This was our only whole day to explore Brussels. We walked to Grand Place – a huge plaza surrounded by huge ornate buildings and packed with people.

The most prolific shops sold Belgian chocolates.
We tried a Hop On Hop Off bus tour which was rather disappointing. In the distance you can (sort of) see the 335-foot tall Atomium – built for the 1958 World’s Fair – a model of an iron crystal molecule increased in size 165 billion times. Each sphere is 60 feet in diameter, five of them are habitable, the highest one is a restaurant.

We lingered long enough in this chocolate shop to get two free samples.
We wanted to find Manneken Pis – another famous Brussels landmark since 1451 – a 24-inch tall statue of a naked boy peeing into a fountain – but we were unsuccessful. Over the years, Manneken Pis has been clothed in a variety of costumes, to the point that he’s had 1000 outfits that now have a museum of their own. The best we could do see Manneken Pis made out of chocolate and decorated with other sweets in this shop.
Ready to sing? “California here we come. Right back where we started from.” Tomorrow!

Amsterdam Centraal Station:
Waiting platform for the Thalys high-speed train:
Looking in the opposite direction. The unique white building is the Netherlands Film Institute.
Two hours to Brussels in especially comfortable seats. After we checked into our hotel, we went for a walk and had lunch at Il Colosseo.
Tiny and crowded – see that little empty table – that’s where we ate. We could have gone upstairs but the steps looked too steep for my almost-healed ankle.
We continued walking in the area near our hotel, and then …
what do I spy with my little eye? Starbucks! – located in a most unusual building:

Yesterday, we were helped by a University of Amsterdam student (from New Mexico) to figure out how to pay for our public transportation. He suggested we explore east Amsterdam, a short walk from our hotel. No sign of tourists here. We found a market with stalls that sold everything imaginable.
Even fabric.
Oostpoort (“east gate”) shopping area.
We stopped for some hot chocolate. Much of the outdoor bench seating comes with pillows and blankets to cover up with if needed.
We walked back through Oostpark.

On our way to dinner, as we passed a very busy student area at the university, there was the biggest concentration of bicycles I’ve seen yet.
We ate at De Pizzabakkers. It was a good thing we went early, you need a reservation after 5:30 or so.
And you can order champagne to go with your pizza! Very delicious pizza too!

We used public transportation to go to Dam Square. There were lots of shops along the way including a fabric store

and a yarn shop.
Dam Square:
We stopped for lunch at Mama Pancake and ordered a savory pancake but were more impressed with the sweet one ordered by the person next to us.
We walked through the Red Light District on our way back, and through this alley by accident. If a narrow window has the curtain drawn, no one was working. If the curtain was drawn back, you could see a scantily clad woman ready to do business.

Everyone was pretty much off the boat by 9 am. Reasonable since the next load of passengers would be boarding in just 6 hours.
Those of us who had extended their stay in Amsterdam were transported to our hotel.
Typical traffic scenes. The reddish areas are for bicycles, skateboards, and Vespas (pedestrians take their life in their hands if you dare to set foot in this area). There is also a car parked on the sidewalk, a lane for buses/cars and tram tracks using the lanes. Everyone moves at breakneck speed.
There is no jay-walking (way too dangerous), pedestrians use only the zebras (ZEB-ruhs, ZEB rhymes with Deb, aka crosswalks). There are green/red lights for bicycles, another for pedestrians. If it green walk signal starts blinking, hurry up!
We took a walking tour in the morning. Houseboats along the canals are a popular place to live and very expensive.
This memorial stands at the site where the Nazis forced Amsterdam citizens to watch members of the Resistance get shot.
The National Gallery:


In the afternoon, we went on A Taste of Amsterdam tour and used the tram and subway system.
Our first stop was for tiny little pancakes cooked in a special cast-iron pan.
Then a cheese tasting.
Finally a tasting of flavored gins (jenever). The tiny glass is filled to the very top, the proper way to begin is to slurp the first taste.
The width of the reddish house with the green arbor around the door is almost 5 feet – the narrowest house on the Canal Ring. It is occupied by a single woman. In the past, property taxes were assessed based on the width.
Back to the hotel during rush hour.