Day 12--Brugge to Bruxelles

We started the day in Bruges with a morning canal cruise.

Bruges

(These two were taken while we were waiting to board the boat)

Unfortunately, it was a bit overcast, but that seemed to happen a lot on this trip.  At least it wasn't raining!  

(I ended up over corrected this picture, but I actually think it looks cooler, like a painting)

  

Time for a waffle breakfast!

(Mine was topped with banana, chocolate, and whipped cream) 

 Next we checked out of our favorite hotel and took a taxi to the train station. We caught a train to Brussels and, an hour later, there we were. 

Brussels

 A short walk downhill to the hotel, drop off our bags in our room (sadly, much smaller and not quaint at all).  But the location was terrific, just off Agora Square.

We started with one of Rick Steves' walks of Brussels, first in the lower town. The walk began in the Grand Place, named one of the prettiest squares in Europe.  

(Town Hall)

I loved it, and have pictures of it at all different times of day (hey, it looked different each time!) that I'm sure I will end up sharing.

Next up a shopping mall built in 1847,the Galeries Royales St. Hubert, 

with some chocolate browsing. 

We broke from the walk and went up to see the Cathedral of St. Michael,

where royals marry, have funerals, etc. Very pretty.

(I do love carved pulpits)

Next we wandered to one of the town's peeing statutes (we found three, the first was this little girl). 

A break for lunch, a quiche with mushrooms, ham, onions. 

Back to the walk, which involved us backtracking a bit.

(the Bourse)

(Peeing statue #2, dog)

Backtracking again, this time to the Grand Place again this time going past it in the opposite direction, 

(The peeing statue--Manneken-pis)

(Yes, this many people were gathered around to see it.  It is often dressed in funny outfits--but of course, not when we were there)

 Next we started the Upper city walk, of the higher part of town. 

(Palais Royale--side view)

(view back down the hill--Town Hall's spire in the distance--where we just were at the bottom)

(Entrance to Parc de Bruxelles)

 We saw the Palace Royal from a different side. 

(Front of the Palais Royale (I think))

We continued with the walk

(I think this was at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts--we'll return here another day)

and walked past closed shops and churches (and another park)

(Notre-Dame du Sablon Church)

(Place du Petit Sablon)

to see the palais de Justice. The Nazis burned the building--now it is structurally compromised and under permanent scaffolding.

We finish the walk and wandered back down the hill. 

(Tour d'Angle--a remaining section of Brussel's medieval town wall)

We stopped for dinner on the Grand Place.

(I had rabbit in a lambic beer gravy with a cherry lambic beer)

We walked out onto a pretty sunset.

We had to get something for a nighttime snack, of course.

We went back to the square after dark, but this was not the prettiest we saw it, so I'll just share a couple of pictures from this night.