Saturday, July 11, 2026
The drive to Brussels had several things to look at out our side (the right side) of the bus. There was nothing on the left side. Just as we got to town, Todd jumped up and cried out about all the amazing things that he was seeing that no one on the right side could see. You probably had to be there, but we laughed a lot.
The grand square was very beautiful. There was lots of gold. Gold is always good.
We went to see the Manneden-Pis, apparently a very famous, very small statue. Huh.
We saw lots of waffles along the walk.
I liked this building.
I liked this grasshopper. As a rule, I do not like grasshoppers very much.
There was a take a picture of your eye place and we all looked at our eyes close up. My eyes are AMAZING. I was quite pleased. Everyone else was pretty disappointed in their lame eyes.
Jack got stopped by some interviewers and asked him to pull out a tape measure as far as he thought the women’s high jump record was (2.8m?). He wasn’t very close.
Bandsmen wearing flag blue next to a reflecting pool.
The concert for today was in a public square. Through a variety of circumstances, we did not end up in Dick’s first or second choice of locations, but in “a square.” That is what he was told. We had a lot of jokes about it on the bus, but actually felt a little concerned when we pulled up next to a really empty square with absolutely no one around.
Some groupies and I were hanging around in the shade while the band finished setting up. Our van driver drove behind our bench and called out of the window in a deep voice, “Anybody want to buy a keyboard?” before zooming away. I want to remember how shocked we were at first and then how hard we laughed.
It ended up to be a really good concert with quite a lot of people coming and staying for some or all of it. Considering there were no chair and it was out in the HOT sun at noon with no shade, it was amazing.
We had time to wander around in the afternoon, so we went to an AIR CONDITIONED Haagan Das store with Becky and Sally. Wow did we win. So delicious, so cool, and there was a free bathroom!!
Keith went to the grocery store in the morning to lay in a supply of Sprite Zero and Fanta Zero. We went with Dan and Stacy after we got back to lay in supplies for tomorrow. We drank 5 bottles of soda today. Ooof.
In the grocery store mall, there was a gumball machine that dispensed heart shaped rocks. I got a red one.
There was also a buy-an-undelivered-package vending machine. For 15 euro you could get a surprise! We didn’t, but we should have.
Keith and I went out for a walk. We noticed that bars have all their chairs faced out to the street/sidewalk so the drinkers just sit next to each other and look at the people.
We went into the cathedral. It is very simple compared to the outside.
We saw art.
We had a group dinner. The food was terrific. The decor was bizarre. The temperature was HOT. It lasted for 3 hours.
We walked along the river (recovering from being stuffed in a hot restaurant for three hours) looking at tall ships. There is a tall ship race this weekend.
