"The soul of a journey is liberty, perfect liberty, to think, feel, do just as one pleases." ~William Hazlitt
Belgium!
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In Belgium, I fell behind on my blogging because I was so busy visiting with my friend Hannelore (pronounced “Hannah Lora”) and her 3 year old son. And after they left, I was busy getting caught up on work!
So here’s a condensed photo post of Leuven. It’s a beautiful and historic city, very peaceful and charming.
The extraordinary 15th Century Town Hall building on the left, the Cathedral on the right, and note all the bicycles in between. I’ve never seen so many people riding bikes!
Historic buildings (most of which were recreated after the city was heavily bombed in World War I), friendly people, good food, and lots of outdoor plazas make Leuven a delightful place to visit.
This plaza is known as the largest bar in Europe. It’s actually a collection of bars whose outdoor areas meld together in one giant, beautiful plaza.Hot dogs, hamburgers, and…escargot? Hmm.The wonderful outdoor market features chocolate, waffles, fresh produce, cheeses, sausages, flowers, and lots more.Tasty morsels of goodness in one of the market’s booths. Yum!Tulips are a Big Deal in Belgium in the springtime.Real Belgian Waffles are served warm and eatin in hand like a cookie. They’re dense and sometimes sweet, almost like a cake-style doughnut. All the trimmings we associate with Belgian Waffles in the US exist mostly in tourist areas.The Grand Beguinage is a city within a city, a peaceful walled area where unmarried women lived in peace and religious devotion.A lovely scene within the Grand Beguinage, or Groot Begijnhof, featuring an abandoned bicycle.Following Hannalore to the store. Her bike cart can carry her 3-year old plus several suitcases, or many bags of groceries, or all the gear she needs to set up an event for her business.
Published by Lauren
I'm a nomadic freelance writer, out enjoying the world!
Sue Guetterman
April 20, 2014 at 2:43 pmBeen missing your posts!! Happy to see another gorgeous city via your beautiful photos!!!
Thanks, Lauren
Sue
Catherine
April 20, 2014 at 3:17 pmNow we all need to go visit Hannelore 🙂
Lauren
April 29, 2014 at 3:30 amShe is a lovely hostess. 😀