Belgium

Wow - we've been on tour since Tuesday.  Hard to believe it is only Friday.  We spent a lonnggg day traveling Tuesday to Wednesday with massive flight delays and cancellation in the Frankfurt airport due to winter weather.  We left Vancouver 4 hours later than we should have, then missed our connecting flight to Brussels after we arrived in Frankfurt.  But we eventually got to Brussels and met up with....   RENS, who came out of retirement to drive this trip for us.  And though it was late, we went into Brussels' Grand Place anyway - we needed to get outside and to move a bit after all that sitting.  We slept and woke up in Bruges on Thursday and spent the whole day in this medieval gem.  And now we're in Paris, having visited Vimy Ridge on the way down from Belgium, and the Palace of Versailles and the Arc de Triomphe all today!  Busy days, fun days, lots of learning and laughing.

Oh, and interestingly enough, 8 of us are without luggage.  It never arrived in Brussels.  But now they have promised the bags will arrive in Paris at our hotel tomorrow.  All 8 of us (myself included) went on a short shopping trip today just outside of Paris to get some more clothes - all out of the airlines' pockets! 

A bit of snow as the sun rises over Bruges.

Outside the Church of Our Lady in Bruges.

The most photographed bridge in canal-crossed Bruges.

The huge bell tower on Market Square.

Connor and Trevor admire the bell tower from below.

The entrance to Historium, the brand new museum of Bruges history.

Mike's not sure about this guy.

Brian, with a film of Brian projected on his forehead.

Snow was falling sporadically in the morning.

Risten making new friends.

Andre snaps a photo of the famous Bruges Madonna, sculpted by Michelangelo.

The obedient and cheerful members of Europe 2013.

Mr. Johnson demonstrates a European public urinal.

Look how relieved he is.

Mr. J and I with Nathalie Dumon and her nephew in front of their excellent chocolate shop.

We had a great lunch - Flemish beef stew, Frites (Belgian fries), and Belgian waffles drizzled with Belgian chocolate.

Madi likes her flower-obscured waffle, but Sarah likes hers more.

In Brussels the first night of the tour - with the famous Manequin Pis, tiny and leaky, behind us.  That's all he does, all day.

First taste of Belgian waffles in the Grand Place of Brussels.