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viernes, 31 de octubre de 2014

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



Korenmarkt in Ghent
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 in Ghent
Sint Niklaaskerk, or Saint Nicholas' church, in Ghent


Sint Niklaaskerk in Ghent
Apse of St. Niklaaskerk in Ghent



Masons' Guild Hall


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


Mammeloker



Mammeloker in Ghent
Mammeloker beside the Belfort tower in Ghent



Belfort



Belfort tower in Ghent
Belfort tower in Ghent



Belfort Belfry in Ghent
Belfort Belfry from another point of view



Sint Baafskathedraal



Sint Baafskathedraal in Ghent
Apse of Sint Baafskathedraal in Ghent


Sint Baafskathedraal in Ghent
Sint Baafskathedraal, buit in gothic style, in Ghent


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



Sint Baafskathedraal in Ghent
Inside Sint Baafskathedraal in Ghent


Duivelsteen




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


Geeraard de Duivelsteen
One of the facades of Geeraard de Duivelsteen in Ghent


Gravensteen




Gravensteen in Ghent
Gravensteen, or Castle of the Counts, in Ghent


Gravensteen 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
Kraanlei in Ghent


Graslei




Graslei in Ghent
Graslei beside the Kanaal Gent-Brugge in Ghent


Groentenmarkt




Groentenmarkt square in Ghent
Groentenmarkt square in Ghent



Shopping Street in Ghent
From Groentenmarkt you can walk along the pedestrian and shopping Langemunt street




Sint Michielsplein and Sint Michielskerk



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



Sint Michielskerk in Ghent
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.



Delirium Tremens bar in Brussels
Enjoying a beer in Delirium Tremens bar in Brussels


Grand Place 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:


    jueves, 30 de octubre de 2014

    BELGIUM: FIRST DAY IN BRUSSELS



    We landed in Brussels at 9:15 am. We arrived at the airport train station after walking 30 minutes. After waiting 10 minutes and a 15 minute train journey we arrived at La Gare Centrale. After a 20 minute walk a bit uncomfortable (suitcase, stairs) we arrived at our Aparthotel located between the Royal Palace and the European Parliament in an office area of the city.


    In Brussels we visited the following places:


    Day 1: Brussels (Brussel - Bruxelles)



    • Manneken Pis + Waffle 1€
    • Comic Route

    • Grand Place (Grote Markt)
      • Hôtel de Ville (Stadhuis)
      • Maison du Roi

    • La Bourse de Bruxelles
    • Place and Église de Sainte Catherine (Noordzee Restaurant)
    • Theatre Royal de la Monnaie
    • Galleries de Saint Hubert
    • Rue des Bouchers, Jeanneke Pis and Delirium Café
    • Cathedral of St. Michiel et St. Gudule
    • Église du Sablon and Petit Sablon
    • Palace Royal


    In the fourth day of our trip in Belgium we also visited in Brussels:


    • Atomium
    • Chinese Pavilion and Japanese Tower in Laeken Park
    • Parc du Cinquantenaire
    • European Parliament and Leopold Park

    We left our luggage at the hotel around 11 am and we went right to the city center, where we arrived shortly before 11:30 am. We spent the morning visiting the Grand Place and the surrounding streets, as well as the Manneken Pis.


    Day 1


    Brussels in Belgium
    One of the cobbled streets  near the Grand Place of Brussels




    Comic Route


    Comic Route in Brussels
    A exemple of the Comic Route in Brussels: Tintin and Haddock Captain painted near the Manneken Pis

    Manneken Pis


    Manneken Pis in Brussels
    There are always a lot of people near the Manneken Pis in Brussels


    Manneken Pis in Brussels
    A closer view of Manneken Pis in Brussels


    Grand Place in Brussels



    City Hall of Brussels
    Main facade of the City Hall of Brussels



    Grand Place in Brussels
    Grand Place and Hôtel de Ville (city hall) in Brussels




    Maison du Roi on the Grand Place in Brussels
    Maison du Roi on the Grand Place in Brussels


    Maison du Roi on the Grand Place in Brussels
    Flowers on the Grand Place and, behind, La Maison du Roi


    Maison du Roi in Brussels
    Belgian flag on the facade of  La Maison du Roi on the Grand Place of Brussels



    The day was gray, cold and even began to sparkle. From the Grand Place we went to Place Sainte Catherine. On the way we see the Jeanneken Pis and La Bourse. We had lunch in the same place in the fast food restaurant North Sea a delicious soup of the day and a crab burger.


    La Bourse de Bruxelles



    Bourse de Bruxelles
    La Bourse de Bruxelles (Stock Exchange building in Brussels)


    Église de Sainte Catherine


    Église de Sainte Catherine in Brussels
    Église de Sainte Catherine in Brussels


    Sainte Catherine Square in Brussels
    Sainte Catherine Square in Brussels. We had lunch in Noordzee restaurant



    After having lunch we continue our journey to the Cathedral of St. Gudule et St. Michiel. Fortunately the day became lovely and it was a very pleasant sun.


    Theatre Royal de la Monnaie



    Theatre Royal de la Monnaie
    Theatre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels





    Old town of Brussels
    Pedestrian street near the Grand Place in Brussels



    Delirium Café


    Delirium Café in Brussels
    At the end of this backstreet you can see the Jeanneke Pis and enjoy a beer in Delirium Café


    Jeanneke Pis


    Jeanneke Pis in Brussels
    Jeanneke Pis in Brussels


    Galleries Saint Hubert



    Galleries Saint Hubert in Brussels
    Galleries Saint Hubert in Brussels



    Cathedral of Brussels



    Cathedral of  Brussels
    Cathedrale des Saints Michiel et Gudule in Brussels


    Inside the Cathedral of Brussels
    Inside the Cathedral of Brussels


    Cathedral of  Brussels
    Stained glass window of the cathedral of  Brussels




    Our first day in Brussels ends with a visit to the Church of Notre Dame du Sablon, to the Petit Sablon, a small park next to it, and to the Royal Palace, located near our hotel. We got our Aparthotel a little tired towards 5 pm.


    Église du Grand Sablon


    Église du Grand Sablon
    Église du Grand Sablon in Brussels


    Park of Petit Sablon in Brussels


    Park of Petit Sablon in Brussels
    Sculpture of Peter Pan in the park of Petit Sablon in Brussels



    Royal Palace in Brussels


    Royal Palace in Brussels
    Royal Palace in Brussels



            After a break we went to eat something at 9pm with the surprise of nearby restaurants were all closed. We approached the Gare Centrale and there we could have a quick dinner. We were actually too tired to approach the lively Grand Place.



    Mussels in Brussels
    The mussels we enjoyed in the restaurant Chez Leon in Brussels

    Grand Place in Brussels


    Grand Place in Brussels
    Grand Place in Brussels at night




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




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