The path of the Volcanic Ash leads John Cleese to Brussels

With Iceland's irate volcano eruption and its serious lingering after effects, everyone in Europe is pretty much stuck (actually the whole world is stranded). Despite all the problems, stranded travelers have encountered during this very trying time many have found creative ways to reach their final destination. People stranded in Europe who want to reach another European country are at an advantage. With some ingenuity, some money, a train, a boat, car, or rickshaw there is a good chance they may make it to their final destination. For example, John Cleese who was stuck in Oslo, (which I hear is a beautiful city), paid a whopping 30 000 Kroner (that is 3 800 Euros) for the scenic ride to Brussels. From there he plans to take the Euro Star to London. Good luck, Mr. Cleese. Unless you have a reservation, I doubt you will get on that highly coveted Brussels-London route. Of course, money talks and I am sure someone would be more than willing to scalp their ticket to John Cleese. I am also confident that the Fish Called Wanda actor has some dollars/Euros to burn. However, it would not be the end of the world if Mr. Cleese was stranded in Brussels for a few days. While many call Brussels more drab than fab, there is plenty of great food, a Grand Place to visit and good beer to keep him occupied.

For all the wise cracks I make about Brussels, I adore Grand Place or Grote Markt. It's the central square in Brussels and one of THE tourist attractions. It's a lovely square with cobbled stones and wonderful houses with gilded gold statues. I love going to the big square and looking up at the little statues that adorn the buildings. Many of the guild buildings were located in the square. Surprisingly this is one area in Brussels that is not rife with graffiti. Throughout the entire square there are restaurants and cafes. While these establishments mainly cater to tourists, since the weather is extremely nice, enjoying a typical Belgian tipple while gazing at the Dutch looking buildings is well worth it.

What would I recommend to John Cleese or anyone else stuck in Brussels and were fortunate enough to experience Grand Place? Maybe a beer that would be hard to come by in England or the USA or whatever is on tap- you are guaranteed something fresh and refreshing.