So day 5 Ryan and I were going to do Bruges originally, but we decided that we would just do Brussels instead. So our friend gave us a lot of places to see, and told us which metro stops to get off at. So we headed off and got off at the first stop that was near our hotel (Bockstael), and Ryan was like, what are we seeing here? I said, I don’t remember…let’s just see what we find. So we walked out the metro station and there was an outdoor market!! So we walked over to it, and the first thing we see (well actually smell) is this amazing food! We didn’t know where it was coming from, so we followed our noses. We found a little rotisserie chicken shop and oh my goodness, that was the best food ever!!!
We hadn’t had breakfast yet and so we walked around the market and it was so neat. It was mostly middle eastern people who were running the booths and buying things, and it was so neat to see!
And there were lots of fruit stands and such too and I so wish I had bought some because it looked so good!
So after walking around the market and eating chicken, we got back on the metro to go to central Brussels. We got off at the Gare Centraal and started walking around. We first came across this beautiful cathedral, the Cathedral of St. Michael, and I was so excited to see it!
So we went inside, and it was breath-takingly beautiful! I had never been inside a Catholic cathedral and so I was very excited. Ryan was telling me a bit about all the paintings and sculptures and such (since he knows more than I do) and it was neat to hear about what things mean.
After that, we found us the main square and the Grand Place and enjoyed hanging out there.
We went inside a museum that was about the history of Brussels, and that was neat to look at. Afterwards we found us some fries! I had seen a shop with them, and there were tons of people who were ordering from there, so I knew it must be good! We stopped there and had some, and boy they were good! In Europe, they eat their fries with mayonnaise (but not like American mayo) and I’ve fallen in love with eating fries with mayo! Weird I know, but so good!
After going through the museum, we found out about Manneken Pis! So we had to go find him.
After that, we went looking for something else our friend had circled on the map, and as we are walking, we came across a skate park that was packed with people! There was some kind of skateboarding competition going on, so we hung out there for a bit and enjoyed that. It was totally not a tourist area, and that was really neat. I really enjoy hanging out in not tourist areas.
After that, we walked around some more and then found us some Italian food for dinner =] It was good (but now, after having been to Italy, it wasn’t as good). We were tired, so we headed back to our hotel. We had seen people wearing a lot of red as we were walking around, and came to find out it was the day of the Belgium World Cup for soccer, and come to find out, our hotel was directly across from the stadium, and our window faced the stadium!
So we spent time watching the people and listening to them, and then, when it was over, oh man, there were a bajillion people!!!! The streets were just jam packed with people. I took video that I’ll try to put up. And that was Brussels!
Amazing chicken stand!!!
Name of the stand
Ryan demonstrating how to eat said amazing chicken!
Can't you see the goodness?? Everyone needs to go to Brussels just to eat this chicken!
Oh man. So good!!
We hadn’t had breakfast yet and so we walked around the market and it was so neat. It was mostly middle eastern people who were running the booths and buying things, and it was so neat to see!
A small part of the market
Clown walking around the market =]
And there were lots of fruit stands and such too and I so wish I had bought some because it looked so good!
Massive grapes! I know they look normal, but if you look at the apricots, you can see how huge they were!
More delicious looking fruit
There were also a ton of olive stands!
So after walking around the market and eating chicken, we got back on the metro to go to central Brussels. We got off at the Gare Centraal and started walking around. We first came across this beautiful cathedral, the Cathedral of St. Michael, and I was so excited to see it!
Cathedral of St. Michael, Brussels
So we went inside, and it was breath-takingly beautiful! I had never been inside a Catholic cathedral and so I was very excited. Ryan was telling me a bit about all the paintings and sculptures and such (since he knows more than I do) and it was neat to hear about what things mean.
I loved all the stained glass!!
And I loved seeing the candles people lit
I so wish I could have heard the organ played!
I loved seeing the architecture styles that I had studied in Humanities, such as the ceiling of the cathedral!
And of course, the dome
Me at the Grand Place
The town hall maybe? But its a museum now
Ryan and I at the Grand Place =]
Something else at the Grand Palace
We went inside a museum that was about the history of Brussels, and that was neat to look at. Afterwards we found us some fries! I had seen a shop with them, and there were tons of people who were ordering from there, so I knew it must be good! We stopped there and had some, and boy they were good! In Europe, they eat their fries with mayonnaise (but not like American mayo) and I’ve fallen in love with eating fries with mayo! Weird I know, but so good!
Fries!
After going through the museum, we found out about Manneken Pis! So we had to go find him.
Yup, the little peeing statue.
Also, as we were leaving the Grand Place, we saw all these people touching some statue. Thanks to a wonderful friend, I found out it is "a statue of Everard 't Serclaes who protected the city of Brussels from the Flemish a really long time ago...rubbing the arm of the statue is supposed to bring you good luck"
Another one of those awesome finds!
Somewhere in all of this, we came across a neat walking street that has (no joke), 6 H&M's on it, and then we found another neat walking street where I found real, Belgium chocolate.
Where I found my chocolate.
Chocolate =]
It was beautiful. And delicious!
This kid was amazing! Easily the best there!!
This kid was good too. I really liked him
This guy was also amazing!
After that, we walked around some more and then found us some Italian food for dinner =] It was good (but now, after having been to Italy, it wasn’t as good). We were tired, so we headed back to our hotel. We had seen people wearing a lot of red as we were walking around, and came to find out it was the day of the Belgium World Cup for soccer, and come to find out, our hotel was directly across from the stadium, and our window faced the stadium!
See? Lots of red. Turns out both teams were red =]
View from our hotel room at the Stadium
So we spent time watching the people and listening to them, and then, when it was over, oh man, there were a bajillion people!!!! The streets were just jam packed with people. I took video that I’ll try to put up. And that was Brussels!
View of the Atomium from our hotel room
We went to church in Belgium and then took our interpreter to dinner. He took us to see Manneken Pis only he was naked at the time. I heard on NPR about a woman or a club in new york that knits gloves and hats for statues during the winter time. Funny.
ReplyDelete