At 4 PM,

Everyone showed up in the bar of the Novotel Tour Noir hotel in Brussels, for a meet and greet and drank a quality Belgian beer. People came from Massachusetts, Minnesota, California, Maryland and Georgia. Our tour guide Regnier AKA the Brute of Bruges welcomed everyone and after meeting everyone, we set off for a guided trip with the coach to see the highlights of the Belgian capital.

Atomium

We stopped at the Atomium for a photo, drove along the main lanes, “avenus” they call them here (mainly built in the 19th century), saw the Royal palace and also the monument of the cinquantenaire ( a park and a giant arch built to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Independence).

Cinquantenaire

 

Grand Place => Grote Markt

Brussels La Rose Blanche Restaurant on Grand'Place

We had our first Belgian beer dinner at La Rose Blance on Grand'Place. For the first course, we had goate cheese with Bruges whitebeer sirup. The second course, we got the option of either Duckbrest grilled with Ciney with cream potatoes or Grilled salmon with Grimbergen with wild rice. For dessert, we had Belgian Waffles with La Chouffe syrup and whipped cream.

 

Day II