Day 18 Wednesday, Sept 17, 2025
We have fairly relaxing morning. We call our bank and sort out an issue with our debit card and last night we had to call one of our Mastercards because it got blocked…because we are in Belgium. Yet they don’t want to know that we are travelling anymore! So it caused problems when we tried to add it to our Apple Wallet. Same thing has happened to our other Mastercard, so we still have that to sort out tonight. I guess we should have done some things before we left home…like putting our email address as the contact to verify our cards when we use them online instead of it being our home land line! But who knew?
Once we sorted that out I worked on my paper journal, drawing some animals at the Lille Zoo from photo reference. Not as much fun as drawing at the zoo but it was cold and windy and we didn’t have a lot of time there. Drawing from reference photos is a good way to familiarize myself with the shapes and anatomy of animals and birds. This helps when I am able to draw at zoos in person. I set a time limit for a page so that I don’t spend too long. It is more like drawing live that way.
We catch the train into downtown Brussels which involved a 20 minute walk because in order to use Brussel’s busses or trolley cars you need to have a contactless debit card or use Apple Wallet. Our problem is our Debit cards should work after we called the bank last night to sort out the problem, but they still don’t, so we can’t use them. My MC won’t load onto Apple Wallet because of problems trying to verify it! So we walk to a train station were we can buy a paper ticket. Unfortuntely there doesn’t seem to be any place near us to purchase paper tickets for the bus or trolley cars.
A half hour later after a very smooth rain ride we arrive in Brussels. First stop is to see the Mannekin Pis Fountain. It is the most famous fountain in Brussels. The last time we visited this little statue was 46 years ago on our first trip to Europe. 
I used to have the cutest little wooden plaque with sculpture of the Mannekin Pis but somehow lost it. I wanted to buy a new one…well that sure didn’t happen! All the souvenirs were incredibly tacky, and ridiculously expensive as you can see in this photo. So no souvenir for me. We did buy two postcards to send to our grandchildren and after we left the store the owner chased me down about a block away from the store. He insisted that I had stolen one of the key chains that we had been looking at. He said he had it on camera, so we went back to the store and I told him, in French, to look at his camera. I said that I am not a thief and that I didn’t even touch the key chain he was accusing me of stealing. I am sure I looked guilty, I felt hot and I am sure my face was red. After a few minutes of conversation and looking at his security footage he admitted that he made a mistake and apologized. We chatted a bit more, and all was well. I shook his hand and said I understood how hard it must be when he does have people steal from him almost every day. 
We see one of the big pink sculptures that we saw all over Paris two years ago. The enormous candy-pink sculptures created by Philippe Katerine are now on display in Brussels.
The Grand Palace Plaza is surrounded on all sides with very ornate buildings…
….including the City Hall…
…and the Brussels City Museum. I am done in and need some tea and pastries. I think being accused of stealing was rather emotionally exhausting. It wasn’t easy to find a coffee shop. We had to walk several blocks but found one with a quiet table away from all the smokers. We had a pot of mint tea with real mint leaves and the most delicious croissant and Portuguese tart. 
We pass a shop with these ‘toy’ cars in the window. The white and red car are €219.90 each, and the green and orange ones are ‘only’ €579.05 each! This is $941.61 Canadian! I wonder who buys these expensive model cars.
The Cathedral Saints-Michel-et-Gudule is another enormous cathedral. 
The Nave stretches into the distance. The statues on the pillars are the Twelve Apostles.
There are many stunning stained glass windows surrounding the ornate altar.
This sculpted scene called ‘Entombment’ is beautiful. Cathedrals often have amazing art work.
The pulpit is an intricately carved wooden masterpiece.
We are hungry and head back to this little square to buy some of Brussels famous frites with mayonnaise. No photo, we were hungry and they were gone in no time. Bob is walking towards the train station.
We took a wrong turn on our way to the train station and discovered this enormous white Smurf. Of course we needed a photo!
I had a little rest beside several of these beautiful flower towers.
On our walk from the train station back to our apartment I see another sign that Autumn is coming. It is still unseasonably cool for this time of the year. 16 Celsius and windy.
There are many very large houses along the walk home. This one has its own magnificent tree.
We have never stayed in a neighbourhood with so many large houses…maybe mansions would be a better term?
There is such a variety of styles. Some traditional and some more modern looking.
This is the lane behind our bnb, which has a huge corner lot. This black cat was determined to cross my path as we returned from getting groceries, but I figured we had enough challenges for the day so I managed to avoid him!
Our bnb has its very own little robot lawn mower…it the cutest thing as it maneuvers itself about the yard cutting the grass. 
The Medici Fountain is a monumental fountain in the Jardin de Luxembourg that was built in 1630. 
I do not miss eating out in Paris. Sitting check by jowl beside smokers is not my idea of fun. I much prefer the meals we prepare at home in our bnb’s.
Sue loved this interesting flower and wanted a closer look.
We drive and park near the centre of town. Bob shows me the places he explored yesterday. This is the Verazdin Fortress which is now a museum, and the drained moats are now covered with grass. There are workmen constructing a skating rink which uses refrigerated lines to make artificial ice because it doesn’t get cold enough for natural ice. We saw a rink like this in Rome a couple years ago.
Here is a view of the grass covered moat which has a path all along the top.
They are also building a toboggan slide using the same refrigerated plastic tubing.
We walk back towards the centre of the town, looking for a place to have tea.
It is a bit chilly outside so we find this cafe.
In the square outside the cafe workmen are busy getting ready for the Christmas Market and erecting a stage. Festivities here don’t start until Advent on November 29, so unfortunately we miss the festivities. 
Verazdin is called the Vienna of Croatia but we think that is a bit of a stretch. There are many buildings in disrepair and lots of closed shops. There are a few people on the streets but it is pretty quiet.
Notice the bag of oranges Bob is carrying. It was about $4 for a big bag of really yummy Mandarin oranges. Almost everyone we saw on the street was carrying a bag of these oranges so we thought they must be good and we should buy a bag too.
Take look at the abandoned falling down building right next door to a neat and well cared for shop.
This is a main square and the big building on the left of the photo is empty and boarded up. Well, almost boarded up, there is an open door and we peek inside the main floor which is empty except for some piles of junk and garbage.
Here’s how big items get delivered!
Wroclaw has an ever growing populations of gnomes. In fact, our guidebook states “the little buggers are currently rumoured to be running rampant to the score of over 300 making it literally impossible for us to try to keep track of them!” I think they are delightful and I am happy to make their acquaintance .
and more tenement houses in the town square.
The interior of St. Mary Magdalene’s Church which dates from 1330.
We climb 147 steps up to the walkway between the two towers. In times past women suspected of being witches were forced to cross this walkway (there were no railings then) and if they made it across safely they were branded as a witch. If they fell to their death, then they were innocent of the crime of being a witch! You certainly didn’t want to be accused of witchcraft! I am very glad there are railings now and I meet another couple of gnomes.
We have great views of the city from up here.
Here is a view of the walkway, way up there between the two towers.There were steeples on these at one time, not sure if they were destroyed during the war?
More ornate colourful buildings.
I wish I knew the recipe for the bubble mixture this guy was using! He made hundreds of bubbles at a time with his string between two sticks. Kids had such fun chasing all the bubbles.
We found quite a few more of these little fellows, on doorsteps, or tucked into corners.
The two little houses in the corner called Hansel and Gretel are the only two houses left of streets that used to surround a cemetery. The cemetery closed in 1773. I wonder where the graves went?
and more busy gnomes.
and an interesting collection of artifacts. This is a chart for determining eye colour.
The Music Hall is under restoration but we are allowed a peak inside.
We. climb another 203 steps up the Math tower, which has displays along the way. 
and the views. Notice the very modern looking tower among the old.
I just love all the reflections of the old buildings in the glass walls of the modern new buildings!
Churches here are either very ornate…
or look like this. The late afternoon sun was shining through the windows casting everything in a lovely olden glow.
Then we visit the market and buy some fruit. Food prices are very reasonable here.
More reflections.
We catch a trolley bus home. We haven’t seem many paved streets or sidewalks here. Most of the streets and sidewalks here are cobbled in one fashion or another. All the uneven footing is hard on the feet and ankles. We walked 16,700 steps today and climbed the equivalent of 31 floors!
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