Day 3: Brussels

Today’s ‘optional’ was billed as a ‘three-quarter day trip’. This seemed strange to me. What I didn’t realise was that we would only be there for a couple of hours because it is such a long journey.

The Grand Place was beautiful. Gorgeous old buildings on all sides. We made our first stop the Mannekin Pis, which is a short walk from the Grand Place, as Linda had never seen it. Then we went to find the market

In the market place was a carousel ride with a dinosaur, a rocket and other unusual carousel seats. The sky was a beautiful blue and it was quite warm. Too warm for the thermals I was wearing. There had been a heavy frost this morning when we dressed. Ihad packed thermals and told Linda to expect very cold weather as it had been bitterly cold as early as November when my partner lived in Brussels in 1998.

I was carrying a backpack on my back and, because of the layers of clothing I was wearing, it was difficult to take on and off. So whenever we bought anything I stood still while Linda put it in the pack. We decided to rename me ‘mutant middle-aged ninja turtle’.

We had seen an ice rink in Lille. There was a nicer ice rink here in Brussels.

Went into a shopping arcade which, we were told, was the first one ever built in Europe. We went to Fish Street looking for Jeanneke Pis (pronounced Yaneka). We did eventually find it down a side alley. I thought her a very nasty-looking thing. She seemed to have a rather smug look on her face.

Had a waffle before getting coach back.

Got back to hotel and had a phone message from Eddie. He had been in Bulgaria when he called and had missed his flight home because of the rude incompetence of a member of the airport staff. When I got hold of him he was in Gatwick