Tongeren, Belgium

                             

Bri and I went to Tongeren, Belgium this weekend for their weekly antique flea market.

We were both surprised to learn that Tongeren was established in 15 BC by the Romans.  The city has part of a stone wall still intact.

Neither of us had anything specific in mind to buy.  But, we did have somewhat high expectations.  We had heard lots of great things about this market.

                                  

I don't think a 2009 Astra Zeneca poster qualifies as antique!

If you wanted a demijohn, you could find one about every 20 feet!  

There were lots of dead animals for sale.  I have never seen so many dead turtles in all my life! 

 We also saw lots of bear skin rugs!  

                                  

We went into an actual antique store.  This piece was amazing!!  

I don't think it would have fit in my car!

                                         

This beautiful Swedish Mora clock was my favorite find of the day!
I am hoping to find one of these at the Ramstein Bazaar this week!  

This piece was also gorgeous.  It would look amazing with the clock and hutch!  

Out back the yard was filled with old tiles!  It would be fun to add to a paved patio.

I wasn't super impressed with the market.   If you wanted an old brass candlestick, a porcelain knick knack, or an English tea set, this was the place for you!  

These are two of my three purchases.  I took the picture from the webcam and iPhoto does not have a mirror function.  The book is a 1924 book in ENGLISH about Old Ships! I knew the boys would love it!  The teapot is a Villeroy and Boch brand new teapot.  I thought it was cute and we need a new teapot!  After researching the teapot at home, I learned it sells for over $100.  I paid 15 euro!  I had no clue!   I just lucked out.  I bought one more thing, but it's a gift for my dad.  Nate laughed and said, "Oh you bought your dad a used old gift!"  I like to think it's an antique! :)

I learned a valuable lesson this trip.  I think that I like new items that look antique!  

Ghent and Brugge

 We woke up Saturday morning and drove from Brussels to Ghent.  

This was a church from Monument's Men that Nate wanted to see.  

We drove from Ghent to Brugge.  I didn't think it was possible that there could be more people in any other Belgian city besides Brussels for the flower carpet, but I was wrong.  They were all in Brugge.  

The Church of our Lady in Brugge has a Michelangelo sculpture.  

Hilter stole this statue and thankfully the church recovered it.  

  Monument's Men had another church scene in Brugge.   

While Nate was looking around, the boys and I rested our feet.  

 It turns out that our friends, the Harrigans, had the same stops planned.  They were in this church too!

 Next mission, CHOCOLATE!  We stopped and got truffles from a local shop.  

We also stopped and got Godiva chocolate covered strawberries!

 We HAD to stop for Belgian waffles!

 Fun concrete chairs (and full bellies)!  

 I have no clue how but we managed to put away some mussels and fries too!

 We ordered three orders of mussels (thinking it would be a light dinner).  This was ONE of the pots!

He put a good dent into it!  We left sad.  We had SOOO many more mussels, but we were stuffed!  

Flower Carpet 2014

 Brussel's Grand Place fills with the Flower Carpet one weekend in August every other summer.  Rachel, the kids, and I went the first summer we were here.  

We had a great time and I think Nate was a little jealous that he missed it!  

 We knew we had to see it again this summer.  Two years ago the carpet was an African carpet design.

 This year's design was a Turkish rug.  

 He was happy he saw it this time!

 I have to say this time there were many more people!!!!

 We actually had a really hard getting close enough for a good picture of the carpet from the ground.  

We've been to Brussels a few times, so we saw the carpet Friday night and left for 

Ghent and Brugge Saturday morning.  

Brussels, Belgium

 Memaw arrived on Saturday.  We learned our lesson from when Marilyn was here about starting a trip as soon as someone arrives.  We let Memaw have a day to rest and then headed to Brussels for an overnight trip.  When we left, the roads were snow covered and icy, but we trekked on.  The drive took us an extra hour, so when we arrived we were HUNGRY!  We started with mussels in Brussels!

 There was some serious snow!  Last time we were here there were flowers where they were standing!

The Grand Palace square was pretty even without the flowers. 

We had to show Memaw the Manneken Pis!

 Then, we started our food fun!  We stopped for waffles, chocolates, and beer!We went into at least three chocolate shops to decide what we wanted!  We left with lots of chocolate.  We were all cold and wet so we headed back to the hotel.  The boys snuggled up with Memaw and went to sleep.  Nate and I rented a movie and ordered room service next door!  It was nice!

For day two, we had planned on going to Mini Europe and the Atomium.  We figured doing the Atomium was worthless because of the foggy yucky weather.  We were excited to do Mini Europe.  We walked to the entrance and it was like Vacation.  We were the only ones running to the entrance, and it was closed......until March!  Yikes!  So, we got a early start home!  

We have a few fun day trips planned for this week.  It should be a nice week!

Brussels

Every two years Brussels turns their Grand Palace Square into a flower carpet!  

 Thousands of begonias were placed in the square as a carpet.  The theme was Africa.

 For a few euro we were able to go up into the palace and take pictures from the balcony.  The view was breath taking!

 We left the square and went on the hunt for Belgium lace, chocolates and waffles!  We scored on all three!  For lunch we each had a Belgian waffle with toppings!  Holy YUM!!!

We stopped for chocolates and caramels before heading home!  

Belgium

 Rachel, the kids, and I traveled to Belgium today!  We stopped at Chateau Jehay.  The web pictures were amazing.  The outside of the chateau were beautiful.  AND...that's where it stops.  We paid 9 euro to tour the house (with an audio tour).  We got to see about six rooms...and that was it!

After listening to a boring two or three minutes on the audio tour, I handed it to Ethan.  He listened to every stinking word!  He and Rachel informed us of what everything was.  It turns out only one item in the house was original.  Everything else was bought from all over the world.  Hey...at least we can say that we have been to a chateau in Belgium.

We drove about thirty minutes into Brussels.  Our first stop was the science museum.  This museum has   thirty REAL dinosaur skeletons.  They were so impressive!  

 The museum was pretty hands on!  The kids enjoyed looking at all the interactive exhibits!

 

Downstairs were seven Iguanadon skeletons.  In the late 1800's some miners found the bones and started moving them to this museum.  They have them laid out exactly how they found them in the mine.  They also had a model of the mine and where the bones were.  The seven dinosaurs were so close to each other.  This was so amazing to me!

We have a hotel for the night.  Tomorrow we are going to see the flower carpet (it happens every two years), eat some Belgium chocolate, and look at some Belgium lace!  That is the plan anyway!  At dinner tonight, someone stole Rachel's wallet.  She has been on the phone all night canceling her credit cards!  

The fellas have been talking about the incident all night.  We have said many prayers for Rachel and the bad man!  I am saying a prayer that we enjoy tomorrow!!!