
The problem of the day was
whether the soft copy of our Belgian Rail tickets was valid or not. Their website
had contradicting instructions. On one hand, it said that we can just show the
ticket to the officer from our smartphones, which made sense because there were
barcodes on it anyway. And then another page of the website said that the soft
copy of the ticket was just the proof of purchase and that we had to print it
out, the hard copy serving as the actual ticket. WTF, Belgian Rail? Make up
your mind?
And then the next day came and it turned out we stressed ourselves out for nothing. Friend from Aachen conversed en français with the inspector who didn’t even look at the details! That was for the first leg of the 55-minute journey. For the second half, at least the two inspectors actually verified the barcode with their barcode gun thingy. And so we therefore conclude that you can travel on Belgian Rail just by showing the ticket on your phone, because this is Belgium and it’s 2017. Right?

What I love about the Euregio
is how the languages change in a span of less than an hour on the train! We
left Deutschland immersed in German signs, obviously. As we made our transfer
in Liège, the announcements and ads were suddenly in French, as well as many of
the conversations around us. Of course, later that day French would be replaced
by Dutch as we crossed over to Maastricht. Personally, I like Liège better than
Maastricht, maybe because there are more attractions here that display
contrast?

The city has three names,
which makes it rather problematic when booking tickets. The name itself is
French. In Dutch they call it Luik, while the Germans refer to it as Lüttich. The
city has its own airport, but I suggest arriving by rail at the ultra modern
Liège-Guillemins. Designed by a prominent architect, its white arches can be
quite hypnotic. The juxtaposition with the traditional houses that now serve as
shops farther down the road makes for a good visual spectacle, making you
appreciate the stark contrast in style.

We opted for a long stroll
because we didn’t have an idea where to go. But walking around is fun when
you are in a city like Liège. Not far away from the station was a futuristic
looking building, which Aachen friend said looked like a ship docking at the
riverside when viewed from a certain angle. This skyscraper is not alone in the
skyline, but it does dwarf the neighboring buildings which are neither as tall
nor as modern. You then cross a bridge and find yourself at a park, runners
abound jogging along the riverbanks.



On the other side, tulips are
in full bloom. It’s a lovely sight, to be honest. Don’t we just love spring? We
walked some more until we reached the center. Liège has a popular church which
subscribes to the same architectural style as most churches in the region. It
was under construction when we were there, so the view of the façade was once
again ruined by tape everywhere. As it was a Sunday, most shops were closed,
and most of the people we saw in the streets were also tourists. Next stop:
Breakfast!

Our main objective here in
Liège is to climb Montagne de Bueren, which is a residential area on a hill
requiring you to hike all the way up through its 300+ steps. But before that,
yeah, breakfast. We passed by some notable monuments and more cobblestoned
streets until we reached the opera house, which was also under construction, or
at least the building behind it was. Why is everything under construction here? Anyway,
there was a resto café on the other side of the avenue where we ended up having
breakfast.

Breakfast in Belgium! I loved
how soft the croissants were. I guess their pastries here are legit. I only
ever get to eat croissants that are rock hard wherever I go. It was good to
take a break and pack up some carbs before our uphill climb. On the way, we
passed by a huge palace which now serves as the city’s hall of justice. In
front of it is a big square which appears to double as a central bus stop of
sorts. The name of the palace is Palais des Princes-Évêques de Liège. Take your
selfie there.

We finally reached Montagne de
Bueren after another ten minutes or so. The ascent is not supposed to be that
challenging, but the last time I stepped foot in a gym was back in 2009. So
yeah, it was hard for me. But we always survive anyway. The actual reward here
is the sweeping panoramic view of the river and most of the city center from
above. We were also able to trace the path we took all the way from the train
station because most of the route is visible from the hill.

The stairs were sandwiched by
houses, which I assume are there not just for display. You have to admire the
guts of its residents. I bet they must be fit AF having to go up and down those
steps every single day. The climb doesn’t stop here, though. At the top you
will suddenly find yourself in a narrow street that doubles as a parking lot. Farther
uphill is a monument and a new set of stairs, maybe around 30 more steps. The
vantage point is higher, but the view is obscured by the foliage.

Of course, the descent was
easier, albeit still challenging. We ended up at the back of the palace where a
pedestrian overpass gives you a nice view of the palace itself as well as the train
station adjacent to it. Most of the houses there look old, but the complex next
to it, whatever it is, has a modern design. And then there are four neon
colored posts in front of the train station. Make my life easier and just look
at the photo. Again, don’t you just love the contrast!
[LIEGE] Breakfast in Belgium
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