One of the world's most famous fortresses is the Tower of London (actually a complex of 21 towers). In the 1080's, William the Conqueror invaded London and captured the throne. To solidify his hold on this territory, he founded the Tower of London with its first structure, the White Tower. Londoners were awe struck by this impressive 118 foot long by 106 foot wide by 90 foot high structure. Protected by Roman walls on two sides, its primary function was as a fortress stronghold, and not as a royal residence. Initially, the White Tower served as a storage area for armor and swords. Today, it houses 500 years of royal armor as well as "The Line of Kings" ( i.e. The history of the succession of English kings). The first prisoner arrived here in 1100. During the 1300's, the captured kings of France and Scotland were also kept prisoner here. Five hundred years of prisoner graffiti can be found on the walls of the Bloody Tower. Henry III (who reigned from 1216 to 1272) made extensive renovations to the Tower of London, which included a royal residence for the King in the Wakefield Tower and one for the Queen in the Lanthorn Tower. In the 1500's, Henry VIII broke with the Vatican in Rome and created the Anglican Church. Increasing numbers of religious and political prisoners (including Sir Thomas More and two of Henry's wives) were held here subsequently. Following the commoners' revolt in 1645, Charles I was imprisoned in the Tower and eventually executed in 1649. Oliver Cromwell became Lord Protector in place of the King and proceeded to sell off the Crown Jewels to raise funds for financially strapped country. In the late 1600's, the Tower became home to the Office of Ordanance for the storage of equipment and supplies. The Tower was also home to an English mint for the creation of coinage. A short distance from the mint is the Jewel House, where the "new" Crown Jewels (23,578 gems, including the largest diamond ever found) are kept.

Overseeing the running of the Tower of London are the Yeomen Warders, who started out in 1509 as royal bodyguards. The Yeomen Warders are required to have served at least 22 years in the armed forces with honorable records before this assignment.

  Throughout London's city center, there are 1600 gas lamps, which are maintained by British Gas. Forty of these gas lamps are located on the grounds of Westminster Abbey and are tended to by a devoted team of five lamplighters. We had the pleasure of spending some time with John-the-lamplighter. He was very proud of being a "Guardian of the Lamps".In addition to cleaning and polishing, the lamplighters have to maintain the mechanisms that operate them. Today, these lamps are lit by means of an automatic timer. Prior to this, the lamplighters carried an eight foot brass pole with a pilot light on the end to activate the lamps. In the part of the Abbey known as the Dean's Yard, is the oldest lamp. It is over 500 years old. For the past 200 years, it has been fueled by gas, but prior to that it was an oil lamp. Just a few feet away, at the back entrance to the cloisters, is another unique lamp; the first one that has stained glass panels.

There are many iconic symbols of this great city; Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, the red double-decker buses; just to name a few. Westminster Abbey is one of those iconic symbols. The formal name is "The Collegiate Church of St. Peter at Westminster" ( because of ancient legends stating that St. Peter performed miracles on this site) and it is one of the most important religious buildings in the UK. Also, it is the traditional place for coronations and burials for British monarchs. Documents indicate that the first church was built on this site in the 7th century and coronations of British monarchs have been held here since 1066. Construction of the present building began in 1245 upon the orders of King Henry III. Since the year 1100, sixteen Royal weddings have taken place in Westminster Abbey. The two western towers of the Abbey were built between 1722 and 1745. Part of the whole complex includes the Westminster School located in the Dean's Yard to the right of the main entrance. Since the beginning of the 19th century, Westminster Abbey has been ranked the third seat of learning in England, after Oxford and Cambridge Universities. During World War II, the church suffered minor damage from German attacks on London. Of all the places that we have toured on this trip, Westminister Abbey is by far the most impressive. It acknowledges within its walls every significant achievement of English history, science, literature, medicine, and the succession of monarchs. This should be a "must see" on every travelers bucket list.

  Shortly after the UK holds a general election, a special ceremony, called the "State Opening of Parliament", marks the formal start of the parliamentary year. Tracing its history back to the 16th century, the ceremony begins with the Queen's procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster, escorted by the Household Cavalry. We were fortunate enough to witness this procession. There is a lot of pomp and ceremony associated with this whole event. This is the only "regular" occasion when the sovereign, the House of Lords, and the House of Commons meet. The formal part begins with the"Queen's Speech" during which she outlines the government's agenda. While it is the Queen who makes this speech, it is actually written by the government. By tradition, the Queen presents her speech in the House of Lords Chamber, as she is not allowed in the House of Commons chamber. After the Queen arrives in the House of Lords, a representative is sent to the House of Commons to summon them. Again, tradition dictates that initially the House of Commons ignores the summons, shutting the door to their chamber in the face of the representative. Knocking three times loudly on the door then persuades the members of the House of Commons to show up for the speech.Once the speech has been given, the Queen returns to Buckingham Palace, and the members of parliament begin to debate, for weeks on end, the items presented.

Clearly the most iconic symbol of the United Kingdom is Buckingham Palace, the London residence and principal workspace of the monarchy. This 108 meter long, 120 meter wide, and 24 meter tall structure is the center of state occasions and royal hospitality. Back in the Middle Ages, this site was part of the Manor of Ebury. Over the succeeding years, ownership changed hands several times before it eventually was bequeathed to the monks of Westminster Abbey. King Henry VIII brought it back under royal control in 1536. Even then, however, it was rarely used, until 1703 when it became a large town house of the Duke of Buckingham. At that time, he named it Buckingham House. In 1761, King George III acquired the structure as a private residence for Queen Charlotte, at which time it became known as "The Queen's House". During the early 19th century, the building was enlarged to include three wings around a central courtyard. The building became the official Royal Palace of the Monarchy in 1837 during Queen Victoria's reign. She was the first monarch to live there. Today, Buckingham Palace is open to the public for tours only during late July through September when Queen Elizabeth and her family are away on vacation.

  Fulham (SW London) is home to the 2014 and 2015 Premier League champions, which is the Chelsea football club (European style, aka soccer). The 41 thousand plus seating Stamford Bridge stadium has hosted Chelsea's home games since the founding of the club in 1905 by Gus Mears. Since 1997, the club has won 17 major trophies and has the 5th highest average all-time attendance in English football history. This makes them one of the most widely supported football clubs in the world. Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich has owned the club since 2003.

  Today, as their season ends, Fulham hosted a huge parade for their championship team. Helicopters flying overhead, immense crowds, players and their families riding in large trucks and a lot of loud noise made for an interesting day. This was not unlike what we have experienced in Boston for our champion teams.

During 1529, the mansion belonging to Cardinal Wolsey was taken over by King Henry VIII to create the "...biggest palace in Christendom". King James I commissioned the architect Indigo Jones to construct the banqueting house, which was completed by 1622. This house was not only used for banquets, but also for royal receptions, ceremonies, and masques ( courtly entertainments consisting of music, dancing, singing, and acting on elaborate stage designs). Jones has been greatly influenced by the classic buildings of Italy. Seven years later, Charles I, son of James I, asked the Flemish painter Peter Paul Reubens, who also served as an ambassador, to paint the ceiling as a celebration of the wise rule of James I. He was paid the princely sum of 3000 British Pounds for his efforts. Most of Henry VIII's palace was destroyed in two fires I. 1691 and again in 1698. The only piece remaining was the banqueting hall which was unscathed. Today, this beautiful hall is open to the public for tours.

  We have arrived in London - actually in the town of Fulham, a suburb in the South-west portion of London, and part of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Formerly the seat of the diocese of "Fulham and Gibraltar", it's Fulham Palace(established in 691) served as the official home of the Bishop of London (now serves as a museum). Two European football clubs (read soccer here), Fulham and Chelsea, use this as their home base. Archeological excavations in the area have revealed that Neolithic people were living here by the river (Thames) 5000 years ago. Roman settlements dating from the third and fourth centuries have also been discovered. In addition, there are records to indicated that Danish invaders sailing up the Thames, wintered here. During the 18th century, Fulham became a sort of "Las Vegas retreat" for the wealthy of London. Today it is considered to be one of the most expensive parts of London.

•        As we get ready to wrap up our stay in Belgium, it is time to share with our followers the final list of wonderful folks encountered along the way. Everyone was courteous and easily returned our friendly overtures. Several have advised us on places to visit in their respective countries. We hope to see them again down the line.

Today, we decided to go a bit far afield by taking a 61 mile road trip to the town of Brugge. This largest city and capital of West Flanders is a UNESCO world heritage site. It's name most likely derives from Old Dutch for "bridge. Brugge was fortified in the first century B.C. against marauding pirates. The many canals throughout the city gave it the nickname of "The Venice of the North". Because of its role in the 1600's as the portal for the "Amber Road" (a trade route to the East) Brugge was considered the chief commercial city of the world. The Renaissance architecture was delightful to see. We had a great time visiting Brugge.

This apartment complex is quite different from other apartments we have rented. Due to its proximity to super markets, restaurants, and attractions, it is a much sought after location. For that reason, it became necessary to change apartments after the first two weeks, due to scheduling. Since the new apartment was only a few steps away from our first apartment, this was not a problem. Both apartments have well appointed kitchens. The first one is cozy and has a bedroom loft, whereas in the second apartment, the rooms are side-by-side and is a little larger. Both are equally comfortable. We are very happy we came here.

Eglise de Saint Nicolas. This 1000 year old church is "...surrounded by fine old houses." Not much remains of the original 11th century building as it was heavily damaged by the French bombardment of 1695. In fact, a canon ball fired by the French troops can still be seen in one of the pillars by the side altar dedicated to the Holy Virgin (originally built in 1486). During the religious conflicts between the Catholics and Protestants in 1572, 19 priests were tortured and killed in the Dutch city of Gorinchem (Gorkum). In 1868, the relics of these "Martyrs of Gorkum" were brought to this church for permanent display.

  The church of Notre Dame de la Chapelle. Constructed in 1134 under the orders of Godfrey I of Leuven, this is one of the oldest churches in Brussels. Also damaged by the French bombardment of 1695, this church was restored to its original looks.

We have visited many additional attractions and off beat sites which have not yet been posted to the blog. So let's catch up.

The Colonne du Congres. This 47 meter high column, constructed in 1850, commemorates Belgium's first national parliament. On top of the column is a statue of Belgium's first king, Leopold I. Below that are four allegorical female figures representing the freedoms of the constitution - worship, association, education, and the press. At the base of the column, guarded by two massive bronze lions, is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers of World Wars I and II.

  The Botanical Gardens. A short distance past the Colonne du Congres are the Botanical Gardens. In 1797, the original gardens were constructed on the grounds of the Palais de Lorraine. Today's gardens contain over 18,000 varieties of plants, including medicinal plants, perennials, and shrubs. The Iris garden section, dedicated to the emblem of Brussels (because it grew along the marshy banks of the Senne), contains a small pond with a statue of a young girl saved from drowning in the waters.

  Skate board parks. Skateboarding has become a popular sport here. The city has adjusted to the existence of skateboarding by constructing several parks dedicated to this sport.

  In our never ending endeavor to find attractions that are not on the usual tourism radar, we visited "Choco-Story; the Chocolate Museum". Located just a block away from Le Grand Place, this museum presents the history of chocolate, its introduction into Europe, as well as the process of turning raw cocoa beans into edible treats.

  Throughout Central and South America, the Aztecs, Olmecs, and Maya's began cultivating cocoa trees thousands of years ago. They used the cocoa beans for currency and a bitter beverage. Columbus introduced cocoa into Europe after his fourth voyage to America in 1502. By 1528, Spain had fallen in love with this new treat. Anne of Austria, daughter of Phillipe of Spain, introduced chocolate to France after her marriage to Louis XIII in 1615. By 1635, chocolate was introduced into Belgium. The law in Belgium is that their chocolate has to be made with 100% cocoa butter, and that makes theirs unique.

  Today, 70% of the world's 3.5 million tons of cocoa production comes from West Africa.

  Lorraine and I are continuously amazed at the variety of folks we meet and how willing they are to share time with us. Ranging from weekend travelers, to historians, teachers, and even diplomatic level government employees, these new acquaintances were a great joy to meet. Presented below are the current group of people we have encountered;

  In a previous posting, we had touched upon a 61 centimeter bronze statue, called "Manneken-Pis", being the "...emblem of the rebellious spirit of Brussels". Little did we know just HOW important this statue has become. The original statue, cast in 1388, and fountain became a big factor in the distribution of drinking water to the citizens of Brussels. Multiple legends have been attached to the origins of Manneken-Pis;

  The most famous legend pertains to the Duke Godfrey III of Leuven. Supposedly during a battle with the Berthouts in 1142, Belgium troops put the young 2 year old Duke into a basket and hung it in a tree where they could see him, in the hopes of encouraging them to fight harder. According to this legend, the Duke would urinate out of the basket and upon enemy troops.

  The second most important legend developed out of a 14th century siege of Brussels during which enemy troops planned to set explosives along the city walls. Supposedly, a little boy named Julianske saw what was transpiring and urinated on the fuse of the bomb, thus saving the city.

  Over the years, the statue has been stolen several times by various pranksters. The current statue, designed by Hieronymus Duquesnoy, has been on display since 1618. It even survived the bombardment of Brussels in 1695. Many copies of the statue have been made and displayed from Japan to Rio De Janeiro. Several times each week, and during big events, the statue is dressed in costumes by members of the Friends of Manneken-Pis voluntary organization. The Museum of the City of Brussels has a floor devoted to this little statue and houses the 900 costumes donated from countries and trade organizations around the world.

  Connected to the Royal Palace, the Belvue museum depicts the national history of Belgium from 1830 until the present time, as well as images of the six Belgium monarchs (king Leopoldo I to King Baudouin).

  The Kingdom of Belgium was founded over two hundred years ago. In 1776, Hapsburg Empress Maria-Theresa authorized the construction of a high standard hotel next to the Brussels Royal Palace and on top of the remnants of the old Brussels Palace that had been destroyed by the great 1731 fire. Wine merchant Philip de Proft received the Empress's contract and named the building Belle-Vue after the street that ran along side of it. Members of the French Royal family, seeking refuge from the 1789 revolution, were the first guests. Since then, many foreign delegations representing almost every court in Europe, have stayed here. During the 1830 Revolution for Belgium Independence, the Belvue was right in the middle of the action. It's facade became riddled with bullet holes. Restoration of the building took a year to complete. King Leopold II, in 1905, turned the Belvue into a royal residence for his youngest daughter, Princess Clementine. She resided there until 1910. While still a crown prince, the future King Leopold III resided here from 1926 to 1930. The Red Cross then took over the building in 1934 and used it to house flood victims and refugees until 1977, when the Belvue was turned into a museum.

  Below the Belvue museum is an archeological site containing remnants of the cellers of the Brussels Palace of Hapsburg Emperor Charles V. During the 12th century, this was just a small fortified castle. Charles V transformed it into a sumptuous palace. Unfortunately, that palace was destroyed by a great fire in 1731. The ruins were demolished and the ground leveled for construction of a new palace. However, the original cellars of the old palace remained and are now an archeological site, open to the public.

  Mothers are always special, so we honor them with their very own special day. We would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our followers who are mothers, the very happiest of Mother's Day.

  This Mother's Day also happens to fall on the same weekend that Brussels celebrates the Iris Festival (Fete de L'Iris). Ever since the federalization of Belgium in 1989, Brussels has held this festival to commemorate the region's official emblem. In over 30 different locations throughout the city, this annual get-together includes street parties, concerts, and a food truck festival.

  Situated around the corner from the Royal Palace and across the square from Eglise Sainte Jacques-sur-Caudenberg, are the Royal Museums of Fine Arts. Consisting of three separate museums within the same building, the more than 20,000 items are dedicated to sculptures, drawings, and paintings from the 15th century up to the present. King Leopold II funded the organization of the museum and it opened in 1887. The three separate museums making up this collection are;

  Museum of Old Masters - a fine collection of Flemish artisans;

  Museum of Fin de Siècle - 1865 art from the Free Society of Fine Art;

  Museum Margritte - a rich collection of surrealistic art.

On the side of the building is a memorial dedicated to five members of the Belgium resistance, known as the National Royalist Movement, who were killed during the liberation of Brussels in 1944.

  Looking like a Greco-Roman temple, the Eglise Saint Jacques-sur-Coudenberg sits on the edge of Place Royale. Originally a medieval abbey-church stood on this spot until it was demolished upon the orders of Charles Alexander of Lorraine. The new abbey and church was constructed between 1775-1776 and became the official church of of the Governors of the Hapsburgs Netherlands. During the French occupation of Belgium, the church was turned into a Temple of Reason and later into a Temple of Law. In 1802, it was returned to the control of the Catholic community. Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha became the first king of Belgium, Leopold I, on the church's front steps in 1831.

  One of the most iconic landmarks in Brussels is the gothic city hall that borders part of Le Grand Place. Actually, the structure was constructed in segments, with the L-shaped East wing being the oldest (built between 1402 and 1421). The next two segments were completed in 1444 and 1452. The 96 meter tall tower was added in 1455, topped with a 5 meter tall, gilded, statue of Michael the Archangel (the patron saint of Brussels) slaying a dragon. Legend has it that the dragon symbolized disease which folks believed was carried by the wind. As a result, Michael is pivoted to swing his sword into the wind in order to stop any disease from entering the city. In 1695, as the French attacked Brussels, city hall was totally destroyed by a fire. The set of buildings was quickly rebuilt to resemble the original structures.

  Unbeknownst to us, the May Day celebration apparently extended into a four day weekend. So not many of the tourist attractions were open. Not to be daunted, we made the best of the situation by wandering around to see what could be found. Amazingly, Lori and I discovered some pretty interesting sites, as attested to by the following pictures;

  One of our great pleasures during this adventure has been meeting and talking with folks from all over the world. The following are the wonderful people we have met while in Brussels;

  Approximately 25 years ago, our son, Carl, spent his junior year abroad at the American University in Brussels. He often talked about spending sunny days sitting in a cute little park called "Le Petite Jardin du Sablon" next to the church of Our Blessed Lady of the Sablon. A quarter century later, we were able to rediscover this park. In the 1200's, this land was an unused open area outside of the city walls and was covered by fine-grained sand known as "Sablon". In 1304, the Crossbowman's guild acquired the land and by 1318 had erected a small chapel dedicated to "Our Lady". According to legend, thirty years later a peasant woman brought to this chapel a miraculous statue of the Virgin Mary that she had stolen from Antwerp. The Virgin Mary became the patron saint of the guild. In the 15 th century, that chapel became the church of Our Blessed Lady of Sablon. Over the succeeding years, many of the buildings that had been next to the church were razed and the park was created.

  As we continued on our May 1st. exploratory journey, we came upon the Cathedral of Saints Michael and Gudula (patron saints of the city of Brussels) on Trurenberg Hill. Somewhere around the 9th century, a chapel was first built here. Two hundred years later, this was replaced by a Romanesque church. Reports indicate that it took approximately 300 years to complete the construction of this cathedral. The two towers of the cathedral measure 210 feet high and the south tower contains a 49-bell carillon, on which Sunday concerts are performed. The gothic choir holds the mausoleums of the Dukes of Brabant, as well as that of Archduke Ernest of Austria. On either side of the main aisle are 17th century statues of the twelve apostles attached to columns. A distinctive feature on the right side is the 1699 baroque wooden pulpit depicting Adam and Eve being thrown out of the Garden of Eden on the base, and on the top, the Virgin and Child piercing the serpent (representing redemption). In 1962, this church was given Cathedral status, making it a co-cathedral of the Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels. The Royal marriage of Belgian Crown Prince Philipe and Princess Mathilda took place in this cathedral in 1999.