FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

1. I have a very pleasant but tiring week behind me and feel a little exhausted ! My friend Claudie from the South of France was on visit and as she had been with us already several times, I wanted to show her places of Brussels, she hadn't seen yet. At the same time I rediscovered Brussels and areas where I hadn't been since I was 14 or 15, which wasn't yesterday !



First I took her to the old Market Hall of St. Gétry, which has been renovated and transformed into an exhibition hall where artists can show their work. On the first floor you can sit in comfortable chairs or play games around the tables, we saw men playing chess and Backgammon. There is also a bar inside and in the basement and the second floor were exhibitions.

2.



Besides the halles, all around the square and in little streets are one restaurant, bar or bistro after the other. It has become a very animated area and I didn't recognize anything ! Claudie had the intention to try out all Belgian beers, but as there are more then 2000 variations, she only could try a few !



From there we walked to the Grand'Place, saw the old "Bourse" (stock market) which became now a place for exhibitions along the little houses which stuck against the church.



Lots of places seemed to be in renovation and even another side of the Grand' Place, the first 2 pictures show a large screen representing the buildings which are being repainted. The one below shows the result of this cleaning ! The gold shines again ! We saw the design of the flower carpet traced with chalk on the ground, which will be filled in with flowers to be ready for the weekend !

3. We wanted to see the Titanic Exhibition, but when we arrived there were so many people lining up, that it would have taken us at least 2 h to get in. And it rained ! Instead I took her to the Japonese Pavillion, which is inside the park of the  Royal castle. It is not open to the public, but still nice to see from outside.



Claudie took some pictures, before we entered the Chinese Pavillon just in front.



It is a very beautiful building surrounded by a equally beautiful park, unfortunately we couldn't go inside to see the Chinese artifacts, it was closed for renovation ! We walked a little through the park and stopped at the playground for kids ! 

4. The Brussels Christmas market  starts at the Grand'Place on to the Place St. Cathrine where I took her,  I had never been there in summer !



So it was quite a discovery for me to see flowers and lots of restaurant terraces on this place where I usually saw ice skating  and walked along Christmas stalls.

5. As my friend Nicole was in Ostend at the Belgian seafront, we visited her and Claudie could see the North Sea for the very first time. Nicole showed her around in Ostend,



while I stayed in her flat and rested my poor legs watching the beach from the 7th floor !

Now her holidays are finished and she takes the train home to Southern France, but we won't be separated for a long time as on Tuesday I take the plane and will spent a week in her home where I swear I only will enjoy the warmth and the sunshine and the good food which her husband always prepares for me.