Brussels Abridged Tour with Mom

Mom and I returned from Paris to Brussels via the remarkably quick (1.5 hours) speed train, arriving just in time for an afternoon spinning fix.  Jerel soon joined us from London and together we enjoyed a mellow night in our apartment, serenaded by the cheerful birds in the garden out back. 

After another spinning fix Saturday morning (I couldn’t miss Jonathan’s rendition of ‘man, I feel like a woman’ with his strong French accent), we headed out to explore the nearby Flemish university town of Leuven, often likened to Cambridge.  The only item on our agenda was to check out the gothic Stadhuis and St. Peter’s Cathedral in the main square; otherwise we were content to wander around town, soaking in the atmosphere.  Our most exciting find was the farmer’s market, where the fruits and vegetables were so big, colorful, and plump that they inspired a fruit tasting event.  Based on my random sampling of cherries, blueberries, and blackberries, I and am pleased to report that they tasted as good as they looked. 

Sunday, I donned my tour guide hat for the ‘Brussels: Abridged” tour package (Grand Place and Place du Grand Sablon) with an extra dose of antique shopping (available upon request).  We started with a random walk through the myriad goods spread all over Place Jeu de Balle and proceeded with determined digging in several more selective shops in the area.  It was worth the effort to see the grin on Mom's face when she declared victory and proudly displayed the two new "313" number plates for the outside of her house.  We celebrated with chocolate sampling on the way home (it seems there is always something to celebrate in Brussels) stopping briefly to admire the exquisite delicacies created by Marcolini and Whittamer's choclateries.  We wrapped up the weekend with a quick meal with Jerel before preparing to go our separate ways for the week – mom to The Hague, Jerel to London, and me holding down the fort in Brussels.

For more photos please click here.