Second stop on my trip was Belgium. I was in Brussels, and I took a day trip to Bruges. Both were beautiful! I did a lot of sightseeing on my own, but there isnt tons to do in Brussels, so Bruges was a great idea. And it was gorgeous! Bruges was like a fairy tale, it was ridiculously idyllic. In Belgium, they speak French, and I got to use my meager French skills a lot. More than I expected, really. I even gave directions IN FRENCH! I was very surprised I could do it, to be honest. But happy!
Brussels!
Mannekin Pis, famous for exactly what it sounds like. Sometimes they dress him up in little outfits, but I got to see him au natural
Part of Grand Place, the major square in Brussels. Each side of the square was so pretty, but Ill only put up one picture. Take my word for it!
In Brussels, of course I ate waffles, frites, and drank some great beer. I didnt each much else, in fact. All of the food there was so expensive! Im talking like 30+ euros for a meal at a sit down restaurant. Non merci!
In Brussels, I did all of my sightseeing by myself. I saw the Palais de Justice, Parc de Cinqantenaire, other parks, explored the little streets full of restaurants around Grand Place, went to the cathedral, and the European Quarter. Brussels is of course the headquarters of the EU and NATO, so there are a ton of non-Belgian europeans there making a living. They are lovingly called “eurocrats.” It was a pretty cool atmosphere in Brussels, like no one was from there originally, but everyone loved it anyway.
EU Parliament room. Thrilling! The coolest part was everyone waiting for the tour to start, all posing with the respective flags and adjusting the language on their headphones. I think I may have been the only American. I felt left out-no flag to get a picture with!
Then I went to Bruges. I didnt know much about it beforehand, other than they made a movie set in Bruges, called-what else-In Bruges, with Colin Farrell, which I watched when I got back. But it was great! Just a little town, sort of filled with tourists, because its so small, there isnt much room for the tourists to spread out. Canals, swans, gothic buildings, little chocolateries. It was great. I touched the blood of Christ! How could I not mention that? There is a little church that claims to have a vial with three drops of Christ’s blood, which someone got during the Crusades. My first relic, and of Christ himself! Rumor has it that the dried blood turns back to liquid in troubling times.
Bruges
Flowers in this psuedo-nunnery
This priests job is to polish the little vial with the blood after every person touches it
Spring break Part 2 was very successful. Lots of fun!
