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Published: June 14th 2017
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Geo: 50.8371, 4.36761
Let me start by saying that Brisbane, and the Goldicott Opera night, were in my thoughts all day – hoping that the workload wasn't too heavy and that a great night was had by all!
Steven and I really didn't have any expectations about what to see in Brussels – last time we went to Bruges, we didn't get off the train at Brussels. I think we made a mistake – it is lovely! After breakfasting on fresh croissants (thanks Jonathon, who ducked off to buy them), we went to the Grand Place and the beautiful square around it – a wedding was taking place (of a Muslim bride) and the mayor and attendants were dressed in costume on the balcony. Miranda says their civil ceremony will be similar, though not at the main hall as they are living in a different commune. We also saw the Manneken Pis, which allegedly remembers a little boy who wee'd on a fire and saved Brussels (as Miranda says, the flaw in this fable is that the town is made of stone!) – the Manneken has 800 costumes, and we saw him wearing the French Foreign Legion uniform. Choc dipped strawberries and tacky
souvenirs were next on the menu, before a walk through the old town to an English language bookshop – Steven wanted to buy the boys (and G, if she is interested) a Tintin book from Belgium, and as Matt screams when we try to listen to the Harry Potter audio book I brought with us, I've bought a Harry Potter for the big kids to read (couldn't find my copy at home to bring with us!) Then off to a famous Belgian beer hall, where the beer is called Sudden Death (A Mort Subite) – Steven's beer, which was the “specialty” was sold to him as a bit warm and a bit sour. I don't think it is a craze that will take off in Australia! But I had a Framboise beer (raspberry flavoured) and whilst I wouldn't be game to order it in a pub, it was very nice. Kids have discovered European orangina, which is like a cross between Fanta and OJ – very nice!
The seven of us, and Drama the dog (she's a sheltie, or miniature Lassie dog) piled back into the car (Steven jokes that he can hear the circus music every time we get into
the car!) and off to a nearby castle (15th century) where there was a floral display. It was absolutely beautiful, and be warned – I have taken 200 photos of tulips, hyacinths, daffodils and other spring flowers! The day was absolutely perfect blue, with not a cloud In the sky – apparently, this is not the normal weather for Brussels, but we certainly enjoyed it! We walked around for a while, and realized that we should have brought a picnic for lunch – instead, we loaded back into the car and went to the nearby Atomium, where we found a frites stall for a fast and delicious (if not exactly nutritious) late lunch.
We then went up the Atomium – built when Brussels hosted the World Expo in 1958 (the first after the war), it is an enormous model of an iron atom. Inside is an interesting exhibition on life in 1958 in Brussels, but the best thing about it was the views and being in such a cool (weird) shaped building. Lots of great photos, again.
Home for a BBQ to take advantage of the beautiful weather, although Miranda and Jonathon are renovating their garden this week so it was out
of action. Another late night for the grownups talking rubbish till the early hours!
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Siobhan Healy
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Great shot!