On Tuesday of this week, we took an early morning train for a 90-minute, approximately 175-MPH journey north to Brussels on the Belgian high-speed Thalys train. We originally thought it would be fun to use Europe’s highly-developed rail system and explore a bit beyond Paris, but we must admit that we weren’t exactly looking forward to getting out of town all that much when the time arrived.

Thalys engine at Paris' Gare du Nord ... ready for a very early morning departure to Brussels.

In what seemed like an impossibly short time, we arrived in downtown Brussels on what turned out to be a very cold and damp morning. After getting lost a bit, we explored the main historic center of Brussels. None of us knew too much about what to expect here. We, of course, knew that Belgium is known for their chocolate … so we expected some of that. A flight attendant on our flight over reminded us that the “Pisser Boy” is a “famous” statue in Brussels. She also told us to explore the Grand Place, Brussels’ main square. We found all of those … more pisser-this-and-that than you can shake a, ummm, stick at, really.

Brussels was maybe a little hard to enjoy on a cold, early morning.

Cold and tired, we huddled together in front of a fire in a cafe for an early lunch before exploring more of Brussels.

Not impressed with the Pisser Boy, Clint?

How does a chocolate-colored-waffle-eating-Pisser-Boy grab you? There are Pisser Boy tchotchkes everywhere you look.

Brussels' Grand Place

In the afternoon, we strolled through a large, impressive gate commemorating Belgium’s independence and then through a park filled with fall foliage, making for some great photo opportunities.

Cinquantenaire Gate

Belgian Capitol offices in Brussels

Strolling through leaves in Brussels

After a dinner hardly worth mentioning, we returned to the station to catch our train back to Paris. We can’t say that any of us regretted going to Brussels, but it was a fantastic feeling to be heading back to Paris. The two don’t compare. If anything, it was nice to visit a new city, a new country, and also have a renewed feeling of appreciation for Paris.