Breakfast at Grimbergen
We packed a lunch and caught the bus into Brussels. It was a blisteringly hot day. Brussels is a very accessible, ‘tidy’ city, with most of the places of interest centred within easy walking distance of its central square, Grand Place. And a very grand place it is too. Many of the ancient buildings are gilded and all the balconies are festooned with flowers. We sat on a wall in the square and ate our lunch whilst watching the various street performers.
Once out of the square there was a lot of army activity with armoured vehicles in clusters at the end of the pedestrian streets and soldiers walking two or three abreast carrying automatic rifles down the main streets. Many police cars were patrolling too, so there seemed to be a state of high alert.
We had a map with a walking tour guide which we followed around the city. We then took the long steep walk in the sweltering heat to the European parliament. Half way up the hill there is a splendid view point with magnificent views across the city. We enjoyed the view whilst eating a well-earned and very welcome ice cream.
The flags of all the EU nations were flying in front of the parliament building and I felt very sad that our country would soon no longer be a part of it. I took what will probably be my last opportunity to have my photo taken next to the Union Jack in front of the EU parliament.
Tin Tin and Snowy was in evidence in the shops and I saw signs for the Herge museum and thought how Lucy would love that.
The heat was very fatiguing so we treated ourselves to a cold beer in the Gare du Nord and caught the 232 bus back to Grimbergen. Unfortunately, we had a new driver who dropped us at the bus station as he said that was where he was finishing his shift and that the bus didn’t go any further. I hopped off and asked another bus driver who said it should be continuing to the camp site and beyond, but the driver wouldn’t budge so we had to walk one and a half miles back to camp, spotting people waiting at bus stops on our route, checking their watches for the bus that wouldn’t be coming.
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