Last day in Europe

Today is our last day in Europe.  Tomorrow, we return to Dubai briefly, and will arrive in Australia at the weekend.

After our visit to the European Parliament this morning, there were only one or two more things we wanted to do on our last day here.  These involved taking another look around the shops in the streets surrounding the Grand Place, and buying the package of several boxes of Belgian chocolates that we noticed yesterday.  The other was to find the famous little Manneken Pis.  We found the latter standing at a street corner behind a small wrought-iron fence.  The little fellow was made in the 17th century, and is a fountain.  Water pours from a certain part of his anatomy, which probably adds to his fame.  We later learned that the little fellow is actually a copy because the original kept getting stolen.  The original is now held in some palace.  Afterwards, we found the aforesaid chocolates.

We had some lunch, had a waffle and soon afterwards had coffee in the Grand Place.  Later, we had dinner near our hotel, which is in the 'new' bit of Brussels.  Jean had mussels.  Mussels in Brussels.  So did half the restaurant.  When you have mussels, the waiter ties a bib around your neck!

This is not yet the end of the blog.

The Palais Royale

The famous little Manneken Pis was created in the 17th century.

Variations of the little Manneken Pis are everywhere.

The Grand Place

Galeries Saint-Hubert

A street near the Grand Place..

..and another..

At the Grand Place is this curious bronze relief - don't know who it is.  People were rubbing their hands all over it in fhe same way people rub the statue of St Peter in St Peters Basilica, Vatican.  

Jean and I having a 'last day in Europe' photo at the Grand Place, Brussels.

Jean having mussels in Brussels.

Says it all.