Brussels

The next morning we left Holland, and drove through Amsterdam one more time to get ice cream!


In Amsterdam everyone, and I mean EVERYONE rides bikes. Here is a two or three story parking garage..for bikes!

Then it was off to Brussels!

Here is a picture of typical Dutch country side. There are little canals through all of the fields. Daniel and I were wondering if the farmers ever get sick of walking all the way around to get across, and just jump over the water. We decided that's what we would do if we ever become Dutch farmers.


On the way to Brussels the traffic was terrible! It took 1 1/2 hours to go 30 km! Jasmine is still not quite sure what that is in miles. Shes also still adjusting to people telling her it's 10 degrees outside so maybe she wont need a coat.

We stopped at McDonald's, which is surprisingly interesting here in Europe. In Holland they eat these amazing things called krokets, or croquettes... something like that. They are meat and this kind of creamy gravy, then covered in bread crumbs and fried! Yum! Well at McDonald's in Holland they have something called a McKroket, a croquette flattened in a patty on a bun with mayo. It was one of those things that was so full of fat, yet so so delicious.


So, after about an hour, or maybe more, of searching, and turning around, and asking about 10 people for directions, we FINALLY found the center square of Brussels.

Here is a church we found along the way.


And once in the square there was a beautiful light display with a giant Christmas tree!


During the light show this building was glowing all different colors!


Then Jasmine realized that all of her favorite beers, Stella, Hoegarden, Duvel, Leffe, were all over every bar! Just like bud light is in America. It was AMAZING.


After that we walked to the Manneken Pis, a little fountain of a small boy peeing. The legend is that there was a fire, and this little boy put it out, by peeing. Why do Europeans seem to really enjoy traditions and stories involving pee and poo?


Then we attempted for over an hour to find this old bar called the Lop Lop that Jasmine's dad used to go to when he was working in Brussels. The only thing is, it closed 4 years ago!

Then we walked down these streets filled with restaurants. A big thing in Belgium is Mussels. Outside of almost every place there were piles of mussels on ice in nicely arranged patterns. Here is one with the manneken pis in the middle.


After all of that walking we were very hungry, so we stopped for Belgium waffles...in Belgium!!! Here's Stef eating her chocolate waffle. Jasmine got one with cream, and ended up with about half of the cream on her face.