopping area of town around Rue Neuve.
Most of the upmarket shopping is elsewhere,
around Porte de Namur, Boulevard de
Waterloo and Avenue Louise. If you’re
after something a bit more alternative,
you might want to investigate Rue Antoine
Dansaert, where edgy designers operate
out of small boutiques.
If you are interested in finding out more
about the long tradition of lace work in
Belgium, before perhaps picking up some
dainty examples as souvenirs, schedule in
some time to tour the engaging Costume
and Lace Museum, which also showcases
a variety of historic fashions, including
flamboyant 18 th -century fripperies and
bright-coloured 1960s outfits.
Back on the architecture trail, Place Royale
brings you into another era. This neoclassical
square was laid out in the 18 th century with
the typical accoutrements of the time: an
equestrian statue, Greek-style pillared
façades and ornamental gardens in rigid
patterns. Don’t miss the Musées Royaux
des Beaux-Arts. They cover thousands
of works over the centuries, including
a wonderful collection of Old Masters.
One section is devoted to the renowned
Belgian surrealist René Magritte, famous
for his paintings of everyday objects such
as bowler hats, apples and seagulls
in unusual contexts.
The spirit of Magritte seems to linger
in Brussels, which has recently been
rediscovering its mojo. It erupts with new
art spaces, inventive eye-catching public
installations and quirky new cocktail bars.
Shops sell African drums and Chinese
cabinets and lamps made from old
telephones. This city may be 1,500 years
old, but it still has a spring in its step.