Recently I visited Waterloo, Belgium. Given its significance in modern European history, it is a bit sup rising that it is a quiet, unassuming place. To get there was simple enough: just 20 minute train ride from Brussels. The train station of Waterloo displays nothing to indicate that this was a place of historical significance, so it is easy to miss it. Probably because my French is so elementary, but I saw no sign saying, the battlefield this way or anything like that.
And I saw very few visitors too. I guess unless you're a history buff, there is no other attractions to entice you to visit this place, since the town has not really developed as a tourist town. Apart from Tourist Information that dominates the main crossroad of the town, there is no major landmark here. On the opposite side is Wellington Museum, which was Duke of Wellington's Headquarters during the battle.
To get to the site of battle, you have to take bus route W. The bus driver didn't speak English, so make sure you get directions at Tourist Information. The bus stop isn't even marked as the Waterloo battlefield; they'd tell you that when you will see Esso petrol station on the right, signal for stop. On the other side of Esso was a Japanese restaurant too (as of early April, 2012).
The battlefield is basically a farmland with some villages dotted around. I took a battlefield tour, on a dusty converted lorry. I don't recommend this to anyone except die-hard military buffs, really. It is bumpy, dusty and uncomfortable; views are obscured by transparent plastic sheets and all you see is, well, just a farmland anyway. You can see some key farm estates during the battle, such as La Haie Sainte, but, unless pointed out by commentary, it is not easy to tell which is which.
Perhaps it might be worthwhile to take a tour around the battlefield, if you are interested in military tactic. You can see why Wellington chose this spot and how the terrain was against the French. From the British position, it is easier to survey the whole ground, whereas for the French, what is going on on the British side was not at all clear. The famous, final charge of the Old Guard was stopped by the British suddenly rising up and letting loose volley after volley of rifle fire. They were utterly surprised by this, and you can see how that was the case. (Assuming the terrain hasn't change a lot since 1815.)
And I saw very few visitors too. I guess unless you're a history buff, there is no other attractions to entice you to visit this place, since the town has not really developed as a tourist town. Apart from Tourist Information that dominates the main crossroad of the town, there is no major landmark here. On the opposite side is Wellington Museum, which was Duke of Wellington's Headquarters during the battle.
The battlefield is basically a farmland with some villages dotted around. I took a battlefield tour, on a dusty converted lorry. I don't recommend this to anyone except die-hard military buffs, really. It is bumpy, dusty and uncomfortable; views are obscured by transparent plastic sheets and all you see is, well, just a farmland anyway. You can see some key farm estates during the battle, such as La Haie Sainte, but, unless pointed out by commentary, it is not easy to tell which is which.
Perhaps it might be worthwhile to take a tour around the battlefield, if you are interested in military tactic. You can see why Wellington chose this spot and how the terrain was against the French. From the British position, it is easier to survey the whole ground, whereas for the French, what is going on on the British side was not at all clear. The famous, final charge of the Old Guard was stopped by the British suddenly rising up and letting loose volley after volley of rifle fire. They were utterly surprised by this, and you can see how that was the case. (Assuming the terrain hasn't change a lot since 1815.)
