FUN-travel: Belgium – Namur & Brussels

October 31, 2011 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Belgium – Namur & Brussels 

Day 31 – Friday, October 14 –  Drive to Namur, Belgium – dawn is crisp 40’s – ground fog with same full bright moon shining in the sky – crisp, cool, full on SUN – high 50 +- YEAH!

Citadel

  • depart 12:30 – arrive 1:30 (30 miles)
  • 1st stop – TI for map & ask for best pizza restaurant
  • FUN-food Lunch – La Piadineria Guisseppe – style from Northern Italy – Piadina Campagnola – spicy salami, mozzarella, olives & lettuce (thought I ordered pizza, turns out to be tortilla like bread folded in half) – Assiette Ete – salad w/anchovies, capers/mozzarella, prosciutto, balsamic dressing – Stella Artois – 16 euro & just OK
  • 2nd stop – walk to Citadel – must more impressive than Dinant – closed today but huge area to walk – go to top of hill for majestic views of city

Namur from Citadel

  • FUN-food Dinner –  w/brother Wayne & sister-in-law Lurene – Bliss was our pick but all booked up – go to Le Messages – cheese burger/fries & goat cheese salad – 2 bottles of wine – 114 euro – don’t have credit card swipe capability (they use chip cards) we say “it’s not our problem. Your sign says you take Visa.” they say, “it’s not our problem.” – owner gives us his bank account # for us to deposit

Day 32 – Saturday, October 15 – Train to Brussels – dawn crisp 30’s – same full bright moon shining in the sky – high 50’s & SUNNY – YEAH!

Brussels

  • Depart 9:15 – ice on windshield & no scraper
  • Get to Mary’s 9:30 – get to train station 10:15 for 10:23 train
  • Arrive 11:00
  • 1st stop – TI for map
  • 2nd stop – central plaza – square of beautiful buildings, all different architectural styles including city hall – 16 weddings today
  • FUN-food Lunch – Luna di Venezia – real Italian restaurant (Ernesto is from Sicily) only one on street w/wood burning oven – order marguerita & pepperoni (spicy salami) YUMMY! the best pizza of the whole trip! – Duval beers & 3 pizzas – 74 euro
  • 3rd stop – Cathedral – see high mass wedding taking place
  • 4th stop – Catherine Church – under renovation
  • 5th stop – famous statue “Boy Peeing”
  • 6th stop – Delirium Monasteriummona (I’m not making this up) Bar – beer tasting – 9 different ones

Famous Boy Peeing Statue

  • Return 5:06 – babysit for Mary so she can go out w/girl friends (Laurent is working on oil rig in the North Sea)

FUN-food Dinner – Mary’s fridge & cheese/crackers

Day 33 – Sunday, October 16 – Brussels to London

Chocopolis

  • Depart 11:15 – stop @ Mary’s to say good-bye
  • Arrive airport 1:00 (only takes 30 minutes)
  • Another Hertz hassle – takes 20 minutes for them to fix computer glitch
  • FUN-food Lunch – Starbucks cap/latte – chicken salad & leftovers from week – chips, peanuts, grapes, smoked gouda & salami
  • 3:25 flight – delayed to 4:20

WRTC2BSL – 4 consecutive days of full sun!