FUN-travel: Belgium – Namur & Brussels
October 31, 2011 by Susan Clarke
Day 31 – Friday, October 14 – Drive to Namur, Belgium – dawn is crisp 40’s – ground fog with same full bright moon shining in the sky – crisp, cool, full on SUN – high 50 +- YEAH!
Citadel
- depart 12:30 – arrive 1:30 (30 miles)
- 1st stop – TI for map & ask for best pizza restaurant
- FUN-food Lunch – La Piadineria Guisseppe – style from Northern Italy – Piadina Campagnola – spicy salami, mozzarella, olives & lettuce (thought I ordered pizza, turns out to be tortilla like bread folded in half) – Assiette Ete – salad w/anchovies, capers/mozzarella, prosciutto, balsamic dressing – Stella Artois – 16 euro & just OK
- 2nd stop – walk to Citadel – must more impressive than Dinant – closed today but huge area to walk – go to top of hill for majestic views of city
Namur from Citadel
- FUN-food Dinner – w/brother Wayne & sister-in-law Lurene – Bliss was our pick but all booked up – go to Le Messages – cheese burger/fries & goat cheese salad – 2 bottles of wine – 114 euro – don’t have credit card swipe capability (they use chip cards) we say “it’s not our problem. Your sign says you take Visa.” they say, “it’s not our problem.” – owner gives us his bank account # for us to deposit
Day 32 – Saturday, October 15 – Train to Brussels – dawn crisp 30’s – same full bright moon shining in the sky – high 50’s & SUNNY – YEAH!
Brussels
- Depart 9:15 – ice on windshield & no scraper
- Get to Mary’s 9:30 – get to train station 10:15 for 10:23 train
- Arrive 11:00
- 1st stop – TI for map
- 2nd stop – central plaza – square of beautiful buildings, all different architectural styles including city hall – 16 weddings today
- FUN-food Lunch – Luna di Venezia – real Italian restaurant (Ernesto is from Sicily) only one on street w/wood burning oven – order marguerita & pepperoni (spicy salami) YUMMY! the best pizza of the whole trip! – Duval beers & 3 pizzas – 74 euro
- 3rd stop – Cathedral – see high mass wedding taking place
- 4th stop – Catherine Church – under renovation
- 5th stop – famous statue “Boy Peeing”
- 6th stop – Delirium Monasteriummona (I’m not making this up) Bar – beer tasting – 9 different ones
Famous Boy Peeing Statue
- Return 5:06 – babysit for Mary so she can go out w/girl friends (Laurent is working on oil rig in the North Sea)
FUN-food Dinner – Mary’s fridge & cheese/crackers
Day 33 – Sunday, October 16 – Brussels to London
Chocopolis
- Depart 11:15 – stop @ Mary’s to say good-bye
- Arrive airport 1:00 (only takes 30 minutes)
- Another Hertz hassle – takes 20 minutes for them to fix computer glitch
- FUN-food Lunch – Starbucks cap/latte – chicken salad & leftovers from week – chips, peanuts, grapes, smoked gouda & salami
- 3:25 flight – delayed to 4:20
WRTC2BSL – 4 consecutive days of full sun!