BELGIUM: SECOND DAY IN BRUSSELS

We spent our last day in Belgium visiting the places outside the city center of Brussels. We bought the metro card 24h (7€€) and we began with the Atomium, located near the metro (stop Heyzel). We arrived after a journey of 30min from Trône station. I had seen many pictures of it but I had no idea it was so large.

These are the places we visited in Brussels this day:

• Atomium
• Japanese Tower
• Chinese Pavilion
• Parc du Cinquantenaire
• European Parliament
• Leopold Park
• Grand Place

Atomium in Brussels

Atomium in Brussels

After taking some pictures with the Atomium in the background, we entered the Laeken Park to visit the Chinese Pavilion and the Japanese Tower. We thought that they were not far away, but they actually were. After walking about 25 minutes we finally got close to these buildings.

Japanese Tower in Brussels

Japanese Tower in Laeken Park in Brussels

Another view of the Japanese Tower in Brussels

Chinese Pavilion

The Chinese Pavilion is located beside the Japanese Tower in Brussels

Detail of the Chinese Pavilion in Brussels

The place was solitary and I still doubt it was worth the time invested to see them, but at least they were beautiful. However that walk helped us to realize how big Laeken park is. There an International Expo was held, the first major international event in Europe after the Second World War. Nevertheless we would have caught the tramway if we had known that there was a stop near (Araucaria).

After the 25min walk back to Heyzel station we went to Parc du Cinquantenaire. From one end of the park there is an arcade, which is accessed from the military museum, from which you can get an overview of the park and nearby buildings of Brussels. It's important to know that this viewpoint is closed from 12am to 1pm. Our last visit of the trip was to the European Parliament and the Leopold Park next to it.

Parc du Cinquantenaire

From this arcade there is an interesting view of the Parc du Cinquantenaire in Brussels

Parc du Cinquantenaire in Brussels from the top of the arcade

Military museum in Brussels

Military museum in Brussels

European Parliament in Brussels

European Parliament in Brussels

Leopold Park in Brussels

Trees in Leopold Park in Brussels

Before catching the train to the airport, we enjoyed a last waffle beside  the Manneken Pis and we walked around the Grand Place, the most beautiful place in Brussels.

Maison du Roi on the Grand Place in Brussels

Another view of the Grand Place in Brussels

Main facade of the City Hall on the Grand Place of Brussels

Hôtel de Ville (City Hall) in Brussels

Waffle with Strawberries we enjoyed on the Grand Place in Brussels before leaving to the airport

Besides Ghent, in Belgium we visited the following places too:

• Day 1 - Brussels
• Day 2 - Ghent
• Day 3 - Bruges
• Day 4 - Brussels

Finally, other countries and cities I have already visited are:

• Barcelona

• Berlin
• Saint Petersburg
• New York and Washington
• London
• Paris

• Dublin in Ireland

• Istanbul and Cappadocia

• Rome and The Vatican
• Florence in Tuscany
• Venice

• Lisboa in Portugal

• Dubrovnik, beaches and coast of Croatia
• Neum, Pocitelj and Mostar in Bosnia Herzegovina

• The Greek Islands and Athens

• Madrid

• Gibraltar
• Andorra

• Helsinki and Lapland in Finland

• Tallinn in Estonia

• Tortuguero, Caribe, Arenal, Monteverde and San José in Costa Rica

• Marrakech in Morocco

BELGIUM: BRUGES

We were lucky and this day was sunny again. At 9 am we took the train and at 10 am we were already in Bruges. Unlike Ghent, the old town of Bruges is closer to the train station (15min) and on the road there are nice places to visit. We enjoyed a lot strolling along canals and among trees with golden leaves. We discovered the park and lake Minnewater and a street full of chocolate shops. This walk ended beside the Church of Our Lady and the Hospital of Saint John.

The first canal we saw in Bruges shortly after leaving the train station

As Ghent, Bruges is a really charming city with many memories of its medieval past. We enjoyed taking pictures in Minnewater park with the golden leaves of the trees in the background, walking through lively squares, along the canals and cobbled streets, sitting down in quiet corners beside the canals, stopping on bridges watching the tourist boats passing and admiring the Burg and Markt squares. Unlike Ghent I enjoyed the beautiful natural surroundings of Bruges, as much as the city itself, or even more.

From there, these are the places we visited:

• Canals of Bruges
• Minnewater Park and Swan Lake
• Chocolateries
• Hospital of Saint John
• Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk (Church of our Lady)
• Gruuthuse Palace
• The most beautiful place in Bruges
• RozenHoedKaai in Bruges
• The most photographied place in Bruges
• Burg Square
• Markt Square
• Belfort Tower

Canals of Bruges

A canal among trees near the train station of Bruges. I really liked the promenade beside this canal under the trees

Minnewater park in Bruges

Golden leaves of a tree in Minnewater Park in Bruges

Walking through Minnewater park in Bruges

Swans in Minnewater park in Bruges

Canal in Bruges from a bridge beside a entrance to the Begijnhof

Chocolateries

Chocolates in the window of a chocolaterie of Katelijnestraat in Bruges

Saint John Hospital

Sint Janshospitaal, or Saint John Hospital, in Bruges

Belfry of Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk (Church of our Lady) in Bruges

Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk

Apse and belfry of Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk (Church of our Lady) in Bruges

Gruuthuse Palace in Bruges

The smallest gothic in the world can be seen on the facade of Gruuthuse Palace in Bruges

The most beautiful place in Bruges

 Beside the apse of Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk and Gruuthuse Palace in Bruges there is a small park from which you can see this canal

It's said that this place is the most beautiful place in Bruges. I think it's a romantic place

Wooden house seen from the small park beside the apse of Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk 

RozenHoedKaai in Bruges

On the right, the RozenHoedKaai in Bruges

Belfort tower in Bruges from RozenHoedKaai. It's said that this is the most photographied place in Bruges

Huidenvettersplein in Bruges

Huidenvettersplein in Bruges

Two lions hold up the coat of arms of the tanners on Huidenvettersplein in Bruges

Blinde Ezel-Straat in Bruges

On the left, Blinde Ezel-Straat leads to Burg square in Bruges

Belfort from Breidelstraat, a street which links Burg Square and Grote Markt

Burg square in Bruges

Stadhuis (city hall) of Bruges in Burg square

Grote Markt in Bruges

Grote Markt in Bruges

Colourful house on Grote Markt in Bruges

Belfort tower on Grote Markt square in Bruges

Belfort tower in Bruges from another point of view

Windows and flags on the facade of the Provincial Court of Bruges

Sint Amandstraat from Grote Markt is a street with a lot of restaurants

At 3am we stopped to eat in a restaurant of Sint Amandstraat next to the Grote Markt. The menu: potage du jour and chicken.

Luckily we had visited all the places we had planned because after leaving the restaurant the day was cloudy. At 5 am we took the train back to Brussels. We bought something to dinner in a Carrefour supermarket and we had dinner quietly in our apartment: tomato and mozzarella salad, tajine of couscous and some fruit.

Besides Ghent, in Belgium we visited the following places too:

• Day 1 - Brussels
• Day 2 - Ghent
• Day 3 - Bruges
• Day 4 - Brussels

Finally, other countries and cities I have already visited are:

• Barcelona

• Berlin
• Saint Petersburg
• New York and Washington
• London
• Paris

• Dublin in Ireland

• Istanbul and Cappadocia

• Rome and The Vatican
• Florence in Tuscany
• Venice

• Lisboa in Portugal

• Dubrovnik, beaches and coast of Croatia
• Neum, Pocitelj and Mostar in Bosnia Herzegovina

• The Greek Islands and Athens

• Madrid

• Gibraltar
• Andorra

• Helsinki and Lapland in Finland

• Tallinn in Estonia

• Tortuguero, Caribe, Arenal, Monteverde and San José in Costa Rica

• Marrakech in Morocco

BELGIUM: GHENT (GAND, GENT)

We bought the train tickets and we are on the train at 9:20am. We arrived at Ghent at 10:00 and got in the Starbucks for breakfast. We enjoyed a Chai Tea Latte Venti and a Muffin.

It was a bit cold but luckily the day was sunny. With the tram at 11am we were in the old town of Ghent. Once in the city center, Ghent is a city really grateful to visit because all the monuments are very close. I really liked the mix of Gothic churches and castles connected by canals and bridges.

These are the places and monuments we visited in Ghent:

• Korenmarkt
• St. Niklaaskerk
• Masons' Guild Hall
• Belfort
• Mammeloker
• St. Baafskathedraal
• Duivelsteen
• Stad Huis (city hall)
• Gravensteen
• Korenlei and Graslei
• Groentenmarkt
• Appelbrugparkje Bridge
• St. Michielskerk and St. Michielsplein

Korenmarkt

View from the entrance door of St. Niklaaskerk in Ghent. On the right begins the Korenmarkt. In this picture, the former post office, which now houses a shopping center

Sint Niklaaskerk

Sint Niklaaskerk, or Saint Nicholas' church, in Ghent

Apse of St. Niklaaskerk in Ghent

Masons' Guild Hall

On the top of the steeped gable of the Masons' Guild Hall in Ghent, six dancers turn merrily with the wind

Mammeloker

Mammeloker beside the Belfort tower in Ghent

Belfort

Belfort tower in Ghent

Belfort Belfry from another point of view

Sint Baafskathedraal

Apse of Sint Baafskathedraal in Ghent

Sint Baafskathedraal, buit in gothic style, in Ghent

The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb was painted by the Van Eyck brothers and you can see it inside the Sint Baafskathedraal

Inside Sint Baafskathedraal in Ghent

Duivelsteen

Duivelsteen, or Castle of Gerald the Devil, beside a canal in Ghent

One of the facades of Geeraard de Duivelsteen in Ghent

Gravensteen

Gravensteen, or Castle of the Counts, in Ghent

Beautiful view of the rear wall of Gravensteen beside the canal in Ghent

Typical cone of fries we ate in Ghent

Kraanlei

Kraanlei in Ghent

Graslei

Graslei beside the Kanaal Gent-Brugge in Ghent

Groentenmarkt

Groentenmarkt square in Ghent

From Groentenmarkt you can walk along the pedestrian and shopping Langemunt street

Sint Michielsplein and Sint Michielskerk

View of Sint Niklaaskerk and the Belfort tower beside Cataloniëstraat from Sint Michielsplein

Sint Michielskerk in Ghent

At 4am we caught the train back to Brussels. After buying the train tickets to Bruges at Gare Centrale for the following day, and the breakfast and dinner in a Carrefour we arrived at the hotel. This time we left at 7pm heading towards the Grand Place to dinner at Chez Leon: potage du jour, avec moules frites and prawn croquettes. After dinner, to the Delirium Tremens to enjoy a deserved beer.

Enjoying a beer in Delirium Tremens bar in Brussels

Grand Place in Brussels lit at night

Besides Ghent, in Belgium we visited the following places too:

Day 1 - Brussels

Day 2 - Ghent

Day 3 - Bruges

Day 4 - Brussels

Finally, other countries and cities I have already visited are:

• Barcelona

• Berlin
• Saint Petersburg
• New York and Washington
• London
• Paris

• Dublin in Ireland

• Istanbul and Cappadocia

• Rome and The Vatican
• Florence in Tuscany
• Venice

• Lisboa in Portugal

• Dubrovnik, beaches and coast of Croatia
• Neum, Pocitelj and Mostar in Bosnia Herzegovina

• The Greek Islands and Athens

• Madrid

• Gibraltar
• Andorra

• Helsinki and Lapland in Finland

• Tallinn in Estonia

• Tortuguero, Caribe, Arenal, Monteverde and San José in Costa Rica

• Marrakech in Morocco