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!!

SCENES FROM LASNE, BELGIUM

WE HAVE HAD SOME NICE SUNNY MORNINGS THE LAST FEW DAYS.   THOUGHT I'D SPEND A LITTLE TIME TAKING SOME PHOTOS OF THE LANDSCAPE HERE IN LASNE.  OF COURSE BY THE TIME I GOT OUT WITH MY CAMERA THE CLOUDS STARTED TO COME OUT.

HERE IS SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMMUNE OF LASNE.  POPULATION IS APPROXIMATELY 14,000.  WITH AN AVERAGE INCOME OF 41,000 EURO IT IS CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST COMMUNES OF BELGIUM.  WE ARE LOCATED 20 KM SOUTHEAST OF BRUSSELS.  THE COMMUNE CONSISTS OF 5 VILLAGES.  THE VILLAGE OF PLANCENOIT PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN NAPOLEON'S BATTLE OF WATERLOO;  ESPECIALLY AT THE LOCAL CHURCH AND THE FORTIFIED FARM OF LA PAPELOTTE.  THE NAME LASNE COMES FROM THE SLOW MOVING RIVER LASNE WHICH TRAVELS THROUGH SEVERAL OF THE VILLAGES.  THERE IS NO MORE INDUSTRY HERE IN TOWN BUT LONG AGO THERE WAS A SILK FACTORY AND A SAND EXTRATION COMPANY.  ALTHOUGH WE ARE IN THE FRENCH SPEAKING AREA OF BELGIUM AND THIS AREA DOES HAVE A REPUTATION FOR NOT SPEAKING ENGLISH, I HAVE HAD GOOD LUCK WITH THE SHOP KEEPERS.  I TRY TO SPEAK (USUALLY BUTCHERING THINGS) AND THEN THEY USUALLY CHANGE TO ENGLISH AND BELIEVE ME THEIR ENGLISH IS A LOT BETTER THAN MY FRENCH!!  

VILLAGE OF OHAIN

"AMERICAN PLASTER" 

CATHOLIC CHAPEL;  BUILT AROUND 1200

AN OLD CHILD'S SWING

SOME SURROUNDING TOWNS AND VILLAGES

A BEAUTIFUL SUNRISE!

FIRST SNOW IN BELGIUM

NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT SNOW WHEN IT LOOKS THIS PRETTY!!    

ITEMS THAT ARE HARD TO FIND IN BELGIUM (TO NAME A FEW)

OKAY - WELL, WE MISS A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN THE U.S. THAT WE CAN'T GET HERE.   PANCAKE MIX, BREAD CRUMBS, TUMS, ETC.    SOMETIMES YOU CAN FIND THINGS THAT YOU MISS IN THE AMERICAN SECTION OF THE SUPERMARKET....A PATHETICALLY SMALL SECTION OF AN AISLE.   IT'S ALSO INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT KIND OF FOOD THEY THINK WE AMERICANS WANT.  FOR EXAMPLE - BEEF JERKY, POP TARTS, CAKE MIXES, JACK DANIELS BBQ SAUCE AND GRAPE NUTS!  

NOW DON'T FORGET - TODAY, THANKSGIVING DAY, WAS A WORKDAY AND A SCHOOL DAY FOR US!       RANDY IS NOT HAPPY ABOUT MISSING HIS FAVORITE HOLIDAY TRADITION OF WATCHING FOOTBALL AND SNACKING ON YUMMY FOOD ALL DAY.  SO I'VE BEEN ON THE HUNT FOR A TURKEY.  NOT AN EASY TASK.  TODAY I WENT TO THE STORE RESOLVED TO BUY TURKEY PARTS.....A COUPLE OF BONELESS TURKEY BREASTS, A COUPLE OF LEGS & THIGHS AND MAYBE SOME GIBLETS.  I FIGURED I'D PATCH THEM TOGETHER IN A ROASTING PAN AND HOPEFULLY WOULD HAVE SOMETHING EDIBLE.   (BY THE WAY - THIS HOLIDAY MEAL IS TAKING PLACE ON SATURDAY FOR US.)       I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO FIND SMALL TURKEYS AT THE STORE!!    


SO HERE'S JUST TWO PICTURES OF TODAY'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS AT THE GROCERY STORE.

6 POUND BELGIAN TURKEY = $28.20

 VERY SMALL PEANUT BUTTER = $6.20
FRENCH'S MUSTARD = $5.52
BAKING SODA = $4.00

AND ALTHOUGH I DIDN'T BUY ONE, THEY HAD A BOX OF DUNCAN HINES BROWNIE MIX......$7.10!    

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!