The tour started at 4PM with a welcome drink at the bar of the Novotel La Tour Noir in the heart of Belgium’s capital Brussels. We enjoyed our first Belgian beers (a choice of Trappist beers), and everyone got acquainted. People had flown in from everywhere in the U.S. and Canada.

An hour later we were on the bus sightseeing the capital, with stops for photo-opportunities at the Atomium (recently refurbished), it represents an iron-molecule a billion time enlarged, and was built for the world exhibition of 1958.

Atomium

Next we stopped at the Cinquantenaire-Jubelpark (a monumental arch and palace built for the 50th anniversary of Belgium in 1880.  The Royal Palace and the Park of Brussels, also called Warandepark, was our next stop.

Cinquantenaire

After that tour, Dirk, the friendly driver who did a marvellous job touring us for nearly seven days, dropped us of at the central station and we walked all the way to the Grand Place where we were expected for dinner. La Rose Blanche-De Witte Roos has a room on the first floor and we enjoyed a wonderful dinner overseeing the beautiful central square of Brussels with its ancient guild houses.

Menu aperitif beer at choice Croquettes de crevettes’ (North Sea shrimp) with fresh salad La Chouffe Stoemp’ with sausage Cuvee 't Kelderke (Brunehaut) Mousse au chocolat Mort Subite Kriek Coffee

 

After dinner, we went for a pub-crawl to some of the nicest pubs in Brussels. First stop was Delirium café. With a list of over 2000 beers, it holds a record in the Guinness Book of Records. We enjoyed rare beers, also from draught, such as Rulles Triple, Rader, Pannepot, and others.

After that, we went to a very special pub called “ Le Cerceuil” (= The Coffin), a place where the tables are coffins and beer (Chimay Bleu was their best choice) is served in skulls!! We had a great laugh in this very dark place. 

On our way to the hotel, we made the detour to visit Manneken Pis and a few other remarkable statues,

Day II