Boating in Bruges and Blankenberge's Sand Sculture Festival

After dropping off my broken sandal at the cobbler, Adam and I headed off to Blankenberge and Bruges. Note: ALWAYS pack at least two pairs of easily accessible shoes!  Otherwise, you could end up like me and wear traditional African sandals (for decoration only) all over Europe!

First stop was to see the Sprookjeswereld Sand Sculpture Festival in Blankenberg. Here, thirty-eight professional artists have hand-crafted millions of kilograms of sand into larger-than-life sculptures.  There were only three large rooms to the festival, but the Disney and storybook themes made it a sight to see!

The gorgeous and intricate sculptures of Blankenberge's Sprookjeswereld Sand Sculpture Festival

Blankenberge is a nice port town, but we had to soon backtrack on the train to Bruges for the 3pm demonstration show at The Diamond Museum.  After being lost for half an hour, we found out that the 3pm show occurred at noon!  The complimentary diamond that attendees receive was literally no bigger than half a millimeter, so I didn't feel too bad about missing out on anything.  

Bruges, a significant economic center because of its port, is considered a "canal city," so off on a boat ride we went! Though the half hour boat rides attract only tourists, how can you visit Venice without riding in a gondola?  And if anything, it's worth it to see the below statue putting in contact lenses.

Floating through the canals of Bruges

Local and Touristy Things to Do in Brussels, Belgium (Part 2)

One of the most popular attractions to see in Brussels is the Manneken Pis a.k.a. "Pissing Boy" statue. Yes, you read that right!  I wasn't particularly inclined to see it, but Adam insisted that I pay at least one visit.

The bronze statue stands over 60cm tall and has created quite a bit of a stir in terms of urban legends.  Some say that the infant was a lord and his troops put him into a basket to "attract and distract" the enemy.  Another legend describes a missing child of a merchant who became lost and was soon found in a garden in the following position.  My favorite part of the statue? Watching the many tourists come to photograph it!

The infamous Manneken Pis statue and the several dozen tourists who are excited to see it

We soon made our way over to George Henri Park for the Brusselicious Festival of PiQniQ!  Each summer, Brussels holds Sunday picnics at various parks throughout the city.  A free jazz concert is provided while picnickers can buy 12euro lunch packs that consist of salami, cheese, bread, apples, salad, yogurt, and two complimentary glasses of wine - great deal in my opinion!

Our official picnic basket from the Brusselicious PiQniQ Festival

The family-friendly event itself was great (kids could also make kites), but I loved the fact that it brought us beyond a "touristy" experience and into a very local venue. George Henri Park is located in a very suburban area of the city, so we walked up and down sidewalks of homes and spent the day with Belgian families. 

We had a planned to have a fancier dinner, so we walked down Rue des Bouchers as it's know as "Brussels Belly" due to it's many restaurants and cafes. The affordable Lobster House Ecalier won us over as the host offered to throw in some champagne to us for our business. 

Enjoying a seafood dinner at Lobster House Ecalier on Rue des Bouchers

Local and Touristy Things to Do in Brussels, Belguim (Part 1)

Hello Europe!  After my two-year Peace Corps service in Africa, I took a week-long layover in Europe on the way home to the States. First stop: Brussels, Belgium!

Chocolate, French, waffles, and good food and friends?  Good deal for me!

After my buddy, Adam Persing, picked me up at Brussels Airport, we carried my 100lbs. of luggage to Hotel Eurostar Grand Place, an affordable and clean hotel just five minutes from the city center.

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First stop was the Brussel's "Hero" statue at the Grand Palace.  The statue symbolizes Everhard 't Serclaes who rescued Brussels in 1356.  Tradition says if you touch the elbow, it's good luck!

Touching the elbow of the "Hero" statue will give you good luck!

We swung by the Tourism Office which gave us great information about the day's festivities and information/coupons to the very cute Angora Arts and Crafts Fair.  The fair, just a few meters away from the Grand Place, featured local artisans selling hand-crafted goods from scarves to candles.

One of the must-see sites in Brussels is the Atomium Museum! The building's unique shape draws thousands each year as it's "neither tower, nor pyramid, a little bit cubic, a little bit spherical, half-way between sculpture and architecture, a relic of the past with a determinedly futuristic look." 

 The impressive Atomium Museum from the 1950s is a one-of-a-kind sight! 

I wasn't too impressed with the inside of the museum (unless you really love learning about water), but I did enjoy how the museum did bring up the issue of clean water access (or lack there of) in developing countries.

 

Part of the water exhibition inside the Atomium Museum.  This displays villagers in Africa.

After a quick photoshoot, we rushed back to the city to see the 4pm chocolate-making show at Planete Chocolat.  The hands-on chocolate demonstration was interesting enough in itself, but the chocolate samples and hot chocolate made it even greater.  And yes, everything was delicious!

 Chocolate-making demonstration at Planete Chocolat

Since we were lucky enough to enjoy Belgium during their National Day (i.e. Independence Day), we headed off to Parc de Bruxelles.  Like Central Park in New York, the area provides a peaceful oasis away from the city's noises and hosts a myriad of activities yearly. Today's festivities included rock climbing, face painting, fighter jet riding (no joke),  dog racing, and sumo wrestling!

 

One of the many statues found in Brussels Park

 

 Brussels Park sumo-wrestling during National Day

We planned the rest of the trip back at the hotel and then headed out for a delicious pho dinner before watching the day's fireworks.  Excellent first day in Brussels!