Wednesday, August 13, 2003 - Brussels, Belgium What’s up with Europe and pickpocket? This is my third personal encounter with pickpockets through our backpack journey in Europe. Ko Sing drove us to Zaandam Centraal around 7:20am to catch a train to Brussels via Amsterdam. When our 8:23am train finally arrived in Amsterdam Centraal platform, we were boarding the second class passenger car in order: Jason and Ryan stood in front of me, making me an easy target for thieves, as my backpack hanging loosely behind my back without anybody worthy keeping an eye on it. My [View Full Entry]

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Until i came to Europe i never felt the need to climb to the highest point in town. Never been to the highest point in Ridgefield or South Salem, (in Saratoga it is Tower, so i've been there, and in ithaca you ahve to work hard not to climb high points) not that they are stellar examples but it is true. So i climbed the "belfort" (belfry) in both Brugge and Gent, since Amsterdam seems to be the only place i have not climbed to the highest point in town. Belforts have several things in common, like spiral steep stone staircases, [View Full Entry]

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Brussels is a quite nice city. Nice buildings, lots of sights, lots of institutions. Some famous monuments and statues scattered over the city for tourists. Grand Place with surrounding buildings is quite impressive. The Pole Star is not very impressive. Our party has decided to visit this Finnish establishment to have a northern drink and sing a song. It's Sunday. The Pole Star is not opened on Sundays. Our Finnish representative is disappointed, to the extent that a double "Ahhh" echoes in the night upon realizing this offence. Maybe Monday the Finns want to drink. Our party, this time l [View Full Entry]

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I remember the chocolate boobs here too, belgian chocolate = amazing [View Full Entry]

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Grand Place is indeed grand. The main square of Brussels is surrounded by very old, very nice buildings. Only a block away he's standing. Le Maneken Pis. He's very small, only a foot or so tall. Yet his watering in the fountain never ends. What has he been drinking? And why is he so famous? He's so small... If it wasn't for the hoards of tourists stopping by this particular street corner to take a picture of this little marvel, it would easily be missed. But, and sadly enough, it's one of the most famous sights in Brussels, the administrative capital [View Full Entry]

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Day 5 Tuesday Patricia Dorsey Murphy Belgium and Luxemburg Overcast We left about 9:30 and drove from Holland through Belgium. We stopped at the 1958 World's Fair site - took pix. Belgium is very interesting. Ate veal for lunch…drove to war memorial in Bastogne- very nice- talked to school kids and took pix. Drove through lovely fields etc, to Luxemburg Staying in Holiday Inn. Lux is very interesting...Old town low between two high walls used as fortresses in past. Off for Boppard...cruise on Rhine tomorrow. Dianne Dorsey Parker Gilbreath Place: Traveling - Brus [View Full Entry]

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