An Old Belgian Otaku goes to Leuven

 Finally!  After a string of events, with Thorin, Covid, Noshi's knee, etc... we finally managed to go on a city trip and make some time for each other.

While keeping it modest in distance, as we settled on Leuven until the little guy is a bit bigger and we can leave a bit further, the student city of Belgium never the less has a lot to offer as well.

Like a fancy fair right in front of our hotel!  Sadly, it didn`t open yet on friday (it will on saturday, so you will see this pop up again at the end).  The hotel Malon, straight across the station, was really cheap (70 euro a night including breakfast for both of us), comfy, clean and had all the things needed for a fall out base.  Because well, we slept there and that was about it, being on a walk during the whole day.

So arriving friday afternoon, we dropped of our suitcase, and went out to explore.  Ironically, the Akiba store was the first thing we passed by, but check THIS post for a full story on that.

Leuven hosts the most gorgeous city hall in Belgium, and straight across was the first place we wanted to visit, the might St Pieters church.  A very "light" church due to the huge windows (and a sunny day), it is a must stop place for everyone visiting the city.  Admittance is free by the way.

That brings us next to the Oude Markt, which hoists student cafe after student cafe.  I tried my first of three special beers from the weekend here, being the Maeght from Gottem.  A bitter blonde, I liked this one and the added hopflower in the bottle is optional to eat.  Beware, that is extremely bitter!

Time for a late lunch, and we hopped to the local Burger King.  Which sadist decided that for the special burgers of the moment, it is either extra cheesy, or extra bacon-ny???

Back to the Oude Markt after that for some more drinking in the spring sun, and this time it was a Taras Boulba.  Not my favorite to be honest.

Dagelijkse Kost is a belgian cooking programme, and we passed by the studio where they tape it.  With all due respect to Jeroen Meeus, Thorin thinks my zucchini mash is better ;-)

 

 

So that leads us to our dinner reservation for the first day.  We went to Het Fonduehuisje, where you can boil meat in oil a volonte.  I`m getting old though, I quitted after the first full plate, common sense is kicking in over the years I guess.  Noshi went for the cheese fondue.

A coffee (with what must be the largest cookie I ever had with one) near our hotel concluded as such the friday.

So rise and shine on the saturday, as the breakfast buffet awaited us.  Functional with all you need without to many special additions, that's all one needs to get going.

Now, Leuven is apart from students also a city of many saints, even Noshi apparently has been such a good girl she got her own street there...

But we kicked the morning off with a walk in the Kruidtuin (again, free admittance) which hosts a large collection of plants and fruits.

This statue creeped me out though for some reason...

And why is this pear called a pineapple???

The cherry blossoms are also starting to bloom, such a beautiful sight for sure.

Walking through the old city alleyways of Leuven, we went to our next destination.

And that was the Groot Begijnhof.  No longer in use for the nuns of the city, in the 60s the university bought it and now serves as a staying place for professors, guests and students.

Our final must visit spot of this trip of course had to be the University Library.  Here you do have to pay a small fee, but we didn`t take the tower addition as our knees won`t forgive us those small whirling stairs at all.

It also hosted two exhibitions of the school, one on belgian composer Luc Brewaeys, and one on small items they found during archeological studies.

And then... yup, terrace time, first with a cocktail (lesson learned btw, go to the regular bars, their cocktails pack more punch and are usually cheaper), in my case a Mexican Mule.

And then something more up my alley, a Paljas beer.  I admit, I LOVED this one!

While walking towards our evening restaurant, we strolled across Het besloten land, a comic store that also sells manga, and I picked up a volume of Terra Formars there.

And then food time, with all you can eat ribs in the Wolfgang!

 

 

 As we returned to the room, the fair was open this time, so we went to do some coin shufflers.  We did rather well, because we got a nice plushy from Planes for Thorin.

But sadly, that was the last activity apart from a good snore and breakfast, as we caught the train back to Antwerp on sunday morning.  Because a little prince was waiting for us eagerly!

Leuven is a very cosy city and well worth the visit, some other great looking restaurants and local beers have passed our way as well, but you can`t try them all.  At least not without having your stomach pumped and your liver in a coma, but maybe we will go back there in the future, who knows what time will bring!