BRUSSELS BELGIUM
We made it to Brussels Belgium. Neither of us had done much homework on Brussels so we arrived without much of a plan or a list of todo’s. Yesterday we spent on the Hop On Hop Off bus driving around the city and hearing bits and pieces of the history, architecture and major tourist areas. Today we spent 3 hours with a tour walking around learning even more.
Following are some of the pictures of what we have seen. The buildings with all the gold accents are the Guildhalls. They date back to the 1700’s. They are part of a square known as Grand Place. Grand Place has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its architectural and artistic styles. I didn’t get a picture of the whole square but it is very beautiful. I was disheartened to learn that the beautiful square was the site where hundreds of people were executed for various reason. Witches and Protestants were burnt at the stake and other outlaws were decapitated. We have walked on several squares like this and it makes me feel like I am somehow disrespecting the people who were treated so cruelly.
The picture of the little child peeing – Manneken Pis - in the fountain is a more fun story. There are many fun stories of why this statue is here but no one knows which one is true. Here is a link to the cute stories - http://theculturetrip.com/europe/belgium/articles/the-legendary-stories-of-manneken-pis/ They also have a tradition of putting clothing on Manneken Pis so many times throughout the year that there is a special committee who decides on the outfits and there is a tailor that his job is to sew up these outfits. When we saw him he was naked. Hopefully later this week I can find him when he has some clothes on.
The rest of the photos are of old buildings we saw around town and a beautiful park in the center of the city. Here is a little taste of the Brussels Belgium we saw. Beth
