Beautiful Brussels

After returning to Paris from Rome, Bob and I continued our European travels together, and as usual, combining a little work for him with a lot of pleasure for me!  But first, I have to say Merci beaucoup to Stephanie, Ben and their family for providing me such a wonderful vacation!  I never dreamed I would be able to do and see so many fun things on one trip to Europe.  Bob deserves a shout out as well, because he makes this all possible, and finishing out my vacation with him was the icing on my cake - or even better, the cream in my meringue.  He was taking me to Brussels, Belgium; Recklinhouser, Germany; and Luxembourg!

We attended church with our family in Paris, on Sunday, May 13, 2018, and then drove to Brussels where we would spend the next two nights.  To be honest, driving into Brussels, I thought it was dirty, drab, and overrun with cranes hovering over old buildings along with extensive annoying road construction projects.  Finding the hotel was difficult and the surroundings didn't seem that promising.  But my perceptions of Brussels totally changed when we stepped out of our hotel into the glitzy, glamorous Grand Place (central square). A work associate and his wife took us on a brief walking tour of the old town followed by dinner at a quaint high-grade farm to table restaurant.  Oh, such delicious melt-in-your-mouth cheeses, breads and veggies!  We had a lovely unique room in the Marriott Grand Place which overlooked the Grand Place, another UNESCO World Heritage site.

Not so lovely (albeit colorful) first impression of Brussels.

However, it was walking back to the hotel with lights aglow throughout the city, that really solidified the enchanting nature of this medieval town.

Over the next day and a half, Brussels seemed to come alive for me, and bloomed with color and character everywhere I turned, from Central Place . . .

. . . to bakeries, Belgium waffles, chocolatiers, and confectionery cafes . . .

 (I fell in love with the shaved chocolate covered, cream filled meringues!)

 . . . to cartoon character painted buildings . . .

(after-all, Brussels is the birthplace of the cartoon strip!)

 . . . and to unique gift shops . . .

Brussels blooms with color!

 

 Majestic cathedrals and churches dotted the area . . . 

 

 . . . along with stately buildings, gardens and statuary.

But no visit to Brussels would be complete without seeking out "Manneken Pis"!  This small (2 1/2 feet in height) statue depicting a naked little boy urinating into a fountain basin is the best known symbol of Brussels.  It represents their sense of humor and independent mind.  And, yes, I found a silver charm of the little boy to add to my collection.  A female version, "Jeanneke Pis", which I found less to my liking, can also be discovered (as well as a dog statue - Zinneke Pis)!

 

 If not for the charming architecture and playful vibe, visit Brussels for the chocolates and confectioneries. You won't be disappointed!