Brussels
We had the morning free in Brussels and then went on a tour of Antwerp. Yesterday, when the bus was on its way to drop us back off at the Sheraton, it went right past the Bourse, the stock exchange building at the entrance to the Grand Place––Can you believe that we could have walked easily to the Grand Place on our first day in Brussels rather than getting lost on all those trams? It was about a 20–minute walk and this morning we took it. This photo is of a 19th century French–style building at Place de Brouckere. I have not found any information about how the Coca Cola sign came to be put on top of it.
Brussels
Brussels
On our way to the Grand Place, we passed the Hotel Metropole, one of the great hotels in Brussels. It is quite elegant inside. Its Art Nouveau interior of it dates back to 1894. There is Britt in the photo.
Brussels
Brussels
Another view of the inside of the Hotel Metropole.
Brussels
Brussels
La Bourse, the stock exchange. It dates back to 1873.
Brussels
Brussels
Today was flower market day in the Grand Place.
Brussels
Brussels
This is the top of one of the buildings in the Grand Place: La Maison des Boulangers. It was a showplace built by the guild of bakers, obviously a very weathly guild. The done is from 1676 and it is topped by a golden dancing figure.
Brussels
Brussels
The tops of some of the other guild buildings.
Brussels
Brussels
The famous Manneken Pis. Today we saw him unclothed. When Eddie and I were here, he had on an army uniform. The Legend of Manneken Pis: In the 12th century, the son of a duke was caught urinating against a tree in the midst of a battle and he was commerated in this statue as a symbol of the country’s military courage. There are other legends as well. You may want to check one of the Manneken Pis sites on the Internet. A couple are very interesting. Anyway, this is Brussels’ most famous statue.
Brussels
Brussels
A close–up of Manneken Pis.
Brussels
Brussels
Britt and I went to visit the Manneken Pis Museum at the Grand Place. Here are displayed many of his clothing outfits. He has over 600 of them, including an American Boy Scout uniform and an Elvis costume. You are not allowed to take photos here but when Eddie and I were here I didn’t know this and got off one shot before I was told quite sternly not to and then was followed around by the guards for the rest of our visit at the museum. So here is that unallowed photo.
Brussels
Brussels
Street scene walking back from Manneken Pis to the Grand Place. This was a street that Eddie and I had not been on and one we found had great souvenir shops (seems now to be my weakness), but we didn’t shop here until the next day.
Brussels
Brussels
A Brussels lace maker off the Grand Place. There is a movie clip on this website of this mannequin. Go to Movies, Western Europe, Belgium, “Brussels Lace Maker.”
Brussels
Brussels
Brussels cookie store, also off the Grand Place. Belgian cookies are delicious. Britt bought some cookies here for a present for Chris’ goldfish sitter––an interesting story. Since Chris had gone off to London, for Britt to take the trip to Brussels, she had to find a fish sitter. One of her apartment neighbors took in the fish––named Ralph. Chris had gone previously to a carnival at the Tulieries with a mother and her son. Her son won the goldfish but couldn’t keep it, so Chris adopted it. But since Chris couldn’t take it back to America with him, Britt and Chris’s landlady was going to take it to give to her nephew. It was named Ralph because of the little boy who won the fish had a bad stomach upset at the carnival––this will make sense to some of you. It still doesn’t to me as I am not that up with slang.
Brussels
Antwerp
Britt and I walked back to the Sheraton from the Grand Place as our tour bus to Antwerp was to pick us up at our hotel. Antwerp is in Flanders and Dutch is spoken here. This is our first stop in Antwerp––the Stadhuis or the town hall, built in 1565. It is in Antwerp’s main square, the Grote Markt. Eddie and I didn’t go to Antwerp. We were going to but were too tired out from our trips to Ghent and Bruges and decided instead to spend another day sightseeing in Brussels.
Antwerp
Antwerp
Close–up of the statue in the Grote Markt. It is called the Brabo Fountain and depicts a fearless soldier, Silvius Brabo, believed to be the nephew of Julius Caesar. He is throwing the hand of a mythical giant, Antigonius (or Antigoon), into the River Scheldt. The legend: Antigoon lived in a castle at the time of Julius Caesar and he asked the skipper of the boats passing the River Scheldt for a fee. If they didn’t pay up, he cut off one of their hands. Brado challenged the giant and cut off the giant’s hand and threw it into the river. So, the story is that Antwerp got its name from the legend: a combination of the words ‘hand’ and ‘throwing.’
Antwerp
Antwerp
You can take a carriage ride here.
Antwerp
Antwerp
Some of the guild houses surrounding Grote Markt.
Antwerp
Antwerp
Another square off the Grote Markt.
Antwerp
Antwerp
Sign in front of one of the restaurants in this square. Your guess is as good as mine as to what it is advertising, but it does have something to do with beer (bier).
Antwerp
Antwerp
More buildings in this square. There were many Italian restaurants here––see the sign for the pizzeria.
Antwerp
Antwerp
It’s really raining. At times, there was a good deal of wind along with the rain. My little travel umbrella from Brookstone did not hold up very well (it collasped) and I got wet.
Antwerp
Antwerp
Madonna statue. These date back to the Spanish occupation of Antwerp. People who had Madonna statues on their houses didn’t have to pay the huge taxes that the Spanish demanded as the Spanish were very religious.
Antwerp
Antwerp
Another statue. I don’t know what this is of but I thought it was very interesting.
Antwerp
Antwerp
Our next stop: the Cathedral of Our Lady (Onze Lieve Vrouwe Kathedraal in Dutch). This is the largest Gothic cathedral in Belgium and took two centuries to build––from 1352 to 1521.
Antwerp
Antwerp
This was the most beautiful cathedral that I had been in on my trip––probably one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. I took a movie clip of the interior which is on this website. Go to Movies, Western Europe, Belgium, “Cathedral of Our Lady, Antwerp.”
Antwerp
Antwerp
Inside of the Cathedral of Our Lady.
Antwerp
Antwerp
Inside of the Cathedral of Our Lady.
Antwerp
Antwerp
Inside of the Cathedral of Our Lady. There are three works by Peter Paul Ruebens in the cathedral and I think this is by him.
Antwerp
Antwerp
Inside the Cathedral of Our Lady. I think this is also by Peter Paul Ruebens.
Antwerp
Antwerp
Inside the Cathedral of Our Lady. Madonna and Child. This was truly spectacular.
Antwerp
Antwerp
Another view of the inside of Our Cathedral of Our Lady.
Antwerp
Antwerp
Close up of the Madonna and Child.
Antwerp
Antwerp
Stained glass windows in the Cathedral of Our Lady.
Antwerp
Antwerp
Inside Cathedral of Our Lady.
Antwerp
Antwerp
We only saw this building from across the street and didn’t visit it on our tour. It looks like a castle, but was used as a prison. It was built from the 10th to the 16th centuries. Today it is the Maritime Museum.
Antwerp
Antwerp
Another view of the Maritime Museum.
Antwerp
Antwerp
A building that we passed by on the bus.
Antwerp
Antwerp
Street that we passed by on the bus.
Antwerp
Antwerp
We arrived next at DiamondLAND. Britt and I didn’t find this too interesting and I wish that the tour instead took us to the Rubenshuis, the home of the famous painter Peter Paul Rubens. But Antwerp is the world’s diamond center. Seven out of 10 diamonds are cut in Antwerp. At DiamondLAND, we were given a short lecture on the cutting of diamonds and then were free to look at the display of diamonds for sale. They were too pricey for Britt or me but some of the prices, especially for engagement rings, seemed quite reasonable.
Antwerp
Antwerp
Park of an old bridge (quite a long one) that we saw leaving Antwerp.
Antwerp
Antwerp
Some interesting buildings we saw when leaving Antwerp.
Antwerp
Antwerp
Familiar sight on the outskirts of Antwerp––that’s a McDonald’s. After arriving back in Brussels (raining there also), we ate at a brassiere next to our hotel. Britt had duck and said it was the best duck she has had so far in Europe. You will often have better French food in Belgium than in France. I order a cappucino. In Belgium, this is express with loads of whipped cream on top––delicious. Re: the tours that we took. I wouldn’t recommend them (the company was called the Brussels City Tours) to take unless you are really strapped for time. You need time to really see the cities of Ghent, Bruges, and Antwerp.
