Europe 2010, Day 14: Brussels

As planned, the centerpiece of our second and final day in Brussels was a bus tour of the city, which highlighting many buildings tied to the cities long history and its more recent role in European politics.  I thought by far the most entertaining part of the trip, however, was the stop at the Atomium, a unique structure built 52 years ago for the Brussels World’s Fair.  Inside is a retrospective of the “world of the future” display from the fair, which showcased advanced technologies and materials (like Formica), a snack bar that served up some seriously tasty waffles (with ice cream), and an observation deck in the topmost sphere.  All very retro.