Prevue November-December 2017 - 57

Left: Bruges canals (photo credit: Visit Flanders)
Right (top to bottom): Lilac pathway at the Royal Greenhouses of
Laeken; The Atomium; Oficina restaurant (photo credits: Johnalee
Johnston)

of five historic aristocratic residences; stucco ceilings, crystal
chandeliers, ornate fireplaces, oak-lined stairways, and parquet
floors are just the beginning. We topped off our time in Bruges with
a hearty vegetarian couscous and onion soup at Tompouce.

BRUSSELS
As the "comic book capital of the world," more than 50 comic murals
and four comic museums showcase the city's love affair with the art
form. The Belgium Comic Strip Center also reflects the work of
architectural Art Nouveau pioneer Victor Horta, and the daily lives
of Belgians through the ages. Nowhere is this more apparent than
"The Smurfs" cartoon created by Belgian cartoonist Pierre Culliford in
1958. At the center of this former textile warehouse is a glass dome
that gives light to the surrounding centuries of illustrations much
like a circulatory system gives air. Here, receptions for up to 1,200
take place and it's not uncommon for the night to begin or end with
guided tours or team building trivia through the worlds of notable
comic book characters. Workshops with professional comic book
artists can also be arranged. Groups can top this off with cocktails
at the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel Brussels' comic strip bar, Bar
Dessine. Another "must see" here is the integration of the city's 12th
century fortification wall into the hotel's modern design.
A guided stroll through the city centre results in Tintin collectables
and Smurf chocolates in a collectable tin lunchbox. There are more
than 500 chocolatiers in Brussels, but groups will definitely want to
drop by Nevhaus, the inventor of the praline, as we did.
Brussels has no shortage of evocative venues and one of the
most iconic and visually intriguing is the Atomium, designed for
the 1958 Brussels World's Fair. The massive steel and glass pods
mimic the structure of atoms as a threshold between the past and
future. Inside, panoramic views of the city, combined with an on-site
museum and supreme architectural artistry, offer an event space
like no other. The entire Atomium is available for buyout for up to
800 attendees cocktail-style, or you can pick and choose your pod.
In the shadow of the Atomium sits Mini-Europe, whose interactive
miniature outdoor reproductions of famous EU monuments are a
marvel in their own right. We listened to the chimes of Big Ben and
faced a crowd of Lego-like Brexit protestors outside of the Houses
of Parliament, followed the Thalys from Paris and saw the eruption
of Vesuvius during our whistle-stop tour of the park. There are more
than 350 models in all, so leave plenty of time for exploration. The
entire park is also available for buyout. If meeting in the spring,
groups are also sure to find inspiration at the Royal Greenhouses
of Laeken. Just try to bear the beauty here, we dare you.
Our time in Brussels ended with a vegetarian feast at Oficina
restaurant that included layers of eggplant, zucchini, leeks,
rosemary, and cherry tomatoes bursting on the vine. And "it just
wouldn't be right," our chef exclaims, without a dash of red paprika.
For more on this location story, please visit us online at
Prevuemeetings.com.
visitflanders.com

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