ORIENTATION AND PRACTICAL INFORMATION OF BRUSSEL
Most major attractions are clustered around Grand Place, between the Bourse (Stock Market) to the west and the Parc de Bruxelles to the east. Two Metro lines circle the city, while efficient trams run north to south. Signs in Brussels list both the French and Flemish street names. Let’s Go gives the French name for all addresses. A tourist passport (Carte d’un Jour; ‚7.45), which includes two days of public transit and discounted museum admissions, is sold at the BITC (see below).
Tourist Offices: National, Belgian Tourist Office, Grasmarkt 63 ( 504 30 90; www.vis- itbelgium.com), one block from Grand Place. Books rooms all over Belgium and offers the free copies of What’s On. Open July-Aug. M-F 9am-7pm, Sa-Su 9am-lpm and 2- 7pm; Sept.-June M-F 9am-6pm, Sa-Su 9am-lpm and 2-6pm; Nov.-Apr. closed Su after noon. Brussels International-Tourism and Congress (BITC; 513 89 40; www.brus- selsinternational.be), on Grand Place, in the Town Hall.
Tour: City Sightseeing, in Gare Centrale (466 11 11), offers a 1 Vihr. bus tour that passes all the major attractions. Daily 10am-8pm. ‚12, students ‚11.
Budget Travel: Infor-Jeunes Bruxelles, 155 r. Van Arteveld (514 41 11; bruxelles@inforjeunes.be). Budget travel info for students. Open M-F 10am-5:30pm. Embassies and Consulates: Australia, 6-8 r. Guimard, 1040 (286 05 00; fax 230 68 02). Canada, 2 av. Tervuren, 1040 (741 06 11; fax 741 06 43). Ireland, 50 r. Wiertz 1050 (235 66 76; fax 230 53 12). New Zealand, 1 de Meeussquare, 1000 (512 10 40). South Africa, 26 r. de la Loi ( 285 44 00; fax 285 44 02). UK, 85 r. d’Arlon, 1040 (287 62 11; fax 287 63 55). US, 27 bd. du Regent, 1000 (508 21 11; www.usinfo.be). Open M-F 9am-noon.
Currency Exchange: Many exchange booths near Grand Place stay open until 11pm. Most banks and booths charge a commission (‚2.50-3.75) to cash checks. CBC-Auto- matic Change, 7 Grand-Place (547 12 11) exchanges cash and checks and is open 24hr. Exchange booths are also available in the train stations.
Bi-Gay-Lesbian Resources: Call 736 26 81 for info on local events. Staffed Tu 8- 10pm, W and F 8-1 lpm. The tourist office offers a guide to gay nightlife.
English-Language Bookstore: Sterling Books, Wolvengracht 38 (r. du Fosse aux Loups). Open M-Sa 10am-7pm, Su noon-6:30pm.
Laundromat: Primus Wash, 50 r. Haute, around the corner from the Jeugdherberg Brue gel. Gare Centrale. Wash ‚3.50, dry ‚0.50 per lOmin. Open daily 7am-llpm.
Emergencies: Medical: 100. Police: 101. From a Mobile Phone: 112.
Pharmacy: Neos-Bourse Pharmacie (218 06 40). bd. Anspach at r. du Marche aux Polets. M: Bourse. Open M-Sa 8:30am-6:30pm.
Medical Assistance: Free Clinic, 154a Chaussee de Wavre (512 13 14). Ignore the name-you’ll have to pay. Open M-F 9am-6pm, Sa lOam-noon. Centre Hospitalier Uni- versitaire St. Pierre, 322 r. Haute (535 31 11). Medical Services, (479 18 18). Doctors on call 24hr.
Internet Access: easyEverything, pi. de Brouckere (www.easyeverything.com). Approx. ‚1.50 per hr. rates vary by time of day. Open 9am-l:30am.
Post Office: pi. de la Monnaie, Centre Monnaie, 2nd fl. ( 226 21 11). M: de Brouckere. Open M-F 8am-6pm, Sa 9:30am-3pm. Address mail to be held: Firstname SURNAME, Poste Restante, pi. de la Monnaie, 1000 Bruxelles, BELGIUM.
