August 11, 2007

The Atomium.	We had a beautiful sunny day, and the Atomium sparkled in the sunshine.  The guide said that it had recently been cleaned and looked awesome.
I liked the look of this street light and got Lou to pose/	An attractive nearby steeple
Gosh, aren't half timbered houses cute?
	Way far away is a fountain with a statue of a guy standing with his feet at shoulder width apart.
Here is a better close up of the guy.
Follow the guy in the yellow hat!	What a nice surprise this is: we captured Truett and Maurene in our crowd picture!  Meeting them was a very special highlight of our vacation.
Oh my, here is the statue of the little girl peeing into the fountain. It was erected in the 1980s when feminists decided that they needed their own statue, since the statue of the little BOY peeing into another fountain was such a famous landmark called "Manneken-Pis"
	These pictures are all of the Grand Place.  It was a medieval market.  The guild houses have ornate Baroque façades.
	Karen spent most of the free hour in a lace shop and a chocolate shop!  Lou spent the time taking many pictures of the square. Then, we wandered off together for a short walk till it was time to rejoin the group and head back to the bus.
While we were wandering, we found the police station and took pictures.

 

Excursion : Best Of Brussels

A visit to the capital of Europe includes a walking tour through the heart of the old town, the magnificent Grand Place. View the ornate Baroque façades adorning the guild houses and then continue past Town Hall and St. Hubert Gallery with its arcade of shops. WHAT YOU VISIT Brussels Old Town - Your guided walking tour takes you to the heart of the Old City, the magnificent Grand Place, once a medieval market and today, the main square. View the ornate Baroque façades adorning the guild houses, and then continue past Town Hall and St. Hubert Gallery with its arcade of shops. Wind down popular Butchers’ Street, home to restaurants and cafés and visit one of Brussels’ most famous sights, the "Manneken-Pis", the bronze statue of a boy whose irreverent spirit epitomizes Brussels. PHOTO OPPORTUNITY Atomium - This huge monument of an iron molecule was erected for the 1958 World’s Fair. SHOPPING Spend time in the historic Old Town shopping for fine Belgian chocolates, exquisite tapestries, Flemish lace and souvenirs. LUNCH Be treated to regional Flemish specialties in a restaurant located near the Grand Place. WHAT YOU SEE ALONG THE WAY From the pier, drive to Brussels; your narrated city tour passes King Boudewijn Stadium, the Centenaire, the Chinese Pavilion, the Japanese Tower and the royal castle of Laeken, the Royal Palace, the European Parliament and the Cinquantenaire. The return trip to Zeebrugge passes the Koekelberg Basilica.

 

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