Brussels

The day started with a metro ride back to Gare du Nord, then a wait for our train to Brussels Midi. The train ride was smooth and pleasant, with many windmills – including one of the old fashioned variety.

Once we reached Brussels Gare, we only had to walk across the street to our hotel. It was too early to check-in, but we checked our bags and headed out on foot to explore the city centre.

Cute little streets, massively mixed architecture, and random spots of greenery were fun to walk through once we got past construction. It was a very touristy city centre, especially on a holiday Saturday, but lively and active.

Highlights included the Hôtel de Ville (City Hall) and the many museums.

We finally found a quieter restaurant with reasonably priced food, and sat down for a refreshment. Jen enjoyed Moules Frites, while Dave opted for just the frites, accompanied by the beer of the moment, a local pour.

We continued wandering, reaching the Royal palace just as the rain started. We grabbed waffles from a Waffle Truck (think chip wagon, but waffles!), and hurried to the subway, riding several stops back to the Gare du Midi and our hotel.