On our second day in Brussels we visited a number of places that were easy walking distance from our hotel. Though "easy" is a relative term, especially when most of the walking is on cobblestone streets. Needless to say by the end of the trip my legs were actually in great shape from all the exercise. Walking on cobblestones seems to be a great way to tone up a number of leg muscles, including some you never even knew you had. If you don't end up spraining an ankle or injuring your knees.
Our first stop was at the Poechenellekelder, a bar with multicolored bicycles riding up the side of the building. The bar wasn't open yet and we were in that area mainly to see the Manneken Pis - Little Man Peeing statue across the street. You can see that statue in the Brussels Day 2 photo album.
Our next stop was at the Jardin du Mont des Arts, a colorful and relaxing garden in the middle of Brussels.
Next we visited the Royal Palace of Brussels. Although you can visit inside the palace, we didn't take the time to do so that day.
Nearby the Royal Palace is the Parc de Bruxelles, a former royal hunting ground with numerous statues and fountains.
Next up was the St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral, Belgium's national cathedral and location of royal weddings and funerals.
We ended the day with a beer tasting tour which, of course, started back at the Grand Place city square. We visited four different places, with at least two beers at each location. And of course, they were the large branded glasses. You can see more pictures of the various beers in the Brussels Day 2 photo album.
This beer tasting had way too much beer, even for me. And of course, since Elizabeth doesn't really drink, I had to make up for her lack of tasting so we'd get our money's worth. They were mostly very strong Belgian beers as well. Just to give you an idea of how much alcohol this ended up being, about half way through it a few of the other guests who were from Australia, which is not exactly a tea totalling country, left the tour saying it was already too much for them.
By the end of the tour Elizabeth was totally at a loss as to how to get back to the hotel. Luckily I had Google Fi which provides me with cell data almost anywhere in the world. So I, barely able to walk, was able to guide Elizabeth back to our hotel using Google maps while she tried to keep me upright. It was definitely an evening to remember.
Click this link or one of the pictures above to see more pictures in the Brussels Day 2 photo album.
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