Muscles in Bruxles

A quay-side scene in Olde Amsterdam. The weather was very
nice, and I had some very good curry-soup (not phó) in an Asian
restaurant right around this canal. But not all of 'Dam is quaint
and old like this; I visited an up-and-coming island community
close to the Station, where modern Dutch architects have done
their best to create some state-of-the-art contemporary urbanism.
I enjoyed the 8-story library building with a belle-view cafe on top.

On to Brussels, the heart of the E.U. My accommodation was quite
good, to the south-side of the city centre. After a hearty brekky I headed
out, the Mannequin Piss being my first goal along the route. I must say
I was a tad surprised to find out how small the wee lad was in real life!
His reputation is larger than life, yet the statue's real stature leaves one
a bit underwhelmed!

On to the main square, which is charming indeed! This is very much
the epitome of Middle-age Mittel-Europe, a quintessentially wealthy
bourgeois European town-scape! I spent more than an hour sinking
and inking this in, and then headed to a pub nearby, recommended
by a friend. The pub holds the Guinness World Record for Most Beers
Available Under One Roof. I found some that were pleasing even to
me, even though I have never been one to appreciate beer that much.

The next day I put on my Wellingtons and headed outside the City,
to enjoy some bucolic simplicity. Imagine my surprise and horror to
encounter this Trip-- Hexapod-- or whatever, I do not even... With Mr. Wells'
cautionary tales in mind, I approached very cautiously. Fortunately
the giant (over 100 metres!!) contraption proved out to be a mere
follow-up to Britain's magnificent Crystal Palace, i.e. a monument of
a Great Exhibition. A fun and informative exhibition it was, too!

Typical Brusselian (Bruxelloise?) street-scape.

A more contemporary street-scape, along the somewhat stuffy &
pompous axis of E.U. Power Corridor.

Over all I very much enjoyed Brussels. It is a city that brings to mind
Paris, New York, Budapest, Barcelona, a little bit of 'Dam and Roma.
Definitely better than her reputation; I heartily recommend a visit!

Your's truly etc,
Paddlewick, Society Trappist/Kriek Research Coordinator