Saturday February 27th
Second day got our bearings and sleep. Fabulous coffee and breakfast at the hotel and we are off for a walk about. 200 meter from the hotel we stop for a photo with the city as our backdrop. It wouldn't be a vacation with the Haas' without camera trouble. "Photo card full" you have got to be kidding, back to the hotel we go. Two batteries and a charger after the last fiasco yet, back to the hotel we go.
Off again, looking for the Vieux Marche' flea market and the place du Grand Sablon antique market. We stumble upon the antique market and amazed at the items for purchase. Not sure how Chris is going to get that very old record player back to the states. The neighborhood was full of antique shops and second hand stores with fabulous boutiques sprinkled in. This alone is worth moving to Europe. We could have spent a shit ton of cash.
Trish had found a must do "Ma Maison de Papier", the owner Maria was a gem, and what an enthusiast for vintage posters. Can't imagine her inventory of posters. They ranged from sports to alcohol, to publico to movies. And all can be yours starting at about 450 euro. No posters for us, so off we go.
In the area, so we decide to bite the bullet and check out Manneken Pis. Yes he was in fact in costume, gleefully doing what a boy has to do. Surrounded by a throng of tourists. We are in the tourist trap, which means tourist shops, let’s get a waffle. Check. Oh and a little something for our friend Richard. Check.
Wander through Grand Place and find a place for bier and mussels. What a find. 't Kelderke - down in the basement (cellar) of an old hotel, is a fabulous place to grab lunch. Rounded low ceilings, brick walls and tightly fit tables. Feels that you might actually be dining with the couple at the next table. Gueuze, kriek, mussels and frites. Yummy.
Time to get back at it. More places to go. Back to the top of the city. By way of the Palace of Justice. Amazed by the size of this building. But it is more impressive due to the size than actual architecture.
Church
We wander up to the Royal Palace and walk through the Parc deBruxelles.
Off to the European District. A long and I mean long walk away. Although dead on a Saturday it was still an interesting excursion. It is good to note that this district is also surrounded by pubs, fabulous residences, and trendy restaurants; I guess all diplomats like to live well. It was interesting and alarming to see what was probably a very old and interesting neighborhood, completely destroyed for office space, to earn the tag of European Capital. To see the post modern make up of the European Parliament and Convention Center while strolling through an old square that looks lost and forloan, is both sad and inspirational. Seeing all the flags was amazing. Although it lets us know how little we know. We could not say how many countries were in the EU, what they were, nor identify all the flag. Later we came up with 22 of the 28 nations in the EU.
We stroll back to the hotel, to change and go out for the evening. We stopped by the market with hopes of getting bier or wine for the room. Oddly enough the bier was warm and the red wine was chilled. I think I will stick with some gatorade.
Out for the evening we go. Strolling through the Galleries de Herbert, is a nice change for shopping. Not a Gap, Abercrombie, or Aldo in site. Instead shops to buy hats, umbrellas and hand crafted shoes.
Dinner in a great local gem of a restaurant. Great seafood. We were lucky to get in. Reservation full all night, but if could choose quickly, they sat us right now. On the way back to the hotel we stop for a few chocolates. Delicious.
Although we walked for hours and days, it is fair to say, there is much more to see and do in Brussels. We had a great time, but it is agreed, you could stay a couple more days. We can't, we must move on. Let's review ; waffle, beer, mussels, frites, chocolate. Not a bad day.
