{"id":38509,"date":"2024-03-16T12:57:00","date_gmt":"2024-03-16T12:57:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hrefna.com\/blog\/?p=38509"},"modified":"2024-08-03T13:19:14","modified_gmt":"2024-08-03T13:19:14","slug":"accidental-brussels-grand-place-to-iceland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hrefna.com\/blog\/2024\/03\/accidental-brussels-grand-place-to-iceland\/","title":{"rendered":"Accidental Brussels Grand Place \/ To Iceland"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

[Photos taken 16 – 17 March 2024, posted online 02 August 2024. It’s a new month!<\/em>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The day after the concert I decided to hunt down a clothing store that I often get lucky in, and accidentally stumbled upon a whole shopping district, and the Grand Place<\/a> (Grand Square)!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dinner was quite French, and the following day I took the bus & train to the airport. The flight back to Iceland was uneventful, and the weather welcomed me home with wind and rain…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saturday 16 March 2024<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Nicely unflattering photo of me with the big town-hall-tower at the Grand Place<\/a>, that I accidentally stumbled upon in a totally unplanned wander.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
The day began with breakfast at the hotel. It’s interesting how quickly hotel breakfasts solidify into the same thing over and over again.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
I went out on a wander to find a cafe to hang out at. These very colorful planks caught my eye.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Signs of spring!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
It’s weirdly hard to get perfectly level\/symmetrical photos. This was the most decent one of the set of the St. Boniface church and the square it sits by.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
I found a nearby cafe with cool baristas and an open seat…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
… except there were no laptops allowed on the weekends. So I just drank my coffee in peace and attempted unsuccessfully to find decent books on the electronic library in Iceland on my phone.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
After the very nice coffee I walked on back to the hotel, knowing they had a laptop-friendly area on the ground floor.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
The nook where I hung out. So hip!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Art everywhere, also by the elevators!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
After lunch, I consulted Google Maps to find the way to a clothing store I usually get lucky at.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
I found myself by the Monnaie Center<\/a>, which seemed to have been entirely gutted, minus the floors, and about to be remade. Much to my surprise, I did not get lucky in the clothing store (Esprit), they’d changed their designs and colors to be useless to me. Perhaps I wasn’t the only unhappy customer, because the chain filed for bankruptcy in May 2024!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
After the disappointing shop visit, I noticed there were a lot of people walking here and there, and decided to walk around to see what the fuss was about.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
At some point I started up a Strava recording so I wouldn’t get too lost. It’s also very helpful to have the Strava “heatmap” on to see where others usually walk.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
It was a cozy and pedestrian friendly area, but everything that sold decent food had very long lines. At one point I looked to my right though an alley, and thought… wait a minute… that looks very familiar!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Yup, I’d stumbled upon the Brussels Grand Place<\/a>!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Animated gif of the Grand Place. The big tower is big! (Wait for it to load).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Cute kid being photoed.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Flags and a tall tower.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
I came in to the Grand Place on the far left.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Entering the courtyard behind the large tower.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
History hidden everywhere.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
A surrounded recliner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
A water “feature” on the outside of the building.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Much to my surprise, a parade of masked men appeared out of nowhere! (Animated gif, wait for it to load)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
The back-side of a parade that came out of nowhere.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
I decided to splurge on some overpriced chocolate for the family. I learnt after the fact that a cheaper version of the same store is not far away. Tsk, tsk.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Tempting, so very tempting!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
The Beer Museum<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Back where I started. about to take the bus back to the hotel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
There was a fancy bakery close to the hotel. I went there to get a bit of sustenance, as everything had been so busy in the shopping district.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
It was scrumptious!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Chill time at the hotel before dinner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
My swordfish at yet another very French restaurant<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
It was somebody’s birthday!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
“Burnt cream with brown sugar”, aka cr\u00e8me br\u00fbl\u00e9e!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Yum!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
I passed the church on the way back, and a couple of people tried to convert me. Sorry, I don’t have that kind of brain…!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Dining outdoors, so foreign!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Chilling downstairs for a bit before heading to bed.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Sunday 17 March 2024<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Morning bed-hair. I just couldn’t resist the circular mirror lights!!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
The hotel breakfast buffet, part 1.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Part 2…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Part 3!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Trying to get my head around this “fun” photo decorating the room-key, none of which makes any sense!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Bus to the train center approaching.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Man on a horse guarding road-works equipment.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
The very large royal palace.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Entering the train station.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
On the platform…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
The shiny balls structure<\/a> (Atomium<\/a>) visible in the distance.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
My sad deflated bag (I didn’t buy anything!) got a special cart to move around in.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Easter getting close.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Blasts from the past, Belgian comic-books were all the rage when I was young.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
My plane.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Airport action shot.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
In the air over some impressive roads.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Hello Iceland.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Rain and wind, sigh.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Then it was back to life-as-usual, with lamb on the BBQ.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Anna posing.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[Photos taken 16 – 17 March 2024, posted online 02 August 2024. It’s a new month!<\/em>]<\/p>\n

The day after the concert I decided to hunt down a clothing store that I often get lucky in, and accidentally stumbled upon a whole shopping district, and the Grand Place<\/a> (Grand Square)!<\/p>\n

Dinner was quite French, and the following day I took the bus & train to the airport. The flight back to Iceland was uneventful, and the weather welcomed me home with wind and rain…<\/p>\n

Saturday 16 March 2024<\/h2>\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Nicely unflattering photo of me with the big town-hall-tower at the Grand Place<\/a>, that I accidentally stumbled upon in a totally unplanned wander.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[159],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38509","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-belgium","post-container col-md-12"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hrefna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38509","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hrefna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hrefna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hrefna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hrefna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38509"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/hrefna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38509\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38574,"href":"https:\/\/hrefna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38509\/revisions\/38574"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hrefna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38509"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hrefna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38509"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hrefna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38509"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}