Saturday, October 13, 2012

Undeterred by precipitation...

Playlist
Mathilde Santing - Breast and Brow
Neal Morse - Testimony 2

A hellish night, with people shouting and singing in the streets till 3 or 4am...

Capped off by one half of our upstairs neighbours shouting "Jessica, Jessica, Jessica, Jessica, Jessica, Jessica, Jessica, Jessica, Jessica, Jessica, Jessica, Jessica, Jessica, Jessica" to get his partner's attention from the street at 6:45 am...

Anyway, we put all that behind us and this was the view from the window first thing...


Out into the street, ready for some walking around...


Before we reached the end of it though, the rain started...


Within a couple of minutes we were in a being-lashed Grand Place...







...where we enjoyed breakfast...


Back outside the rain eased and a brass band was seeing off this collection of cyclists...


The square seemed popular with groups of cubs, scouts and guides...


...and people taking "facebook portraits" of themselves...


Much chocolate was on display...


Who's this?  It's (Herges Adventures of) Tin Tin of course...


..with trusty sidekick, Snowy...


More chocolate as we headed to the nearby glamorous shopping mall...


...where Annie bought a few of these as you'll see later...



The surrealist eye watched over the early morning shoppers...


...although most of the shops had not yet opened...


It was pouring again as we walked up to the cathedral...

 

...and took refuge inside...



My, that's a big organ...





Nice face...



...old face...


...benevolent face...



Back into the rain, now accompanied by some annoying wind too...

We walked up towards Kunstberg and came across La boite a musique - a classical music shop I'd researched on Thursday evening on the net... 


A purchase was made...

Then next door to Ciabatta Mania for hot drinks...


...and some looking out the window at the rain...


It stopped and we continued on our way...

The crest of the hill afforded some good views...



...and we found the Magritte Museum...


I got an even better view from the steps of the church...


...while Anne obliged a fellow tourist with a snap...




More museums we did not enter...


Into the park opposite the Royal Palace...

Some rather large Brussels Sprouts, frites and chocolate adorned the space..


...as did some friendly geese...














A good shot of the spire in the grand Place just as a tram came into view...


On the way back down the hill, an ornate clock...


Through Centraal Station...


...and back to get some chocolate...


Anne's head was turned...


...and a purchase was made...


For lunch, frites with mayonnaise...


...then, sheltering from the rain in the bar round the corner from the flat...


...for a warming coffee...


Back home and the music purchase was opened...


Tasty...


Outside...


...it was pelting down...


Eventually, it calmed down a bit and we walked to a recommended bar...


...a la mort subite...


...named after the last dice game bank workers would play before rushing back from lunchtime refreshments...






when we emerged, the sun was coming out at last...


..and we took a walk around the more modern part of town...




Sky blue sky was breaking through...


Evening meal at a cosy little pizza place... 


...you can just see the dough spinning in the air...


Then out again for our late evening constitutional...






...before retiring in full knowledge that a sleepless night may well lie ahead...

Highlight of the Day : John Cage acquisition...

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