Belgium and the Netherlands:  1998
Conclusion

We knew that we were going to end our trip in Brussels, but we had no certain plans for the final part of our journey prior to returning to Brussels.  We had considered going to Luxembourg, but after reading more about Maastricht, we decided to stop there.  After lugging our bags about a mile uphill to the center of town, we discovered that some sort of international dressage competition was being held.  Not a hotel room (nor a stable) was available within ten miles of the town.  We picked up a rail map and picked Aachen for a visit.  It was a short trip, and we knew that the city had been home to Charlemagne.  We didn't know that the delightful Aachen Christmas market and festival was just beginning and that gluhwein was being prepared by the barrel!
The entire center of town was set up with booths, and most of them were selling food.  We were hungry after a long day on the train and finally decided to sample a little from several different booths instead of sitting down to a large meal.  One of my favorites was the sausage and greens, but everything we had was delicious. Everyone in the city was apparently at the festival; the streets were deserted, and we had a completely uncrowded visit to the Charlemagne sites.
Back in Brussels, we had almost a full day to sightsee before returning home.  On past visits we had toured much of the city, but somehow we had never made it to the National Fine Arts Museum.  The museum has an outstanding collection housed in a beautiful building with plenty of light.  The Brueghels are the biggest attraction, but there is a considerable collection from most of the European masters.  Connected to this building is the Modern Art Museum, worth a visit as much for the building's design as for the art inside.
In Brussels we stayed at the Arlequin Hotel on one of the side streets just off the Grand Place, one of the most beautiful squares in Europe.  Most of the small streets that run off the Grand Place are filled with restaurants aimed at the tourist trade.  Even in the off-season, the hawkers for the restaurants give the place an almost carnival atmosphere as they vie for the tourist trade.  We selected, almost at random, the Royal Safir for no reason greater than that we could see the open fire inside and we were cold.  The menu was typical tourist fare, but the food was some of the best we've ever had!  On each of our previous visits to Brussels, we had been amazed at how delicious the simplest meals are.  Brussels has a reputation for great food, and our experiences have only confirmed that.
At the beginning of our trip in Bruges, we had been inundated with the posters for the Memling - Puourbus exhibition taking place there.  So we weren't completely surprised to find another one of them at the very end of our trip in Brussels.  Although we're not art conoisseurs, we feel fairly confident in the museums and have some passing knowledge about most of the better known painters.  We knew a little about Memling, but neither of us had ever heard of Pourbus.  After visiting the exhibition, we decided that Pourbus really had only one painting and that he spent the rest of his life altering it just a little bit and giving it another name; sometimes we could hardly tell the difference between two with different names.  Now, whenever we visit an art museum anywhere we travel, our favorite game is "Spot the Pourbus."

Introduction - Bruges to Delft - Amsterdam and the Zuider Zee 
Pack Your Bags - Travel Albums Index
Comments