Brussels

Today, our last day in Brussels, I was going to take Britt on a walking tour of some of the areas in Brussels that Eddie and I liked so much. However, we woke up to heavy rain with strong wind gusts, so, instead, took a taxi to the Musee Royaux des Beaux–Arts and we spent the morning there. The museum has the finest collection of Flemish art in the world and many Old Masters including those of Ruebens and van Dyck. We enjoyed the Old Masters and then went to the modern section of the museum, where the art was way too modern for our tastes. No photos were allowed inside the museum. We ate lunch at the museum’s cafeteria and then noticed that the rain was just a drizzle now, so we left to explore more of Brussels. Right down the street was Notre–Dame du Sablon, one of the finest examples of Brabant Gothic architecture in Belgium.

Brussels

Another view of the church. It is undergoing cleaning. When Eddie and I saw this church last year, it was very dark brown. The church was started in the 1400s but wasn’t completed until 1550.

Brussels

Inside the Notre–Dame du Salon.

Brussels

Inside the Notre–Dame du Sablon.

Brussels

Inside the Notre–Dame du Sablon.

Brussels

Inside the Notre–Dame du Sablon.

Brussels

Inside the Notre–Dame du Sablon.

Brussels

Place du Petit Sablon. The park is across the street from Notre–Dame du Sablon. The park was laid out in 1890. There are 48 bronze statues on the railing to the garden, each one representing a different medieval guild of the city.

This garden fountain commenorates Counts Egmont and Hornes, who were martyrs who led an uprising against Philip II of Spain. They were beheaded in the Grand Place in 1568.

Brussels

There are 12 more statues surrounding the garden depicting 15th and 16th century figures. The photo is of one of these statues.

Brussels

More of the statues.

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Guild workers statues.

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Close–up of another of the guild worker statues.

Brussels

Close–up of another of the guild worker statues.

Brussels

Place du Grand Salon. The museum, church, and park were located in the Upper Town, so now we needed to walk down to the Lower Town. We started our walk through the Place du Grand Salon.

Brussels

Walking down to the Lower Town.

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Still walking down to the Lower Town.

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Farther on our walk. I loved this walk––Eddie and I took it often.

Brussels

Still walking––there’s Britt.

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And still walking.

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We definitely have reached the Lower Town as we can see the spire of the Hotel de Ville in the Grand Place.

Brussels

We made it to the Grand Place––you never get tired of being here. We next hit the souvenir stores off one of the streets of the Grand Place––the ones that we saw yesterday and bought some gifts to take home.

Brussels

Time to start walking back to our hotel. Notice the building with the leopard spots.

Brussels

Another street scene on our walk. This one shows one of the many comic strip walls that you find throughout Brussels (comic strip art is part of the Belgium culture). There is a comic strip walk that you can take to see all 18 of the walls.

Brussels

Close–up of the comic strip wall.

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Another comic strip wall.

Close–up of the comic strip wall. On our way back to the Sheraton, we stopped at three places––at the Leonidas Belgium chocolate store, at the Metropole Hotel sidewalk cafe for coffee (we felt very elegant being here), and at an English language bookstore. I bought some Leonidas candy for my sister but didn’t taste any. When I got home, I found that Leonidas opened up a branch of their store in Pasadena’s Old Town (and also one in Santa Monica). So, before I would recommend this candy to you, I knew I should try some myself. It is excellent––try the liquid filled ones. But the candy is three times more expensive here than in Brussels––about $1.00 for a little piece. Their jellies are also excellent. I was surpised at the very large collection of English language books were at the bookstore––there must be a great demand for English language books in Brussels. One book I bought was a Culture Shock series one on Belgium. A very good book to read if you are going to Belgium even though the book is geared to people who are going to live here. I found that the little squares of chocolate (Godiva) that you are served with your coffee is Brussels are not presents but are for dipping in your coffee––I read this when I got home. From the Sheraton, we took a cab to the Midi Station and then took the Thalys back to Paris.