BRUSSELS CHRISTMAS MARKET

IT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN MARK'S IDEA OF A FUN SUNDAY BUT RANDY AND I DRAGGED HIM TO BRUSSELS TO WALK AROUND THE FAMOUS CHRISTMAS MARKET.  IT'S RATED ONE OF THE TOP 10 CHRISTMAS MARKETS IN EUROPE AND BELIEVE ME THERE ARE A LOT OF CITIES WITH CHRISTMAS MARKETS!  SO WE ARE PRETTY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO VISIT ONE.  

THE BRUSSELS CHRISTMAS MARKET BEGAN BACK IN 2000; NOW IT HAS 240 STALLS ATTRACTING 2 MILLION VISITORS FOR THE ENTIRE MONTH OF DECEMBER.  THERE IS AN ICE SKATING RINK, MERRY-GO-ROUNDS (or as they call them here...ROUNDABOUTS), A FERRIS WHEEL (which we actually never found believe it or not!!), CONCERTS, NIGHTLY LIGHT SHOWS AND CRAFTS & FOOD STANDS AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE.  

THIS IS THE GRAND SABLON AREA WHERE THEY HAD ABOUT 50 STALLS SET UP;  ALL WERE ANTIQUE DEALERS WITH EVERYTHING FROM AFRICAN ART TO INTERESTING CHOCOLATE MOLDS FROM BELGIUM

NEXT ARE PICTURES FROM THE GRAND PLACE AREA OF BRUSSELS...

NOT REAL PEOPLE BUT REAL SHEEP

OKAY.....HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT THAT THIS IS THE YEAR THEY DECIDE TO GO HIGH-TECH IN BRUSSELS!!!!   I HAVE NO WORDS!  

BOUGHT A COUPLE OF CHRISTMAS TREE ORNAMENTS AND THEN PROCEEDED TO LEAVE THEM ON THE TRAM ON OUR WAY BACK....UGH!

THIS IS DEFINITELY AN "ONLY IN BRUSSELS" MOMENT....A CHAMPAIGN CAFE.  LOVE IT!

MARK'S FACE SAYS IT ALL - BELGIUM WAFFLES - OH SO GOOD!

TWICE IN ONE TRIP...ANOTHER "ONLY IN BRUSSELS" MOMENT;
THIS TIME A "MANNEQUIN DE PIS" CORK SCREW!

"PATISSERIE ORIENTALE"   YUMMY AND UNIQUE LOOKING PASTRIES

LONGEST LINE I SAW ALL DAY....OUTSIDE A POMMES FRITES SHOP

A CHEESE STALL

A SEA OF PEOPLE

ANOTHER VIEW;  YOU CAN SEE THE LIGHTS INSIDE

HERE IS WHAT THE UGLIEST CHRISTMAS TREE LOOKS LIKE ALL LIT UP AT NIGHT (from the internet)..

THEY CALL IT THE "PHARMACY TREE"....

SO SAD!!