Bailli and Vleurgat Tram Stop
On the day before, my attention had already been captured by the perspective of a state-of-the-art tram running elegantly on the tramway carpeted with lawn, through the verdant tunnel filled with flourishing lofty trees in the golden sunlight.
This is the reason why I got off at Bailli Tram Stop, a midway stop even though there were still couples of stops to go until I hit my destination.
But, sadly, I failed totally to capture the beauty of the day before, on the day after. But it came to my edifying realization of the truth and importance of carpe diem.
Free University of Brussels (Université Libre de Bruxelles)
My expectation had been raised before actually visiting the Free University of Brussels owing to the stunning photos of its imposing historical campus buildings that I came across online, as well as the astounding beauty of its counterpart, Goethe University Frankfurt which I had visited a few days before.
The university was founded in 1834 and currently has three campuses. The one the I visited is the main and largest one is the Solbosch. Brussels have two universities whose names mean Free University of Brussels in English: the French-speaking Université Libre de Bruxelles and the Dutch-speaking Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Neither uses the English translation, since it is ambiguous.
National Basilica of the Sacred Heart (Basilique Nationale du Sacré-Cœur)
As soon as I had gotten off at Bossaert-Basilique tram stop, the National Basilica of the Sacred Heart came into sight.
Standing on an extensive grass-covered slope, the Basilica was nothing if not notable for its unrivaled size. In my honest opinion, as against its humble design and modest embellishment, what impressed me most was its gargantuan size.
Speaking of its size, according to Wikipedia, it is one of the ten largest Roman Catholic churches by area in the world, and the largest building in Art Deco style in the world.
Rue Jules Lahaye
Rue Jules Lahaye was neither a celebrated neighborhood frequented by tourists nor a teeming district peopled with locals, but a tranquil peaceful residential area.
So what made me go there? A pair of desolate disused tram tracks running through a single lane two-way narrow street in a subtly beautiful neighbourhood, was the perspective that I had been longing for.
Bockstael Railway Station
I needed to go to the bathroom after visiting Rue Jules Lahaye and I was wondering if I could find one in the nearest station which was the Bockstael railway station as shown in the Google Map.
But I was disappointed and flabbergasted by the austerity of the uncovered station equipped with nothing but only a pair of lonesome elongated platforms.
Bockstael Metro Station
Thankfully just a short stroll from the Bockstael Railway Station, I reached the Bockstael Metro Station where more traffic, people and vibrancy were found but a bathroom.
As a last resort, I took the metro and headed towards the well-equipped Brussels-South Station which was the terminus of the intercity trains.
Mannekin Pis (Little Pissing Man)
Please excuse me for once being ignorant!
It was once baffling to me why this tiny inconspicuous sculpture would be rated as one of the most iconic landmarks in Brussels and why it was teeming with tourists on the spot.
Thankfully, I managed to translate my ignorance into knowledge by googling Mannekin Pis online.
‘Mannekin Pis (Little Pissing Man) is a 61cm bronze fountain sculpture in the centre of Brussels, depicting a naked little boy urinating…… ‘
Here comes the important part,
‘Mannekin Pis is the best known symbol of the people of Brussels. It also embodies their SENSE OF HUMOUR (called ‘zwanze’ in the Brussels dialect) and their INDEPENDENCE OF MIND.’
Independence of mind is highly relatable to me because the city that I’m currently live in is in desperate need of it, which also acts as a powerful deterrent to the tyranny.
Mont des Arts, Square Brussels Meeting Centre, Royal Palace of Brussels
Before heading to the airport on the scarcely peopled train , I revisited some of the magnificent spots that I’d done on the first day of arrival.
Brussels Airport
In terms of size, spaciousness and fancy design, Brussels Airport was no rival to its counterparts in London-Heathrow, Paris-Charles De Gaulle or Madrid-Barajas but its simple, pragmatic, easy-to-follow design was utterly reassuring.
It’s specially saddening to see the heavily-armed soldiers patrolling the airport which evoked the poignant memory of the 2016 Brussels Airport Bombings.
In contrast, it was a sheer delight to see people chilling out in the alfresco eateries or bars on the podium between the departure hall and the multistory carpark.
Dubai International Airport Terminal 3
I managed to make my own ‘economy class flat bed’ on board because there’s no other passenger in my row. I was so lucky!
Before my flight from Brussels touched down on the Dubai International Airport, I saw little likelihood of a busy teeming airport because my arrival time was seven in the morning.
Yet, I was totally wrong but it also helped broaden my horizon.
Arriving at T3, the world’s second largest building by floor space, I by no means saw spaciousness but shockingly astronomical amount of people. It looked as though I was trapped among a huge crowd with a backdrop of a tacky shopping mall.
Every single seat in this behemoth was occupied by passengers from all over the world, of a vast diversity of ethnicities and culture background which was actually a delight of behold, frustration aside.
For all I know, early morning in Dubai was the best time of the day for the flight transfer between East Asia and Europe/Africa.
Against all the odds, I eventually managed to find an empty seat at the easternmost end of the elongated terminal where I could spend my time in the 3-hour layover.
Sadly, the nightmare reoccured at the boarding gate which was an enclosed area specially designated for the passengers of my flight. But the area apparently couldn’t accommodate all the passengers particularly because it’s an A380, the world’s largest passenger airliner and rubbish was seen everywhere.
I felt as if I was waiting to board a long distance train in a shabby local railway station in India despite actually being in a world-class international airport.
My Travel Journal ONE 