THE WATERBUS IN BRUSSELS

Since July 6 Brussels city has a water bus ! This should help to free a bit the traffic on the roads. For the moment it's only a try to see if the investment is worthwhile.

I tried it out together with 3 friends and we had a great time. It's rather a cruise and the ship goes very slowly. But it takes you to very interesting places which are impossible to see from the streets and are usually not shown to tourists. But it should be a transportation mean.



The ship looks very nice and is also very comfortable. On deck you have benches and seats with tables under a huge sun screen. Underneath is a little bar with seats and tables too,  where you can buy drinks.



Our capitain was a very funny person and entertained the whole ship. There is place for 90 peoples and also for bikes.



We started with  a pleasant vue on "Brussels les Bains" which is an artificial beach along the canal built up during July and August.







Sports, cultural, shopping events and food stalls will all be found in a larger than life décor made of sand beach, palm trees and other exotic plants. In addition to sun tanning and the many other proposed activities, visitors will be able to throw themselves into various water fountains and other water activities but also enjoy beach related sports such as Beach-Volley or Beach-ball.



Then starts the industrial part of Brussels, which I had never seen, didn't even know that it existed



from the boat you have an excellent vue on all kind of material for construction etc.



and the sewege treatment plant of Brussels



Apparently the water is so hot there that it never freezes in winter.



Then we had a nice view on the recycling and disposal place for metals. I was very impressed by these old trams, which were squeezed to pancakes !



It is unbelievable how much waste is produced in a city. From cars over household machines to trucks, everything had been squashed into pieces !



Not a pleasant but interesting view



Then we saw a piece of our King's castle, in winter when the trees are without leaves you probably see a little more.



and the Brussels Royal Yacht Club



Then we went along nice parks and houses



modern and old once.In my opinion they should have kept the old style and not replacing them by glass boxes.

The whole tour lasted 3 h. between the city centres of Brussels and Vilvoorde,  and was only  10 km long. 20 with a return ticket. It was a very pleasant trip and the weather was with us, we had a beautiful afternoon.

More information here Brussels by Water