Bratislava deserves a second visit

I start with a confession: the first time I visited Bratislava I did not like it. It was in 2010 after visiting Vienna and Budapest. Therefore, I did not plan to revisit the city again. A friend of mine convinced me to give it a second chance. I went back in 2014 and I am glad I did. In my opinion, as long as you don't try to compare Bratislava with Vienna, Budapest or Prague, you will have better appreciation for the city. Bratislava is small, it does not have the overwhelming opulence of its bigger "sisters" but it makes a great daytrip destination and if by chance you need to take a flight from there do not hesitate to spend sometime wandering in the city. 

The main attraction of Bratislava is the old town. It is small, clean and beautiful. Prices in the old town are higher than in the rest of Bratislava, so it would be a good idea to venture outside the old town for lunch break. I found some interesting gargoyles "observing visitors" from the roof of the houses. On the edge of the old town, there is Bratislava's cathedral (St Martin's). The cathedral is beautifully decorated, it has an interesting treasure and  the choir has many creepy"monsters." You can also visit the church's  catacombs which is quite an experience, specially for the eerie feeling that you will have there.

He was watching me the whole time

The cathedral is next to a highway

This little fella is waiting for you inside the church with all his friends

There is a castle relatively close to the cathedral where apparently visitors could take good pictures of Bratislava;  however the tourist information desk was not to much enthusiastic about this attraction. In addition to the cathedral there were other churches that were worth visiting but the Blue church deserves a special mention. This secessionist building is at walking distance from the old town. The blue church is small and quite extravagant, it reminds me of the modernist buildings in Barcelona.

In addition to the churches, there is the Danubiana, museum of modern art, in the outskirts of the city. Unfortunately when I was in Bratislava the museum was closed. Apparently it has reopened recently. You could go by bus or by boat like the Tate Modern in England. A good  choice for lunch is the Pivoraská Restaurant. It is gastropub relatively close to the city center that offer good beer and local specialties (warning: a paradise for meat lovers). The Hungarian bakery franchise Fornetti is present in the city, it is very cheap and its turnovers are delicious.

If you take the train from Vienna to Bratislava, the train ticket includes the use of all public transportation in Bratislava for that day. I recommend to spend one morning or afternoon in Bratislava unless you visit the Danubiana museum or you take an early flight from Bratislava Airport, then you could stay a little bit longer (maximum one full day). Beware, that the bus that goes from the downtown to the airport is sometimes crowded. It is a good idea to go with extra time to the airport despite the fact that it is relatively close.

Bratislava is a small pleasant city with a lot of potential. It feels that the city is trying to find its niche. I believe it is the right track.

Ypres, 1914-2014

Ypres is a city that suffered tremendously during the first World War. It was in Ypres when chemical weapons were used for the first time (Yperite) and the city was completely destroyed after three important battles. Approximately half-million people died in the fields of Ypres from both sides, (mainly British and Germans, although I have found other reports with much higher numbers). The sheer size of total destruction would only be surpassed during the Second World War. After the war, the city was rebuilt, trying to look as close as possible as it was before the war. Today, Ypres is a tourist destination mainly for British nationals and history buffs. Although, I consider Ypres as an underrated destination, the city will attract a considerable influx of tourist due to the commemorations of the centennial of the WWI. 

I found Ypres quite charming small city. The main attraction is the Flanders Fields Museum. They did a commendable effort to explain the atrocities of the war in an interesting way. The museum is frequently visited by British students and by descendants and families of those who perished in the fields of Flanders.  The museum has a "soundtrack" which I found very sad and in combination with the emotive visitors could be too much for a sensible person. An acquaintance told me that it was produced by the British band "Tindersticks" specially for the museum. You could climb the tower inside the Museum and have a fantastic view of the city. 

One of the highlights of a visiting Ypres is the Last Post Ceremony that takes place every day at 8:00 p.m. at the Menin Gate Memorial. It is a very emotive ceremony to remember those soldiers who died for the freedom of Ypres. You need to be aware that every tourist in town will attend to this ceremony, so if you want to see "something" you'd better arrive very early. I went at 7:00 p.m. and it was already crowded. Despite the rudeness of some travelers, I will say that if you go to Ypres and do not go to this ceremony you are missing something special.

Ypres has beautiful churches and well kept military cemeteries. St Martin's Cathedral is an extraordinary example of the resilient spirit of the inhabitants of Ypres. I found the church beautifully restored and very solemn. Another interesting church is the St George Memorial Church. It is an Anglican church that also serves as a memorial for the fallen Commonwealth soldiers. It is decorated with gifts from the families and military divisions/institutions. Within the city limits there are two cemeteries that you could visit: Ypres Reservoir Cemetery (only from outside) and the Rampart Cemetery Lille Gate.

I suggest to spend one night in Ypres since it is relatively far away from Brussels. The best day is Saturday and it is even better if you could be there for the morning market. The market itself is an attraction and if it is sunny you could go to the restaurant In t'klein Stadhuis and ask for a delicious Rundsstoofvlees made with a Trappist Rochefort. You will not regret it. As it is customary in Belgium there are plenty of places when you could buy excellent chocolate. You could combine a visit to Ypres with a visit to Lille (one hour, eleven minutes) or Courtrai (thirty minutes). If you decide to go to Courtrai, there is a place where they sell burgers with spicy chocolate sauce! (Paul's Boutique). Ypres is an excellent destination, do not miss the chance to visit the city in this historical moment. 

Relax, You are in The Hague

The Hague is the perfect alternative for the frantic Amsterdam. If Amsterdam is crowded, cheerful, strident, the Hague is mellow, harmonious and much more sober. You will not find here the typical young crowd looking for drugs and "fun" (at least not much). Tourism in the Hague is oriented towards culture and relaxation. I have visited the city twice and it is one of my favorites. In my opinion, the best time to visit The Hague is summer when you can visit the Scheveningen beach  and enjoy good weather. 

The Hague is the "political capital" of the Netherlands. Therefore one of the main attractions is the Binnenhof (picture above) which are several buildings that correspond to the Executive and Legislative branches of the Dutch Government. It is possible to visit the Binnehof inside (at least the Ridderzaal, the main building of the complex) but I have never done the tour because they only offer it in Dutch (surprisingly). Recently I checked their website and apparently they provide audioguides for the tourist (but you are still obliged to be within the tour in Dutch). 

If Amsterdam has the Rijksmuseum; The Hague has several museums that will be the envy of any major city. The two times I have been in the Hague, the Mauritshuis Museum was closed for renovation. Hence, I can only review the Gemeentemuseum which exhibited part of the Mauritshuis' collection. There are three major works of arts that you must see while you are in the Hague:   Johannes Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring; Rembrandt's Anatomy Lessons and Victory Boogie-Woogie the last work (unfinished) by Piet Mondrian.  The Gemeentemuseum also has a vast collection of De Stijl in addition to Mondrian and many objects from Batavia (Jakarta).  There are other museums that I did not visit. I specially regret not visiting the Escher Museum (next time, I promise!).

I strongly recommend to visit the "Peace Palace" (the current headquarters of the International Court of Justice and the International Court of Arbitration). The building is very beautiful inside and it is decorated with gifts that come from many nations. You can only visit the building within a guided tour and photography is not allowed inside. You will learn about how these courts mediate between parts involved in international conflicts.

For those who love nature, there are two huge parks inside the city. You could go to the Haagse Bos or you could cross the Schevingse Bosje walking a long the channel and reach to the beach. There is a bonus inside this path, the Madurodam, a museum of minuture buildings. A good trip to the Hague includes both culture and nature.

Regarding the food, well, The Hague is in The Netherlands which pretty much sum it up the available choices. You could spend a fortune to eat decently or you can take a risk. My best meal was in a chinese/indonesian/korean restaurant close to the Haagse Markt (one of the largest outdoor market in Europe). There is a large diversity of food from Asia.  A safe option in The Hague is chicken Satay. Of course, there is always an Albert Heijn (Supermarket chain) near that could save the day.

A trip to The Hague could be combined with a trip to Delft (where you could buy this beautiful blue-white pottery) or even Rotterdam. If you wan to experience the Netherlands in a different way, The Hague is certainly  a great choice.

Mons, the hidden jewel of Wallonia

It is nine o'clock, Saturday morning and you are in the train to Ostende. You barely can walk, all the seats are taken; the train is full of tourists that will get out in Brugges. Once you arrive, you and many others will walk from the train station to central Brugges; some people might walk fast to avoid the cues others will take a low pace, trying to enjoy the city. This scene repeats almost every weekend in Belgium. There is nothing wrong with that, but if you have already been to Brugges and Ghent, I propose you to take an alternative path and discover a quaint small town in Wallonia: Mons. 

It takes 51 minutes to arrive to Mons from Bruxelles Central almost at the same distance from Brugges (one hour) but both cities are very different. Mons does not have the channels of Brugges but if you are looking for something different and special, Mons is a good choice. It has a Belfry (in the picture) classified as a World Heritage Site; a couple of good museums (decorative and painting), a charming mini "Grand Place" one magnificent church and nearby a mining facility also classified as a world heritage by the UNESCO. 

In my opinion, the main attraction of Mons is the Sainte-Waudru church. It is a Gothic masterpiece with many treasures inside. I have two favorite objects inside the church. One of them is a beautiful golden carriage that apparently is used once in a year for a procession. In addition to the altarpieces, statues, stained glasses and liturgical objects there is this weird painting; extremely modern and it looks like a "Gorillaz" work of art. This picture is hidden in one of the Chapels so you better pay attention!

This strange picture is inside the church, very surrealist representation of the crucifixion of Christ, eh? 

If you do not have a car and want a little adventure I recommend to visit by bus "Le Grand Hornu" a former mining complex near Mons. You can take the bus 7 from the train station to this complex but you need first to confirm the bus schedule at Infotec. It is a Unesco World Heritage because "Le Grand Hornu" was a site where new ideas for mining were tested and workers lived in conditions that were considered luxuries by the time the mining facility was built. Today, le Grand Hornu has the contemporary art collection of the French speaking community of Belgium. The area is beautiful and surprisingly empty. (I was alone most of the time). When I visited the museum, they had a temporary exhibition about Alver Aalto Lamps and retrospective of the best  contemporary art exhibited by this institution. The complex has also a nice restaurant.

Mons is a hidden gem to be discovered. The city has many restaurants to choose from and the traditional Belgian specialties are as always delicious (good beer, gauffres, frites etc.) Mons is a fun and different daytrip from Bruxelles which you can enjoy calmly without the frenzy of other destinations.