Fifty Percent

 

We had the entire day of the Brahms concert free and so Ed and Zack’s host father took Zach and I along with them for a trip to Brussels! 

Our first stop was this large gate, with a war museum on one side and an art museum on the other.  Luckily the war museum was free and so we strolled through a bit, though to be honest the main reason we went in was to head straight to the restroom (traffic on the way was a tad longer than expected!).

 

  Model of the gate with the war museum and art museums flanking either side

 

When walking down to one of the biggest tourist attractions in the city we happened to run into Carole, Katie, Jessie and Sabrina, who had all taken the train into Brussels for the day.  How serendipitous!!  Obviously we needed to get a group shot in front of what I would consider one of the classiest pieces of art from the last 400 years:

  

GET IT LITTLE PEEING BOY!! (Hey, at least he had clothes on?)

 

A short walk away lies the city’s buh-gorgeous town square:

 

Next on the tour was a stroll down what used to be a butcher’s alley but has now become a picturesque, café-laden boulevard.  We stepped into a bar where (name) has been going for many many years every time he goes to Brussels.

   

 

On the way to the cathedral (did you think you were getting out of a major city without some church pictures?!?) we passed the Brussels version of the New York Stock Exchange so I snapped a quick shot for my granddad Roberts:

GIVES ME SOME MONEY!!!

 

And now your aforementioned church fix for the day:

 

Exterior and Interior

 

Heading back to the car I saw this graffiti on a bridge and feel it sums up exactly how I feel about the tour.  Genk was our third stop of six and therefore we were then at the halfway point:

I’m pretty sure this is from Chapter 12, Verse 31 of the Gospel of Joseph

 

And finally, the last view of the city I saw before having to go!

 

Artist:Billy Goldenberg and Alan and Marilyn Bergman/ Album: Ballroom