Belgium: Brussels

Everyone told us before we got to Brussels that there wasn’t much to see besides a statue takin’ a piss. Literally, that is what they said, I wasn’t just being crude. That's because the main tourist attraction is a statue called Manekin Pis and is a little boy peeing into a fountain. There are several legends about why such a statue was made but no matter the origins, he is a famous little boy today. He also always gets dressed up, and while we were there a science expo also in town, so he was Einstein. We found other attractions while we were there, of course, and the first day we saw quite a few. We visited the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula, the main square (Grote Markt), a famous brew pub and had some yummy Belgian food.

Grote Markt

Manneken Pis as Albert Einstein

 

MEAT AND POTATOES

And, a Brussels sunset

The second day we got our Belgian chocolate fix, visited the Royal Palace and the Palais de Justice. We also visited a museum called the Horta Museum. This is the architect Victor Horta's former house and an example of Art Nouveau style. We then mosied around a park and enjoyed some of our chocolates before we went back to our ‘inn’ for the night. Based on a recommendation from a fellow traveler in Norway, we stayed at a low-budget all inclusive place in Brussels called FunKey Inn. It was a switch up from our normal accommodations and we had a nice, spacious room with lots of free food and drinks!

The Grand Palace

It's hard to tell but there was a bug expo at the museum and the chandelier is covered in tiny beetle shells.

Hydrandgea bushes in the park

After Brussels, we flew to the Motherland! Yea, Britain, baby.

Belgium: Bruges

We loved Bruges! It truly is a fairy tale and I can see why anyone would think it to be an appropriate place to see before they died. We arrived in the early evening and even though our room at the bed and breakfast had a split level toilet and bed design, it was a great location right by the canal and an easy walk into the city. The first evening we found a quiet pub and had a pint of Belgian beer before we had a cheap dinner of sausage and the famous Belgian fries.

It truly is.

Belgian beer!

Magical. See?

The next day, I watched the swans in the canal pruning and diving for fish in the morning before we started exploring. We began by making reservations for a brewery tour and then visited the cathedral that houses the only Michelangelo sculpture outside of Italy, and then had lunch at a little soup shop. After the brewery tour, we walked along the canals and perused the open air market. Then it was a quick nap before dinner on the canal and an impromptu sing-a-long concert in the square. We did not realize that we planned to be in Belgium during their independence day. As part of the celebration, there was a large stage in the main square and a band playing a variety of songs, with the words printed in pamphlets for the crowd to sing along with. We didn’t need the pamphlet when they played Proud Mary and we belted it out with the rest of 'em.

 

Swan canal

So, these people had like 7 dogs in that cart... not a baby.

"Left a good job in the city..."

After breakfast the following morning, we hoofed it to the train station and headed to Brussels.