Brussels

Whenever possible I prefer to strike new paths instead of doubling back. And so it was when I left Denmark, I took the night sleeper train to Paris with a ferry crossing of about 18 km from Rødbyhavn in Denmark to Puttgarden in Germany. The train was actually loaded onto the ferry. It would have transited Hamburg, so strictly speaking I visited Germany again for a few hours. I alighted at Namur, Belgium in the small hours of the morning, and proceeded to Brussels.

They were very kind at the independent (non-IYH) hostel I had chosen; they let me check in early, and have breakfast without additional charge; strictly speaking the bed tariff included the next day's breakfast. Years later a friend remarked to me: When a stranger asks for a glass of water, we naturally say yes. Wouldn't it be nice if we lived in a world where when a stranger asks for food, we naturally say yes?

Of course everyone goes to see Grand Place in Brussels. This is the Town Hall.

Still in the Grand Place but another side. I was fascinated by the flower market.

The skies are often gloomy like that in Belgium and even more so in the Netherlands.

One of the many streets in the city centre. I'm surprised I don't have a photo of the Manneken Pis. All the tourists go to see him, and many are surprised how small he actually is.

I had forgotten that I had visited the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula in Brussels.

I do however remember sampling some of the hundreds of beer that Belgium produces, including the interesting Kriek Lambic which is flavoured with sour morello cherries.

Another thing I remember is that ordinary Belgian chocolate sold in the supermarkets was very tasty for the reasonable price. Of course, coming from Scandinavia, all the prices looked much more reasonable.

From the evidence of the photos I also took side trips to other Belgium cities using the railpass. This is the statue of Peter Paul Rubens in Antwerp.

And this is Saint Nicholas' Church in Ghent.