Belgium > On the way to Hasselt

At a little past two on this Friday afternoon, I drive to Den Hoorn to pick up René. Together, we’re heading to the Belgian city of Hasselt for a weekend trip. When we set the navigation from Den Hoorn to our destination, the estimated travel time is about three hours—more than an hour longer than usual. Friday afternoon traffic is always busy, especially around Antwerp. After crossing the Belgian border, the navigation suggests a faster route, taking us around Antwerp. This means we drive a more indirect route toward the E313 motorway. It does indeed turn out to be quicker, and around 5:45 PM we enter the Blauwe Boulevard parking garage in Hasselt. With our luggage, we walk to the Park Inn Radisson hotel. When we arrive at the reception, we realize we are actually in the Radisson Blu Hotel. The receptionist explains how to get to the Park Inn Hotel on the other side of the building. There, they are expecting us. We have a room on the fourth floor in the center of Hasselt. Around the hotel, there are plenty of cafés and restaurants. We have a beer at Café René, after which we wander through the streets of the city center. It doesn’t take long before we feel like we’re walking in circles—the center of Hasselt within the ring isn’t that large. When we try to have dinner at a grand café, we find out it’s only for drinks. They recommend a bistro at the end of the alley, which turns out to be a great choice. I order lasagna and a Belgian beer. We end the evening at another café with one last beer, after which we return to the hotel.

Belgium - The first beer in Hasselt at Cafe Rene