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Tower of London

5/31/2015

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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.

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The Tower of London actually is a complex of 22 towers.
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The White Tower was the first one constructed.
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Artist rendition of the White Tower shortly after its completion.
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The main entrance.
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The Yeomen Warders run and protect the Tower of London.
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The Jewel House today houses the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom.
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The State Crown and Orb used during coronations.
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The Mint building stamped out UK coinage.
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While not used very often, the Queen's House is the royal residence when Queen Elizabeth visits. The actual building is currently under renovation and covered by scaffolding.
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Sir Walter Raleigh was held prisoner for six years in this room.
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Torture on the Rack was a common occurrence in the Tower.
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The Scavenger's Daughter was the cruelest form of torture.
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How the Scavenger's Daughter was used.
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King Edward I's bedroom when he resided here.
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King Henry III's throne room.
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London Bridge is just outside the walls of the Tower of London.
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Lamplighters

5/29/2015

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  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.

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John-the-lamplighter maintaining one of the forty gas lamps on the grounds of Westminster Abbey.
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This oldest lamp is over 500 years old. Originally fueled by oil, for the past 200 years gas has been what makes it work.
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Just a few feet away from the oldest lamp, John works on the first one with stained glass panels.
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Westminster Abbey

5/29/2015

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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.

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The West Front of Westminster Abbey with the two towers constructed during the 18th century.
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The High Altar and Cosmati Pavement (i.e. floor).
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Monument to Sir Isaac Newton, whose tomb is in the floor just before this sculpture.
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The RAF chapel with the Battle of Britain Window. Notice the white hexagonal piece in the bottom panel to the left of the Cross. This is the only damage to the stained glass window from the bombings of World War II.
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The South Rose window.
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Henry VII's Lady Chapel. The Coats of Arms of the various families that have attended services here over the centuries are depicted by the banners overhead, as well as small plaques attached to the side seats.
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This is the Coronation Chair on which Monarchs are crowned.
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Originally part of the Abbey in which the monks worshipped, the Quire is now used by the twenty-two boys and twelve Lay Vicars (the name given to the men of the choir) to sing the daily services.
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The Poet's Corner.
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Situated in the west end of the nave, the grave of the Unknown Warrior is covered by a slab of black Belgium marble and contains soil brought back from France in 1920 along with the body of the Unknown.
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Politics

5/27/2015

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  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.

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Preparations for the Queen's procession begin by clearing the streets on which she will travel of all traffic.
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Foreign diplomats-in-residence are invited to attend the Queen's speech.
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Soldiers and sailors arrive to line the streets along the procession route.
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Of course, a band is needed.
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Prince Charles and Camilla arrive just before the Queen.
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Following her speech to parliament, the Queen returns to Buckingham Palace.
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Buckingham Palace

5/27/2015

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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.

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A professional photo of the front of Buckingham palace taken from across the street.
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The official front of the palace with the balcony from which Queen Elizabeth and her family observe ceremonies in the courtyard.
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The main gates display the House of Windsor Coat of Arms.
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Atop the pillars next to the main gates are these elegantly sculptured unicorns.
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The ever present Cold Stream guards protect the grounds and the royal family.
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Queen Elizabeth in her Diamond Jubilee State Coach.
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Every function at the palace has to have a marching band.
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As well as smartly dressed soldiers marching by.
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The Hanoverian Coat of Arms of Kings George IV and William IV.
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This statue of Winged Victory sits just outside the main gate.
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Celebration

5/26/2015

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  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.

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This gentleman gave his all to celebrating this championship season.
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Andrew Jackson's job was crowd management for the parade. He was born in Poland.
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Sompong, Tipapan, Pair, and Pancake. The family is from Thailand and were here visiting Pancake who was a college student in England.
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May and 11 year old Michael seemed to be enjoying the day.
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One of the many souvenir booths along the parade route.
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A large portion of the crowd came to this park along the parade route to watch the big screen television showing highlights of the team's season.
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Steve and his 8 year old son Harry show off some of their loyalty.
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Lila, Jack, and Charley stop long enough to chat briefly with us.
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Trina, John, and 4 year old Coral travel the world following the team.
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The team finally made it to our position with the trophy they just won.
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More team members with their families.
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This gentleman obviously was enjoying the day as much as the crowds, taking our picture as we took his.
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Street venders tried hard to sell their wares.
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Banqueting House

5/24/2015

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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.

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The large hall that was used primarily for elaborate masgues.
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The main entrance into the hall.
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Peter Paul Reubens was commissioned by Charles I to paint the ceiling as a tribute to his father James I.
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At the far end of the hall was the throne for the King to observe the activities happening here.
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One of the side ceiling paintings depicting James I's life, allegorically.
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London

5/24/2015

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  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.

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Our studio apartment is in the center of Fulham only a five minute walk from the underground rail station.
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This typical kitchenette is fully appointed.
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The bathroom includes a shower and a tub.
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Belgium Friends

5/21/2015

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  •        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.
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While in the Botanical Gardens, we met these three teachers from Texas.
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As we explored Brugge, we met Christine and Philip from Chester, England.
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Jack Kuo from Taiwan was in the Basilica of the Sacred Blood when we met him.
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Road Trip

5/19/2015

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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.

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One of the first structures we encountered was the Saint Salvador Cathedral. For the first 800 years, this was just a common parish church. A new bishop was installed following Belgium independence in 1834 and this church was elevated to cathedral status.
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Originally built in 1717 by Jacobus Van Eynde, this organ was rebut three times during the 20th century.
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The shrine of Saint Eligius is dedicated to the patron saint of goldsmiths, coin collectors, and other metal workers.
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Another hallmark of this cathedral are its beautiful stained glass windows.
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Dominating the central square is this 83 meter high belfry. Constructed in three sections, the bottom two were constructed in the 13th century. The top octagonal section took four years to complete (1482 to 1486).
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Situated next to the belfry, the town hall's most notable characteristic is the very ornate Alderman's Chamber, constructed in 1884.
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In one corner of the central square is the Basilica of the Sacred Blood. This was originally built between 1134 and 1157 as a chapel for the residence of the Count of Flanders.
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Allegedly, Joseph of Aremothea collected a sample of "Holy Blood" and brought it to this Basilica. While it has been dated to be over two thousand years old, there is no definitive proof that it is truly Christ's blood.
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Brussels Apartment #2

5/18/2015

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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.

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Overview of the living room/dinning area.
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This bedroom is a little bigger than in our first apartment.
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The kitchenette is just off the living room.
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As in most apartments we have encountered, this bathroom is fairly typical.
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Four year old Alan is the son of our landlords, Caroline and Fabrice.
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Catch Up...Part II

5/16/2015

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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.

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The church of Saint Nicolas is diagonally opposite the Brussels Stock exchange.
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The main altar.
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To the right of the main altar is this side altar dedicated to Saint Nicolas.
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On the left side of the main altar is this altar dedicated to the Holy Virgin. Constructed in 1486. One of the nearby pillars still contains a canon ball fired by the French during the conflict of 1695.
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The reliquary for the "Martyrs of Gorkum".

  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.

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A professional photograph of the Notre Dame de la Chapelle church.
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The main altar. Unfortunately, light coming in through the stained glass windows prevents seeing their full glory.
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Just to the right of the main altar is this niche which was left in its original, unrestored, condition.
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One of the side altars dedicated to Saint Boniface.
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Many of the churches we have visited here have elegantly carved wooden pulpits. This is one of the finest.
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Catch Up...Part I

5/16/2015

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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.

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The Colonne du Congres as viewed from across the street. Reports indicate it was modeled after Trajan's column in Rome.
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The two bronze lions guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers.
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This plaque, one of two at the base, is dedicated to the Belgium dead of World War I.

  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.

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The massive green house with its central rotunda was constructed in 1826. In addition to it serving as a hot house to start the growing process, this structure also serves as a venue for concerts.
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Many beautiful flowers can be found throughout the gardens.
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This impressive hedge maze sits next to the rotunda.
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The statue of the young girl who was saved from drowning in the waters of the pond is the only stone statue in the gardens.
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The flower beds were a sea of colors.

  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.

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Situated next to the church of Notre Dame de la Chapelle, this park is a popular hang out for skateboarders and others.
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A father trying to teach his son the basics.
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Even organized classes on the techniques of skateboarding can be seen here.
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The Chocolate Museum

5/15/2015

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  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.

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The lobby of the museum and the Roman numerals over the fireplace reads "1943"..
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Part of the museum experience is learning how various chocolate candies are made.
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Filling the chocolate shells with cream.
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Some of the old machines used in making chocolate.
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In many of the cocoa plantations throughout the world (such as the Ivory Coast or Venezuela) the beans have to be transported to processing plants by canoes.
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An old advertisement.
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Antique chocolate pitchers.
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Chance Meetings

5/14/2015

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  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;

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Spending just a few days in Belgium from their home in Switzerland, Loraine and Gregory sat next to us in a local restaurant.
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We met Marie and George in Le Grand Place. She is from Romania and he is from Albania and since neither can speak each other's language , they can only communicate with each other by means of English.
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During the Fete De L'Iris, Marc was working a booth about the history of Belgium and took extra time to tell us some interesting facts. He even directed us towards the infrequently opened Order of Royal Crossbowmen's center.
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Several of the booths set up along the street during the Fete de L'Iris were devoted to high school level science projects. Eric is a teacher at Saint Peter's Jette College (high school). He works on a program which introduces to students the experience of weightlessness by means of parabolic flight.
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Sjerp (who looks very similar to one of Lorraine's colleagues, Bob Moore) works for the Bureau of Information at DG Communication (part of the European Parliament).
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Cyrille, Adriana, and five year old twins Andreas and Markus were near the Albertina Square when we encountered them. Adriana is from San Diego and Cyrille is from Belgium.
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Sissi works in a local restaurant and took a liking to us. She really enjoyed speaking with us in French.
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The Rebellious Spirit of Brussels

5/12/2015

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  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.

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Military organizations have donated uniforms for this "little guy".
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Several of the costumes on display, including a cosmonaut uniform from Russia.
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The United States sent an Elvis costume.
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One of the more elaborate costumes made for the statue.
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Obviously from the United Kingdom.
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Many of the costumes are simply hung up or stored flat in drawers.
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This is one sent from Japan.
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Belvue and Coudenberg Museums

5/11/2015

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  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.

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This old picture shows the Brussels Royal Palace just before construction of the Belvue began.
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The elegant,slightly spiral, staircase.
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Portrait of King Leopold I, first King of Belgium.
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Part of the ornate wall borders throughout the building.
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This old radio is part of the museum's collection.

  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.

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Diagram of archeological site in relationship to the Royal Palace.
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One of the many tunnel walkways connecting the various parts of the cellars.
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Looking down onto one of the many storerooms.
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While known as the chapel, this too never served any religious function. Rather it was used as a kitchen and a storeroom.
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Known as Rue Isabella, this walkway was the main connection to the Aula Magna, the main banquet room overhead.
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One of the several stairways leading up to the Aula Magna.
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This much better preserved stairway also led up to the Aula Magna.
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Drawing of the Aula Magna before the 1731 fire destroyed the palace. The large hall was used for both big banquets as well as an audience hall.
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Fete de L'Iris

5/10/2015

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  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.

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One of the several musical performances encountered across the city.
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Even the fountains were decorated.
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Someone let the ostriches out of the zoo in order to participate in the celebrations.
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For the children, face painters were ubiquitous.
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On this special day, the Royal Order of St. George's Crossbowmen opened their doors to visitors.
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Is he out to hunt the ostriches?
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Crossbows at the ready!
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...And no celebration would be complete without a parade.
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Royal Museums of Fine Arts

5/9/2015

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  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.

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The main entrance hall.
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Van de Scholen's 1878 "La Revue des Escoles".
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Art and Liberty by Louis Golbit.
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Banks of the River Oise by Charles-Francois Doubegng.
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Henri Broekeleer's Man in the Window.
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The Promenade by Theo Van Rysselberghe.
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Peter Paul Reuben's Christ and the Adulteress.
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Portrait of Nicolas Von Bambecal by Rembrandt.
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Anton Van Dyck's Portrait of Maria Francesca.
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Eglise Saint Jacques-sur-Coudenberg

5/8/2015

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  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.

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Eglise Saint Jacques-sur-Coudenberg resembles a Greco-Roman temple.
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The simple but elegant main altar.
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On the right side is the altar dedicated to St. John Nepomucene.
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Dedicated to Our Lady of Kindness, displaying the "miraculous" statue of Notre Dame de Bois-Le-Duc (1853), is the left side altar.
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In 1793 this wooden pulpit was constructed.
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All of the children of the royal family were baptized here.
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Brussels City Hall

5/6/2015

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  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.

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Brussels City Hall bordering one side of Le Grand Place.
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The 96 meter tall tower built in 1455.
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This painting of the first king of Brussels, Leopold I, hangs next to the central stairwell.
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This long room resembling a ball-room was actually used by city magistrates to hear (and hopefully resolve) court cases.
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Next to the magistrates room, is this hall which is used for weddings, even today. If the bride-to-be is a citizen of Brussels, the room is available free of charge. The after wedding reception has to be held elsewhere.
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This room is located under the tower.
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Along The Way

5/5/2015

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  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;

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Located in the Place Royale, the Church of St. Jacques sur Couldenberg (built between 1776-1780) became the official church of the Governors of the Hapsburgs Netherlands. Leopold I, became the first king of the Belgians on the front steps in 1831.
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Walking across the square from the previous picture, we came upon these beautiful gardens leading to the Grand Place.
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Nearby was this chapel of the "Madeleine". Originally built by the Saccites monks in the 13th century, it was destroyed by Calvanists in 1580. The church was rebuilt in the1600's.
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The statue of Mary Madeleine.
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Time to enjoy a famous Belgian waffle.
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City hall along the side of the Grand Place.
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This building along, with those in the next three pictures, create the perimeter of the Grand Place.
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Just for our children, this museum on the edge of the Grand Place called to us, and, yes, we did go in!
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...but there was no beer in the barrels.
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Manneken Pis is the quintessential symbol of Brussels. The original bronze statue was created in 1388 but was stolen many times. The current statue was cast in 1619. There are many legends attributed to the symbolism of Manneken Pis, the most popular, which was created at the time of the original casting, states that a little boy named Julianske urinated on a bomb fuse and saved the city. The statue is decorated with clothing several times per year.
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Meet and Greet

5/4/2015

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  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;

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While exploring the De Meeds Sq. park, we met this family from China; Sam (the father), Akriszhang (the mother), Liu ( the grandmother), and five year old Sisi.
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We met Bryan (from Nebraska) and Paola ( from Puerto Rico) in front of the Royal Palace. They currently reside in Germany where Bryan is stationed with the Air Force.
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During one of our explorations around Brussels, we ran into Ian and Chris doing a similar walking tour.
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Visiting from Los Angeles, Dave and Diane graciously stopped to talk with us in La Petite Jardin de la Sablon.
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Belgian Waffles are one of the most popular treats here. Angelique and Serge (from Belgium) certainly seem to be enjoying theirs.
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This family from England came to the Grand Place as part of their week-end trip. Rik is the father, Alex is the mother, Ted is their 11 year old son, Josie is their 9 year old daughter, and Tilly is their 6 year old daughter.
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At the Grand Place information center, Geoffrey and Diana helped us plan out some of the attractions to visit.
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Place de Sablon

5/2/2015

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  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.

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The fountain in the park. Atop the fountain is the statue of counts Egmont and Hoorne who were executed in 1568 nearby for their part in the rebellion against Spanish tyranny.
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See, we were really there!!
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The beautiful flowers of the park.
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The church of Our Blessed Lady of the Sablon across the street from the park.
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The main altar.
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The statue of the Virgin Mary reportedly stolen from Antwerp in the mid-1300's by a peasant woman and brought here to the Crossbowman's guild.
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The baroque wooden pulpit constructed in 1697.
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The backside of the pulpit.
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The 16th century triptych created by Michiel Coxie.
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Cathedral of St.s Michael and Gudula

5/1/2015

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  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.

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Official photograph of the cathedral's exterior.
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Looking from the back towards the main altar.
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The 1699 wooden pulpit.
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This 4300 pipe organ was installed in 2000.
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The 1999 marriage of Crown Prince Philippe to Princess Mathilda occurred in this cathedral.
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The side chapel of Our Lady of Deliverence.
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    Carl and Lorraine  Aveni are two retirees planning on traveling through Europe for at least one year.

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