Brussels, Belgium

Today is Tuesday and we are here in Brussels.  We got up and dressed and headed down for breakfast.   The gang joined us and we had a nice breakfast.  I want to try a Belgium waffle before I leave.

This morning we had a bus tour of the city.  The weather was cold and rainy so not so good for taking pictures.

Atomic iron molecule.  They have refinished it and you can go inside if you wish.  We did not have enough time.  This was built for the Brussels World Fair of 1958.

On our walk about town, we passed this statue of Don Q. and Sancho.

In order for the people of Brussels to shop out of the elements, they put a roof over the street and made it like our malls.  Really high end shopping here in Brussels.

Famous PeePee boy.  Manneken Pis is the correct title.  He appears large but is really quite small.  He is made of bronze and is 60 centimeters tall.  He has a wardrobe of over 800 costumes.  He has been kidnapped several times.  Legend has it that a little boy is supposed to have extinguished a fire and saved Brussels from disaster.  He appears to be Brussels most well known citizen.

The tower of town hall.  This is the most remarkable of Belgium's Gothic monuments.  It was built in two stages.  In 1402 they began the left hand wing, preserving the old belfry.  For the right wing, they partially demolished the belfry and replaced by a tower and spire rising to 96 m.  The tower was spared from the bombardments of 1695.  The weather vane on the top represents St. Michel felling the Devil.

The Grand-Place.  These were guild shops in the past.  This was the city's first trading forum.  It dates from the 12th century.  The bombardments of the armies of Louis XIV in 1695 destroyed almost the entire Grand-Place.  It took at least 5 years for the whole thing to be rebuilt.

More of the Grand-Place.

I have so many layers on I look like the Michelin man.  The leader asked me to hold the umbrella for our gathering.

We decided to return to the hotel where we dropped off our cameras and then went to a small cafe down the street for a chicken salad and beer.   Then we came back to the hotel where there were 50 plus young girls hanging out at the entrance to the hotel.  Seems Justin Biever (not sure how to spell his name) is staying here.  Now we have to show our key in order to enter the hotel.

Bob took and nap and I worked on my cross stitch project.  Found out I could use the internet for free in the business center so I am doing that now.  Will have to add the pictures later. 

We are scheduled to have dinner with the gang at a restaurant that Judy knows about.  Will let you all know if it was a good as she heard.  Till then.

Dinner was quite good at a restaurant named Le Vinge.  Seems the owner or manager has taken a liking to me.  Offered me cookies after dinner and wiped my face with a cloth a couple of times.  Must look like his mother.

We walked back to the hotel.  It had stopped raining.  The young ladies are still outside but most have gone home.  Oh to be young again!!!

Watch some of the Karate Championships.  These kids are great.  Keep it up Aiden and some day we might be watching you.

Read and lights out.