Day 3- Brussels

Today was a kick-ass day! I woke up at 7:30 and took a little stroll around the neighborhood (actually, I needed an ATM, because Europe is fucking expensive and I already burned through what I changed in Frankfurt!). Then I walked down to the central market square, surrounded by 17th century guildhalls. It's arguably the most touristy spot in Belgium, but since I was there so early, no one else was around except for the beer deliverymen! I got some great shots, which will go up tomorrow. The amount of detail that went into every building is truly mind-blowing. 

Then I took a short walk a flew blocks away to see the "Manneken Pis," considered the national symbol of Belgium. It's a small statue of a little boy peeing. There's some guy named Jean-Luc or something who dresses up Manneken Pis in special outfits. Today he was naked, but his posted costume schedule (!) shows that he's wearing gay pride rainbows tomorrow! I'm sad I'll miss that.

Then I hopped on the Metro, which was running slowly because of national strikes today (Spain struck yesterday), and went waaaaay out to the edge of town, through one of Belgium's last remaining forests! So beautiful, it was like taking a tram into Armstrong Grove. Out there I visited the African Museum, started in the 50s to showcase the colony in The Congo, but now more of a study of colonialism and the messed up things Belgians did in Africa. After several rooms of dead animals, including reaaaaaally gross bugs, I decided to head back to town.

And visited the vegan store! I picked up some goodies, pics of those tomorrow. 

After a short rest at the hostel, I traveled to Belgium's oldest family-run traditional brewery! It was fascinating- again, pics tomorrow. This beer is like Brussels' version of sourdough bread- it has a distinctive sour flavor due to a bacteria that is strictly local to the river that runs underneath the city, so that kind of beer can only be made in Brussels. Accept no imitations!

Then back to the market square to finally try some frites. Meh. They're basically $4 french fries. Good, but not necessarily worth the 6,000 mile trip. 

That's it for now! My hour of wireless is almost up! Pics tomorrow, when I get to Den Haag!