Parc Leopold Brussels

It's quiet, it's small, it's hidden in-between place Jourdan, the Parliament and rue Belliard. It has a pond, a few nice buildings, a long history, a few paths to walk around it, benches to rest, and nobody will complain if you lay down with your picnic basket (as long as you take your trash home!). That's the Parc Leopold of Brussels!

Since early 2017 the new House of European History museum has opened in the middle of the park in the Eastman building, built in 1934-1935 by Mr Eastman (the inventor of the Koadk camera!), a good escape when the weather suddenly turns rainy as in a typical Brussels day.

It was created as a zoological garden back in 1851, and at that time, even giraffes were living there. Now you can see rare trees and animals, students passing by (there's a high school, slightly falling apart, I've been told, but it still fascinates me) and the Solvay Library, which is now a conference centre.

In winter, I've seen the pond completely frozen… I feel bad for the poor swans living there!