Renowned tightwad that I am, I have to admit that it is money well spent when the kids are moaning about having to go home and are dragging me to go and visit another gallery.Completed in 1540 with tennis courts, gardens, a chapel, Great Hall and an enormous kitchen, Hampton Court far outshone any other palace in Europe. From the cooking smells of a Tudor feast to the sounds of period wind instruments, we were wafted and serenaded back in time. There is a lot to do at the Palace, so handing over what seems like a large sum of money at the cash-desk should be accepted with good grace. Alasdair was doing the Tudors as part of the National Curriculum, and our day out gave him a lively experience of life in the time of Henry VIII. Although present-day Hampton Court Palace owes much of its appearance to Christopher Wren, it was the parts influenced by Cardinal Wolsey and Henry VIII that we had come to see. Intrigued by the idea of festive Tudor customs, my family visited the Palace this time last year. No, this isn't a scene from the latest horror film, but what you might expect to see later this month as part of Hampton Court Palace's Tudor Christmas Revels.
A fire-breathing man on stilts, dead animals on platters, women in masks and a noisy group of students from Michigan in padded blue anoraks. Here a trio of cafes (the Zebra at place St Gery 33, Mappa Mundo at rue du Pont de la Carpe 2-6, and the PP Cafe at rue Van Praet 28) provide the evening's entertainment, their fashionable customers progressively spilling out on to the pavements as the evening wears on.. The service is friendly, the food traditional (mains from around pounds 8 to pounds 12) and the portions large.AN APERITIFIf your stomach is becoming fuller than a barrel of beer, avoid the pubs and go instead to the trendy St Gery area (12). One that stands back and doesn't shout out is Aux Armes de Bruxelles (13) at rue des Bouchers 13 (00 322 511 55 98). Gorge yourself on outstanding mussels or waterzooi, a local cream-based fish soup. If you'd prefer to avoid the area altogether, venture out to L'toile d'Or (14) at rue des Foulons 30 (00 322 502 60 48). Open daily from 8am to 6pm, the cathedral took more than 300 years to construct, which shows in its blend of architectural styles.DEMURE DINNERLining the rue des Bouchers are rows of over-priced restaurants, armed with waiters that stand outside and lure you in.
Founded in 1134 and built in Romanesque-Gothic style, Sunday morning mass takes place at 11am. Slightly more out-of-the-way, the Cathedral of Saints Michel and Gudule (16) is named after Brussels' male and female patron saints and sits on the hillside to the north of Gare Centrale. After a few graceful swirls - or clumsy falls - visit Flavours of the World (17) at passage du Nord 14-18 to regain your composure. The city's first bagel store sells filled bagels for BF150 (pounds 2.40) or pasta dishes (BF310, about pounds 5) for those who need something more substantial.SUNDAY MORNINGTake a stroll to Brussels' oldest place of worship, the Church of Notre- Dame de la Chapelle (15) at rue des Ursulines 4. Now a city icon, visitors can take the elevator to the top ball (102m up) to view the city from above.
It is open daily from 10am to 6pm and admission costs BF200 (pounds 3.30).BRACING BRUNCHBuild up an appetite or work off a hangover at the Grand' Place, where an ice-rink is installed for a few weeks in December. From German gluhwein to Scandinavian glogg, and from Italian panetone to English Christmas pudding, all tastes and cultures are catered for - and all to an accompaniment of folk music and Christmas carols to get you in the festive mood. This year's market has a Finnish theme and the country's giant fir tree will stand twinkling in the centre of the square.TAKE A RIDE.. to the top of the Atomium (18) at blvd du Centenaire. This bizarre structure (a model of an iron molecule, enlarged 165 billion times) is a somewhat shabby space-age leftover from the 1958 World Fair, and was designed by engineer Andre Waterkeyn. Entrance costs BF200 (pounds 3.20) and will entitle you to return to your youth for a few hours in the splendour of an art nouveau building. Displays outline various aspects of strip cartoons - including the work of Herge, the Belgian creator of Tintin.