Brussels Tourist Trap Tips by sourbugger

See all of Europe in the blink of an eye !

Mini-Europe on the outskirts of Brussels next to the Atomium somehow symbolised Brussels to me. It is certainly well designed and has a certain ambience to it, but is also at the same time somewhat earnest, overpriced and too well-meaning in its intent.

As the name suggests, it is model village of Europe, with each of the states being represented by a few models of their famous buildings and street scenes. The whole enterprise is linked together by little model boats and trains that scurry around the site. Each country had at least two interactive buttons. One would play the National Anthem of the country, whilst the other would set some of the models in motion. I was quite intrigued by the Irish one, that appeared to consist of a yapping dog - on closer inspection you could see a bucolic scene of a sheepdog rounding up sheep in green fields.

The Spanish models inevitably included a bullfighter, although when we visited the bull had fallen over and lay on it’s side while a small stump of metal made an endless circuit of the model arena.

The Italian models (and I'm normally very keen on Italian models) included a re-creation of Vesuvius, with plumes of smoke and a vibrating pavement. I feel sorry for those visitors who will be mightily disappointed when they find out this is not in fact a regular event on the Neapolitian Riveria. (it last erupted in 1944)

Unique Suggestions: Take it all with a pinch of salt, and make lots of inappropraiate comments as you pass each country !

Fun Alternatives: Buy an inter-rail ticket and actually go there !