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We arrived in Brussels around 5 last night, as I recall. We met our hostess at a pub near her apartment. She was very gracious to put up with us for two nights! She marked a map for us and gave us a full day's sightseeing itinerary. Our first stop was the massive Palace of Justice. We didn't go in, but we were able to appreciate the larger-than-life proportions of the structure from the outside.
We took our pictures with the famous Manneken Pis (the Pissing Boy). Next we went to the spectacular Grand Place. After lunch, we saw the city museum, which was a bargain for only €2,50. Here we were able to view, among other interesting items, the full wardrobe of Manneken Pis. We went to the cathedral and noticed that the Belgians like particularly elaborate pulpits in their churches. This one was complete with trees, Adam and Eve, and Our Lady on top of the canopy.
The Atomium, built for the 1958 World's Fair, is unique, in a word. I've never seen such a thing! It just reopened to the public two years ago. On the grounds are also some impressive buildings constructed for the Expo,
and something called the Pavilion of Temporary Happiness. Sounds brutally realistic, huh? This was followed by a visit to the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Koekelberg, which is the sixth largest church in the world, and the largest building in Art Deco style in the world. The proportions are overwhelming. I couldn't get over the size of the sanctuary (i.e., the chancel or sanctuary proper, as distinct from the nave or body of the church).
We saw the exterior of the royal palace and walked through the park across the street. Unfortunately, my batteries gave out right after taking a picture of Constantin next to the monument to King Leopold II. I was unable to find the right kind of batteries until we got back to Germany. We had a delightful Indian dinner before meeting back up with our hostess and her friends. This was probably the busiest day of the whole trip. It was great, but I was glad to get to bed!
Patrick
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