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 A view of the Grand Place in
Brussels by Ann75
The heart of Brussels and the place to start getting to know the city is the Grand'Place. This historic square, lined with exuberantly ornate guild houses and focused on the Gothic heights of the Hotel de Ville, is widely held to be one of Europe's finest.
The Grand'Place is also, as it has been for centuries, the focal point of the city's social and civic life. The people of Brussels gather here for their most important ceremonies and festivals, for the traditional bird market on Sunday mornings, and - perhaps most importantly - for no task more pressing than to sit, have a beer, and let the world pass.
Every neighborhood has its own market as Brussels is a city of markets: the bird market, the flower market, the antique market, the flea market, and the horse market. Vendors bring fresh produce from nearby fields, cheeses made in farms and abbeys; hams cured in the Ardennes, flowers and potted plants, chickens, rabbits and fresh caught fish, shrimp and mussels from the North Sea. Leave a Comment Directions: In the heart of Belgium
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 View of the streets in Gent by Ann75
By the late 15th century, the cloth trade had begun to wane, though Ghent remained prosperous by shifting its economy to the shipping trade along the Leie and Scheldt rivers. In the latter part of the century, however, the closing of the Scheldt brought commercial decline, not to be reversed until the revival of clothworking during the industrial boom of the 19th century.
Today Ghent is a leading industrial center and a major inland port. However, its historic center, including the medieval districts, many fine churches, and the imposing castle of the Counts of Flanders, remain intact. Its Belfry (or Belfort) and Cloth Hall are among the finest monuments of the great era of Flemish clothworking, and within the magnificent Cathedral of Saint Bavo resides one of the greatest works of art ever created--The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb--also known simply as the Ghent Altarpiece, by the brothers Van Eyck. This masterful polyptych should not be missed by any visitor to Belgium. Leave a Comment
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 The statue of Manneke Pis by Ann75Leave a Comment
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 The beautiful Royal Palace by Ann75
The Royal Palace is a beautiful building with gardens around it...definitely worth a stop! Leave a Comment
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 The beautiful Catherdral of
Our Lady by Ann75
The most beautiful monument is without a doubt the Gothic Cathedral of Our Lady housing two masterpieces, the "Raising of the Cross" and the "Descent from the Cross", by Peter Paul Rubens, the local celebrity. His wonderful Flemish Renaissance house linked by an elegant Italian portico to the Italian Renaissance atelier can be visited. More of his paintings are in the museum together with the works of his pupil Anthony van Dyck , as well as Teniers, Breughel, Jordaens, Matsys, Permeke, Ensor and many more. Leave a Comment
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 View over one of the canals in
Brugge by Ann75
At its city center, Bruges remains a medieval city of stunning beauty and charm. It is rich in architectural and artistic treasures, graced by quiet canals and waterways and a favorite to visitors. The Belfry (13th and 15th century) at the old city center is widely considered Belgium's finest, with a carillon that has rung out the quarter hour for nearly seven and a half centuries. Undoubtedly the most enjoyable way to visit Bruges is to amble along its cobbled streets, glide by boat along its tranquil canals and discover a city that time has forgotten.
Among the city's most notable monuments are the Memling Museum, housed in the church of the medieval Hospital of St. John, the Groeningen Museum, and the Church of Our Lady. The Memling Museum, as its name suggests, contains as its primary attraction six works by the Flemish painter Hans Memling (c. 1430-1494). The most renowned of these is the Shrine of St. Ursula, a reliquary decorated by several extraordinary paintings illustrating the legend of the saint. Memling set the legend in the Europe of his own time and one of the most fascinating aspects of the panels is their painstakingly accurate portrayal of his contemporary world. Leave a Comment
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 The Castle of the Counts ('t
Gravensteen) by Ann75
Therefore, they disposed of a castle in most cities where they wanted to stay for a few months. The castle of Ghent is the only one which survived the centuries more or less intact. It has been renovated and is definitely a worth visit. Leave a Comment
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 by belgianchocolate
'Provincie Antwerpen'.
Actually it is on the border of
the 'Provincie Antwerpen' and 'Limburg'.
It is a family zoo run by just a couple of people
who bought the zoo less then a decade ago
and completely rebuild and improved it.
The zoo is nice because
-it has a natural setting , looks a bit wild
and untamed
-it has one of Europe's largest walk through bird cages.
-a nice childrens farm and a big playground.
-Entrance fees are quit low - check the website.
(we are talking Belgium here)
-they got a big collection of big cats.
-it is small and family friendly.
-the area is nice for biking and walking.
How to reach the zoo?
Perfect to reach by car , a little bit difficult by
public transport.You will have to call
the 'bel-bus' at least two houres
in advance 011-850 300
- the bus will pick you up at the station
and bring you to the zoo.
A special service from the local authorities. Leave a Comment Address: Bukenberg 45 , 2491 Olmen-BalenPhone: 014/30.98.82
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 View of Antwerp from the left
side of the River by Ann75
Take your time and take in all the lovely views! Leave a Comment
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 View of one of the graves in
Ypres by Ann75
Poppies at the Menin Gate in November.Ypres was one of the most important cloth producing and cloth trading cities of the county of Flanders in the high Middle-Ages. Bruges is known all over the world for being a beautifully preserved medieval town, but if the First World War (The great War) had not raged over Ypres, perhaps Ypres would have been as famous as Bruges. By 1918 almost nothing remained of the city, because it was in the middle of the frontline between the German and the Allied Armies. Ypres was bombed to pieces and almost wiped off the face of the earth.
But Ypres rose again, and resumed its role as the prime city of the Flemish Westhoek (= the western part of the Belgian Province of West-Flanders, the area behind the river IJzer). In November 1999 a new industrial area was opened in Ypres, called 'Flanders Language Valley', now a conference and congress center.
And if you do have the time, don't miss the beautiful graveyards that remember all the soldiers that died in WWI. It's very impressive to see. Leave a Comment
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