Discovering the Soul of Bruxelles

[Guest post by Elisa Gandolfo in Brussels] My adventure in Belgium has started! Studying a new language, working as an au pair, and of course sketching around. 🙂

It isn’t a secret that in this country it’s always raining, and I was looking forward for a dry day to go out with my carnet de voyage. Finally a Sunday morning I could sit in Place de la Bourse under the sun, sketching the building (above). Meanwhile a girl was singing and playing her guitar. What a dream!

Later I walked to the paradise of second-hand lovers, the flea market in Place du Jeu de Balle, in Marolles. ALL the square is covered by stands, full of anything you can imagine: Besides dresses and antiques, in the boxes there are letters and photo albums which can introduce you to past times and stories.

Flea market in Place du Jeu de Balle

And in the end of my day, before my train to La Hulpe, I had my fries sitting in front of l’èglise Notre-Dame du Sablon.

Notre-Dame du Sablon

This is my Brussels. Everybody talks about this city just for political meetings or terrorist attacks, or looks at her with fear during the last months. But everyone who is living here knows that it isn’t just that. Her soul is made of market scents, music on the streets, a lot of events and culture. A city simply alive, multicultural, that you have to discover . . . and I’m loving her everyday more!

Elisa Gandolfo is an Italian freelance illustrator based in Bruxelles. You can see more sketches on her blog. Follow her on Facebook as Elisa Gandolfo Illustration.