Brussels
The first photo I took in Brussels, while we were wandering around lost trying to find our flat.
L' Homo Erectus
The running joke of our trip. The name of the gay bar across the street from our flat.
54 Rue De Pierres
The exterior of the building where we stayed.
Inside our Flat
Looking from bathroom into living room
Inside our flat
Looking toward bedroom area
Inside our flat
Bedroom
Inside our flat
Looking toward bathroom and kitchen. (Kitchen is behind the windowed wall.)
Grand Place
Right around the corner from our flat!
Grand Place
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Grand Place
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Our first day in Brussels
Memorial for Jews who died in WWII.
Our first day in Brussels
Part of the memorial.
Day One, on the way to the Magritte Museum!
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Day One
Weird/cool art piece we saw through a window.
Day One
Whole different country, same parking technology as in Seattle.
Day One
Outside the modern art museum.
Day One
Photo of Magritte inside the Magritte Museum.
Day One
Photo inside Magritte Museum.
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Day One
In Sablon Square, where we had lunch.
Day One
Lovely flower mounds in park near Sablon Square.
Day One
Lovely flower mounds in park near where we had lunch.
Day One
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Statue street performer
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The famous Manneken Pis
Manneken Pis is like the mascot of Brussels. You see his likeness everywhere! The first time we saw him, he was wearing this little outfit.
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Paul being zen in the Grand Place
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Random Grand Place tourists
Paul walked up next to the person taking their photo and snapped one to be funny. They were amused!
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Manneken Pis in chocolate
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Belgian beer everywhere!
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Jazz club 2 doors down from our flat
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At the jazz club
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At the jazz club
The band was pretty good for awhile, but then everything sounded the same. It was fun to hear songs in French as well.
At the jazz club, after a few belgian beers!
No better time for a photo shoot.
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Day trip to Bruges
Paul calls Bruges a "medieval theme park." But I thought it was quaint and lovely. Guess which one of us enjoyed the day trip?
Bruges
Guess what the main mode of transportation is?
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Bruges
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Bruges
Walking from the train station toward the town center.
Bruges
Lovely flowers in a park...
Bruges
I loved the architecture/stonework and buildings in the town center.
Bruges
The entrance to an old 15th Century monstery
Bruges
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Bruges
Paul calls this the drooling horse of Bruges. Brussels has its pissing boy, Bruges its drooling horse. Ha!
Bruges
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Bruges
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Bruges
I took this photo for my mom, as it reminded me of a mask I got her in Italy. This one was bolted to a wall and taller than me, so it wouldn't fit in my carry-on. :)
Bruges
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Bruges
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Bruges
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Bruges
Paul trying to get away from me and my crazy picture-taking ways.
Bruges
He succeeded!
Bruges
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Bruges
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Bruges
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On the canal boat tour
I was excited to see the bridges!
Canal boat tour
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Canal boat tour
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Canal boat tour
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Canal boat tour
This is a spy window in an old guard tower. It's only about 8 x 10 in size.
Canal boat tour
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Canal boat tour
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Canal boat tour
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Canal boat tour
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Canal boat tour
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Canal boat tour
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Bruges
These ornate sculptures above doorways are everywhere in Bruges.
Canal boat tour
On the boat, before it started raining, in happier times. :)
Bruges
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Bruges
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Bruges
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Bruges
One of the working windmills of Bruges.
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Bruges
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Bruges
Paul's face is a good illustration of our moods by this point, we were very wet from the rain.
Bruges
Another ornate over the door sculpture.
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Bruges
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Brussels Day Two
Looking toward Grand Place
Oh my, the Belgian chocolate!
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Oh my, the Belgian waffles!
Street vendors sold these everywhere.
Belgian waffle topping possibilities
I went for bananas and chocolate, Paul had strawberries and whipped cream.
Manneken Pis, Day Two in all his glory!
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Brussels street view
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Another iteration of Manneken Pis
CHEF Manneken Pis.
Crepes!
We shared chevre and spinach, then a dessert crepe with caramelized bananas. Yum! Paul calls this my posing face.
Crepes!
Paul says this is the real me. Ha! :)
Gay Brussels, right outside our door.
This is the second gay club across from our flat. These clubs went all night, people stumbling out at 7am some mornings. Thank god for ear plugs!
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Gay pride flags
These criss-crossed all down our street. The month of May...yes, the whole month, is Pride month.
Me & chocolate rendering of Manneken Pis.
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Paris trip!
Off our train and onto the Metro platform, headed to Pere LaChaise Cemetary. I loved how smart the public transportation was here and in Belgium. It tells you exactly how long your wait is for your train.
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Pere LaChaise
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Pere LaChaise001
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Pere LaChaise002
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Pere LaChaise003
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Pere LaChaise004
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Pere LaChaise005
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Pere LaChaise006
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Pere LaChaise007
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Oscar Wilde
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Pere LaChaise008
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Pere LaChaise010
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Pere LaChaise011
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Pere LaChaise009
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Pere LaChaise012
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Gertrude Stein
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The stone we placed on the headstone
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Alice
When I came around the back and saw this, I welled up! I had no idea they were buried together and was very moved.
Pere LaChaise013
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Auschwitz memorial
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Another death camp memorial
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Paul Eluard
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Pere LaChaise014
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Nazi death camp memorial
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Edith Piaf
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Pere LaChaise015
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Pere LaChaise016
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Pere LaChaise017
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Pere LaChaise018
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Pere LaChaise019
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Pere LaChaise
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We stumbled upon this grave
The founder of homeopathy!
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Jim Morrison
The whole place is cordoned off now. I was able to sit there and write when I went 18 years ago. Alas, no more. Too many vandals spoiled it for everyone.
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Pere LaChaise
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Pere LaChaise
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Pere LaChaise
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Eiffel Tower!
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Eiffel Tower
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Eiffel Tower
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Eiffel Tower
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Eiffel Tower
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Eiffel Tower
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Eiffel Tower
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Inside the elevator-Eiffel Tower
The elevator goes on an angle and was a little bit unnerving!
View from the tower
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View from the tower
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view from the tower
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French ad for Chucks.
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Musee D
HUGE queue we waited in to get into the museum. Found out after we got in that it was the free first Sunday, thus the huge wait.
Musee D
Outside while queue'ing.
Staying positive during our long wait!
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French flag shots
again, taken while waiting in line!
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Musee D
Outside, after we saw the incredible Monet and Van Gogh exhibitions. They had 5 Rouen Cathedral paintings, and other Monet and Van Gogh neither of us had ever seen. Incredible!
By the Seine
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Footbridge over the Seine
We walked across and there was a street musician playing, of ALL things.. "Chicago is MY kind of town." Paul loved it!
Along the Seine
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Freaky overexposed shot
We thought it was still a cool shot. :)
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Paul and Winston Churchill
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Long walk from Arc D
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Long walk from Arc D
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Long walk from Arc D
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Long walk from Arc D
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Long walk from Arc D
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Long walk from Arc D
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Long walk from Arc D
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Long walk from Arc D
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Long walk from Arc D
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Long walk from Arc D
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BEST. CROISSANT. EVER.
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The Louvre
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The Seine
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Notre Dame
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Notre Dame
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Notre Dame
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Shakespeare & Company Bookstore
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Paul finds his spot!
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Headed back to Brussels
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Inside Gare Du Nord, Paris
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Another Chicago reference!
Inside a travel agency near our flat.
Ah, the pissing dog sidewalk art!
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Conference Hotel
I thought this was a cool bottle setup in the hotel bar, day one of the conference.
Square D
Statue in the square across from where the conference was held.
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On the Brussels metro!
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Paul and Charlie on the Brussels Metro
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European pastries rock!
I had some of the most incredible fresh rhubarb pastries. Yummiest! Paul loved all things apricot.
Paul
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Mandalas painted by artist-in-residence
These were hanging up at the conference venue(s).
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Paul, Gillian Parrish, Me and Charlie
At the conference. Gillian is awesome (smart, bright, talented writer) and we totally connected with her. She is hoping to come out to Seattle to visit us in the winter.
Chapel in Uccle, near conference
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Quiet street in Uccle
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Another brilliant public transportation sign
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The red dots represent trains, the arrow is the stop where you are.
You always know how far away your train is! Brilliant!
Atomium
Brussels version of the Space Needle, built for the 1958 World's Fair. The connecting arms house escalators and stairwells.
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Atomium
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Atomium
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Atomium
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Atomium
Stairwell in one of the "arms."
Atomium
Escalator in one of the "arms."
Atomium
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Atomium
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Atomium
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Sacre Couer Basilica, Brussels
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Sacre Couer Basilica, Brussels
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Sacre Couer Basilica, Brussels
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Sacre Couer Basilica, Brussels
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Sacre Couer Basilica, Brussels
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Statue in Grand Place
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Looking toward Grand Place
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Looking toward Grand Place
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Chapel near our flat
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Outside the chapel
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Historic former stock exchange building
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Our Favorite Manneken Pis Send-Up
Yes, that's a Frite pissing mayo onto a pile of fries. Now that's a logo!
Another drooling statue
This one next door to L'Homo Erectus. Coincidence?
Me & the Brussels Metro map.
We became great friends, the metro and I.
Wolvendael Park, next door to the conference site001
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Wolvendael Park, next door to the conference site002
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Wolvendael Park, next door to the conference site003
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Wolvendael Park, next door to the conference site004
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Wolvendael Park, next door to the conference site005
We were puzzled by this duck like bird that was like a duck on steroids (big!) and strangely colored.
Wolvendael Park, next door to the conference site006
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Wolvendael Park, next door to the conference site007
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Wolvendael Park, next door to the conference site008
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Wolvendael Park, next door to the conference site009
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Paul and Franca Bellarsi, the conference organizer
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Paul
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Paul
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Paul
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Looks tasty, right?
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Found on our last day!
The best, freshest healthy food in Brussels. Yum!
Clever graffiti art near Belgian Comic Strip Center
The artists painted wanted posters of themselves on the graffiti wall.
Belgian Comic Strip Center
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Belgian Comic Strip Center
The smurfs were created by Belgian artist Peyo.
Belgian Comic Strip Center
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Belgian Comic Strip Center
Loved their comic signs for the men's and women's restrooms!
Belgian Comic Strip Center
The men's room sign
Belgian Comic Strip Center
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Belgian Comic Strip Center
cool shadows hanging from ceiling
Belgian Comic Strip Center
TinTin was the star of the museum
Belgian Comic Strip Center
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Belgian Comic Strip Center
Cool larger than life book exhibit
Belgian Comic Strip Center
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Belgian Comic Strip Center
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Belgian Comic Strip Center
SMURFS!
Belgian Comic Strip Center
An early drawing of Smurfette
Belgian Comic Strip Center
Smurf village
Belgian Comic Strip Center
Early strip, in French
Belgian Comic Strip Center
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Belgian Comic Strip Center
Early Smurf sketches
Belgian Comic Strip Center
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Belgian Comic Strip Center
Smurf creator Peyo.
Belgian Comic Strip Center
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Belgian Comic Strip Center
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Belgian Comic Strip Center
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Belgian Comic Strip Center
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Belgian Comic Strip Center
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Belgian Comic Strip Center
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Belgian Comic Strip Center
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St. Michael
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George Clooney peddling coffee in Belgium
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Heavily photoshopped Uma Thurman peddling Givenchy in Belgium.
These ads were in every Metro station, and her body looks completely out of proportion and weird! A lot of photoshopping, methinks.
Parc Cinquantennaire, Brussels
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Parc Cinquantennaire, Brussels
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Parc Cinquantennaire, Brussels
They call this Brussels' version of the Arc D'Triomphe.
Parc Cinquantennaire, Brussels
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Parc Cinquantennaire, Brussels
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Parc Cinquantennaire, Brussels
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Parc Cinquantennaire, Brussels
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Parc Cinquantennaire, Brussels
When I got to the main area there was a huge military ceremony going on and everyone was being quiet. Only the tourists were wandering around looking confused.
Parc Cinquantennaire, Brussels
Even this puppy had to stop playing ball...
Parc Cinquantennaire, Brussels
much pomp and circumstance
Parc Cinquantennaire, Brussels
Dignitaries
Charlie and Paul with ice cream and waffles, our last night in Brussels
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Even Coca Cola gets in on Manneken Pis
This vending machine reads "Taste the Coke side of Belgium" beneath the pissing Manneken Pis image. Nice one!