If you are ok with my readers digest version, then carry on! Basically this beauty was built for the 1958 World's Fair (aka Expo 58). This was a big deal since it was the first world's fair that was held after WWII so it had to be good! The Atomium was the main pavilion and main attraction of the fair. Like many things developed for the world's fair, it was meant to be torn down after the event but it was beloved by Belgium and do it got to stay up and has now become another Belgian icon. So Belgium's major icons now include waffles, chocolate, a pissing baby, and an atom that "represents an elementary iron crystal enlarged 165 billion (thousand million) times." They sure know how to pick things huh? So here she is in all her glory....
You can go inside to a few of the balls that hold temporary and permanent exhibits. First you take the escalator to this level where adults and children alike sit and watch informational videos. I just thought it was funny that my family fit in so well ;)
After a certain point you have to take some stairs to go to the next level. If you wish to go to the top then you have to take the elevator (from the ground floor) to the top ball which holds the restaurant and sky view. Here is a lovely view of the elevator that went 5 meters per second to the top of a 102 meter (or 334.66 feet) high building. Needless to say it went fast, we were to the top in about 2 minutes. Looks ominous doesn't it?
Oh did I forget to mention, I'm TERRIFIED of heights! Seriously folks, if you want to scare the bejeepers out of me, make me go somewhere high up. Or better yet, make me go somewhere high up that is exposed outside with little to separate me from possibly falling to my death (that happens later in the week-just wait for it!). Yea, big shocker huh? So when Matt said "hey go by the window so I can take your pic" I was not too pleased to say the least. Look at me, death grip on the window sill. The best fake smile I could muster. I wasn't a happy girl.
But the view wasn't too bad I suppose. If I don't look down or step near the edge or think of how high up I am or think how old this building is or that I'm in a ball supported by a spindly shaft then I'm ok. Kind of.
Once we vacated the scary atom of death, we decided to walk through the village/garden/town/outer city limits area where the atom is. It was very pretty and large. And apparently one of the Belgian kings went somewhere they had Asian architecture and said "hey I want some of that!" so he had a couple building made up in this garden area. They were pretty awesome. But sadly closed so we only got to see the outside, which was still nice. This is the Chinese pavilion.
This guy makes me laugh. I'd like you all to meet Matt when we're 85!
This is the Japanese pavilion complete with red tower.
After walking around for 10 million years we headed back to the main part of the city (via train which was quite eventful since we almost got on the wrong one and that would've been bad) for some dinner and sleep to prepare for our final day in Brussels.
