Maastricht

After the tourists crush of Bruges and the office buildings of Brussels the city of Maastricht in the Netherlands felt refreshingly normal. In a way it reminded me of a European version of Seattle, complete with rain, and numerous coffee shops and bookstores. Of course being a European city, Maastrichts bookstores and coffee shops were tucked within medieval buildings next to expensive boutiques, and the rain didn't stop anyone from enjoying their coffee at one of the hundreds of sidewalk cafes.











I knew I was going to really like Maastricht when I saw that one of the highlights of the city is its new bookstore. Apparently named the most beautiful bookstore of the year by The Guardian (according to a brochure) Selexyz Dominicanen is definitely one of the most breathtaking bookstores that I have ever seen. The store is located inside an old Dominican church and is a interesting mix of the traditional old structure of the church and the interesting new trappings of the modern store. Somehow the different eras meld together well, and the result is a place so charming that I could have spent several days soaking up the atmosphere, and of course reading the books.





Another beautiful spot in the city is the church of Onze-lieve-Vrowenplein. The family and I discovered this place when we got caught in an sudden downpour, and stumbling upon the church we took happy refuge within. The entryway was extremely dark, but up ahead there was a blaze of light. We went farther in and found a huge, glittering depiction of the Virgin Mary lit by the light of hundreds of flickering candles. It was so beautiful to see all those candles shining in the dark of the church, and we all felt compelled to add light our own candle and add them to the glowing mass. I am not a religious person but it is hard not to feel reverent in a such a moving place.

Brussels

After the cuteness of Bruges, Brussels was a bit of a shock to my system. Gone were the winding streets and cobblestones, and in their place were hulking office buildings and vast boulevards. I think from the beginning I was predisposed to dislike Brussels. It was probably a combination of the fact that I was sort of tired of traveling, and that we stayed in an out-of-the-way Best Western surrounded by empty office buildings. On the whole I didn't exactly fall in love with the city but it did have its bright spots. The first was the imposing market square (pictured below) with its ornate buildings and slack-jawed tourists. I have come to know and appreciate market squares, and the one in Brussels was every bit as nice (although curiously smaller) as the one in Bruges.

I also enjoyed the art museum, which had both modern and ancient art (although ancient seemed to include anything before 1500). The museum seemed to specialize in medieval paintings staring a creepy malnourished version of the baby Jesus. It made me wonder if any of the painters had ever actually seen a baby before, because if they had, why were they so convinced Jesus looked like a little alien? However strange the paintings were, though, people must have liked them because there were rooms full of them.

The real highlight of Brussels, however, was the amazing chocolate shop Manon. It was the kind of place that you stumble upon, fall in love with, and then find yourself wondering if it is worth moving to Brussels just to be closer to the chocolate. By my second trip to Manon I was already trying to image opening my own branch in Seattle, oh how the people would love me!






No this isn't Notre Dame, its the Cathedral in Brussels.