À Liège

I boarded a train this morning (Friday, March 23) at 08:38 from Amsterdam to Liège, Belgium with a transfer in Maastricht, the Netherlands - cost, €27.80. The train to Maastricht was a fast train, but the journey still took about two and a half hours, depositing me in Maastricht with ten minutes to wait for the hourly train to Liège. This train was a Stoptrein, meaning that it stops at every single station along the route. It was also, by far, the oldest train I've ever been on - it must have been in service since the late Sixties, but it was kind of neat-looking, with windows you could open and everything. No picture, unfortunatey, because it was just too crowded and there was a suspicious-looking dude sitting next to me.

Liege Train Station, Liege, Belgium, March, 2012

I arrived at the newly-rebuilt Liège-Guillemins train station at about Noon. Very nouveau-pretty. The weather is still superb, nearly cloudless and about 70 degrees. I know you guys have had a little heat wave, but my week has been closer to my tastes for touring. Speaking of touring, do you see that yellow archway in the middle of the plaza? That will be the starting point for a portion of the Tour de France this summer, a nod to the French-speaking south of Belgium.

I got my bearings and asked for and received directions in French from the worker at a small kiosk. My hotel is only a five minute walk from the train station, which is also a major hub of the city's bus network (no trams here.)


This is my hotel room, a severe upgrade from the closet I stayed in for the last three nights, and this room was only $82.12! (The Amsterdam hotel was €132 for 3 nights, which works out to about $62.00 a night). I also dusted off my French and used it to check in at the hotel.

From the hotel I bought a day pass for the bus system for €3.40 and went to the cool part of town.


This is the Palais des Princes-Evêques, or Prince-Bishops. These priests were the civil and religious rulers of Liège for centuries.


The palace now houses the courts of justice for the Province of Liège, and the insides are not generally open to the public unless you're on the wrong side of the law. You can, however, walk around the inner courtyard and view the colonnade with carvings on each column vaguely depicting the troubles, vices, follies, etcetera, that can beset Man.

Musee de la Vie Wallone, Liege, Belgium, March, 2012

From the Palace I visited the Musée de la Vie Wallonne, a neat museum which chronicles the unique culture of the French-speaking south of Belgium (in Flanders, to the north, Dutch is the primary language.) The museum, through fascinating and intricate displays, takes you on a journey through the political and cultural clashes with Flanders, the secessionist movement that still has some adherents today, and the unique and sometimes contrived cultural identity of the southern Belgians (they would never refer to themselves that way, of course.) Toward the end of the self-guided tour is a very self-deprecating exhibit which pointedly - and hilariously - pokes fun of the museum and the Wallonn themselves. The placards are in French only, but I was able to translate most of them and distill their sauciness.

Steps of the Montagne de Bueren, Liege, Belgium, March, 2012

From the museum I ascended the Montagne de Bueren, all 353 steps of it, to get a view of the city:


The warm weather created some haze, so things are a little fuzzy, I'm afraid.





I descended all 353 steps, too, then wandered around the city center for a while.


I think I'm off for dinner now and then maybe some wandering through the shop districts - they should be open a little later tonight. Tomorrow I hop a train for Brussels and establish my new home base for the rest of my time in Europe, but I'm glad I spent the day in Liège.

Location:Rue Paradis,Liege,Belgium