December 2025 Trip
Eileen and I flew into Amsterdam on December 5, 2025, and went straight to the Van Gogh Museum, standing face to face with paintings we had known for years only from books. From there, we visited the house where Anne Frank and her family hid, a deeply moving experience that left us crying and reflective.
Our journey included two nights in Amsterdam, two in Bruges, and two in Brussels, each city offering its own beauty and history. Along the way, we climbed inside two windmills, marveled at their size and ingenuity, and took a canal boat ride—though the windows were steamed up, the feeling of gliding through the city was still magical.
We joined five city tours in total: Amsterdam, Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent, and Brussels. While most transportation was included, we also found our own way around by subway, train, and the occasional Uber, which made us feel a bit like locals finding our rhythm in unfamiliar places.
Amsterdam itself was unforgettable, with more canals than Venice—about 46 miles compared to Venice’s 26—lined with countless homes that seemed to rise straight out of the water. In each city we went to there were chocolate shops, beer pubs, ancient houses, museums, and once unmistakable sight of multiple cheeses and many different wooden shoes.
The trip blended history, culture, and everyday life into something wonderfully alive. It was a trip filled with discovery, history, and moments that will stay with us for a long time now that we have returned home.
December 5, 2025 (day 1, before the tour)
The museum where the Vincent van Gogh paintings were displayed (Museumplein 6, 1071 DJ Amsterdam, Netherlands) was very interesting. I was allowed to take photos of the paintings, but no flash.
Woman by a Veranda in Snow
Artist: Utagawa Kunisada (also known as Toyokuni III, 1786–1865)
Period: Edo period, mid-19th century
Type: Color woodblock print (nishiki-e)
Artist: Vincent van Gogh
Title: Olive Trees (one of several versions)
Date: 1889
Period: Saint-Rémy, France (while Van Gogh was in the asylum)
The twisting, rhythmic tree trunks with blue-gray outlines are unmistakably Van Gogh.
The thick, directional brushstrokes give the trees a sense of movement and emotion.
The color palette—ochres, greens, blues, and muted yellows—is characteristic of his Saint-Rémy landscapes.
Van Gogh painted multiple versions of olive groves, exploring light, structure, and emotion rather than exact realism.
Artist: Kees van Dongen (Dutch, 1877–1968)
Period: Fauvism, early 20th century (c. 1905–1910)
Type: Portrait of a fashionable woman
Artist: Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864–1901)
Title: Portrait of Dr. Bourges
Date: 1891
Style: Post-Impressionism
Artist: Vincent van Gogh
Title: Almond Blossom
Date: 1890
Medium: Oil on canvas
Artist: Vincent van Gogh
Title: Poppies (sometimes referred to as Poppies with Butterflies)
Date: 1887
Period: Paris years
Artist: Vincent van Gogh
Title: The Park of the Hospital at Saint-Rémy
Date: 1889
Period: Saint-Rémy (while Van Gogh was living in the asylum)
After cutting off part of his left ear during a severe mental crisis, Van Gogh voluntarily admitted himself to the asylum, hoping to find some measure of peace and stability.
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Artist: Vincent van Gogh
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Title: The Sheaf-Binder (also known as The Reaper or Sheaf-Binder in a Wheatfield)
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Date: 1889
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Period: Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
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The worker is not heroicized but absorbed into the field, almost becoming part of it.
Next we went to the Anne Frank House
Here in Amsterdam Eileen and I just stood inside the tiny, suffocating rooms where Anne Frank and seven others hid for two long years because they were different. They were hidden behind a movable set of book shelves. The walls felt like they were closing in, as if they still held the fear, the whispers, the constant dread of footsteps on the stairs. The newspaper and magazine clippings that they had hung on the walls were still there today. That was so eerie. It’s impossible to be there and not feel the weight of what they endured while the Nazis roamed the streets outside their door (and risk of the people downstairs noticing them), risking their family being torn apart and sending many thousands to be tortured and to their deaths.
Reading Anne’s words—her dreams, her hopes, her terror—was almost unbearable. Both Eileen and I were crying. Anne wrote about not being allowed outside. Not being able to walk freely to a store. Not being welcome in theaters, shops, schools, or any part of normal life. All the basic freedoms we take for granted were stripped from her simply because of who she was.
Then in 1945 even after the landings at Normandy the goons did come up those stairs and the eight of them sent to three different concentration camps, they all but one gentleman (her father) died or were killed in the ovens. Along with those who helped them.
Standing there, I couldn’t help thinking about the world today. While the circumstances are different, so many people now (in 2025!) —especially immigrants and those seen as “outsiders”—are living with fear, hostility, and exclusion. First it was the bad illegals, now it is just those from certain countries! People not paid a living wage, then because their State did not vote for the President their hospitals are closing and their food benefits are now taken away. They face doors closing in their faces, hatred shouted at them, and policies that make their lives small, restricted, and uncertain. It’s painful to watch, and even more painful to realize how quickly society can turn on people who look or sound different.
What a terrible thing—to see echoes of past injustice appearing in front of our eyes, in our own time. It breaks my heart.
December 6, 2025 day 2 first stop Amsterdam
We started the morning by being bussed to the amazing Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, surrounded by paintings from Vermeer, de Hooch, de Heem, Rembrandt, and so many other masters. I had studied these artists years ago in an Art Appreciation course in college, but standing in front of their actual paintings was something entirely different. Seeing the brushstrokes, the light, and the depth in person made the experience deeply moving — it felt like stepping into history and finally meeting artists I had known only from books.
Eileen viewing
“Woman in Blue Reading a Letter” by Johannes Vermeer.
- Date: c. 1663–1664
Style: Dutch Golden Age
Current location: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
“The Milkmaid” by Johannes Vermeer.
Artist: Pieter de Hooch
Period: Dutch Golden Age, c. 1655–1665
Style: Genre painting, domestic interior
Subject: Woman and child in a household setting
Artist: Pieter de Hooch
Date: c. 1658–1660
Style: Dutch Golden Age genre painting
Subject: Courtyard of a Dutch house with figures engaged in everyday domestic activity
Artist: Jan Davidsz de Heem
Date: c. 1645–1665
Style: Dutch Golden Age still life
Subject: Luxurious bouquet of mixed flowers against a dark background
Artist: Rembrandt van Rijn (1606–1669)
Title: The Syndics of the Drapers’ Guild (De Staalmeesters)
Date: 1662
Style: Dutch Golden Age group portrait
Subject: The elected officials (syndics) of Amsterdam’s cloth guild, examining a ledger
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Artist: Rembrandt van Rijn (1606–1669)
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Title: The Jewish Bride
(also interpreted as Isaac and Rebecca, from the Bible) -
Date: c. 1665–1669
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Style: Dutch Golden Age, late Rembrandt
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Medium: Oil on canvas
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Current location: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
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Extraordinary paint surface: thick, glowing impasto in the golds and reds of the clothing, especially the woman’s dress.
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Subdued background that pushes emotional focus onto the figures.
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Psychological depth rather than narrative drama—hallmark of Rembrandt’s final years.
Despite the traditional title, the work is not a literal Jewish wedding scene. Most scholars agree it represents:
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Isaac and Rebecca (Genesis 26), or
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A symbolic portrayal of marital love and fidelity
Rembrandt deliberately leaves the story ambiguous, focusing instead on affection, trust, and devotion.
Why it’s famous
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Praised by Vincent van Gogh, who said he would give ten years of his life to sit before it for two weeks.
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Considered one of the greatest expressions of love in Western art.
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Exemplifies Rembrandt’s late style: fewer details, deeper meaning.
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Artist: Rembrandt van Rijn (1606–1669)
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Title: The Night Watch
(original title: **The Company of Captain Frans Banning Cocq and Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenburch) -
Date: 1642
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Style: Dutch Golden Age, civic militia group portrait
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Medium: Oil on canvas
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Location: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
My favorite painting, every feather was painted to perfection.
Artist: Melchior d’Hondecoeter
Date: c. 1660–1685
Style: Dutch Golden Age animal painting
Subject: Exotic and domestic birds gathered in a landscaped park with water
1. Exotic Bird Ensemble
Pelican prominently in the foreground
Flamingo, crane, ducks, and waterfowl together
Such improbable groupings were a signature feature of d’Hondecoeter, showcasing the Dutch Republic’s global reach and curiosity
2. Scale & Presence
Birds are painted life-size or larger-than-life
They behave almost like portraits, each with individual character
December 6, 2025 – second stop
We left the museum and walked to the river for an hour-long boat ride on the Amstel River. As we silently motored along the waterway, I learned that eons ago a dam was built on this river. Suddenly it all clicked — sitting there, gently moving through the heart of the city, I understood where the name Amsterdam came from. A dam on the river Amster! It was one of those small but amazing moments when history quietly connects itself to the present.
During the boat ride on the canal, we saw the “Tilt Homes” or “Dancing Houses” so described because:
The Damrak, Amsterdam, with tall canal houses that appear to “dance”
Amsterdam buildings were constructed on wooden piles driven into soft, waterlogged ground.
Over time, uneven settling caused the façades to tilt.
Third stop
Next Zaanse Schans where there are windmills, wooden shoes, and cheese (and obviously chocolates)
a. Wooden shoes
In Zaanse Schans, we watched wooden shoes being made the old-fashioned way. Seeing a craftsman shape the wood on equipment that looked centuries old was fascinating — the rhythm of the machines, and the skill involved made it feel like stepping back in time. It was amazing to see the craftsman blow into the finished shoe and watch the water being expelled, so much water!!
They make so many different kinds of shoes, each with its own purpose, that it was truly amazing. I even purchased a shoe that had been culled out, a small imperfect piece that now feels like a great souvenir of the day.
b. Cheese
We also saw where they make cheese (so many kinds it is incredible).
Cheese of many colors, black, white, red, yellow, etc.
c. Windmill #1
Then we climbed up into a real windmill. Inside, we climbed all around the interior and stood beside the huge stone wheels grinding grain, watching them turn as they have for centuries. This mill was fully working — not just for grain, but for many materials — and it was actually grinding as we watched.
They sold small containers of what the mill produced, including materials ground into pigments of many colors. I could have bought acrylic paints made from this very mill for my own paintings, but they were far too expensive. Still, just knowing that color could be born from stone and wind was fascinating.
The mill was loud and alive, vibrating with power. We saw how the millers turned it to catch the wind and adjusted the blades. Standing outside on a high platform, with the massive blades sweeping past just a few feet away, was unforgettable — you could hear the deep whoosh of the sail in the wind and feel the energy of it all around you.
Huge wheels grinding grain
December 7, 2025 Day 3
a. Kinderdijk
Off we went by bus from Amsterdam to Kinderdijk. I learned that the name comes from kinder (child) and dijk (dike), tied to a local legend from the great flood of 1421. According to the story, a baby was found floating safely in a cradle, kept balanced by a cat, drifting until it reached the dike at this very spot. Whether legend or truth, it gave the place a n interesting name.
Today, Kinderdijk is famous for its 19 historic windmills, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These weren’t grain mills, though — they were wind-powered water movers, designed to keep the land from flooding. Even so, they’re still called windmills because the name windmill came first, and the name stuck.
One of the windmills we explored (windmill #2) has been in operation for 400 years. Instead of grinding grain, it moves water, working much like the paddle on a steamboat paddlewheel. We climbed all through it and discovered that it had once been converted into a family home. A family with ten children lived there. The kitchen was in a small building outside, while the living room and master bedroom were on the lower level, with more bedrooms above — three levels in all. It was astonishing to imagine daily life with 10 kids inside such a structure.
A young woman named Rose, who manages the windmill today, showed us how it works outside. One vane at a time was brought around, and she climbed up, hooking the canvas on the way down much like we used to hook the jib on a sailboat. She pulled it tight, then explained how additional lines allowed the canvas to be reduced to two-thirds or even one-third, depending on the strength of a storm — exactly like reefing a sail.
Then she showed me how to release the brake. I pulled down on the line and gave it a sharp tug, and just like that, the mill came alive. It was fascinating to see how intuitive and mechanical the system was, all driven by wind and human hands.
These windmills once worked the way the pumps do in New Orleans today. The land here lies below sea level, and without constant pumping, it would flood and disappear again. At one time there were over a thousand windmills in the area. Now only a few remain, mostly for demonstration, since modern electric screw pumps can move a hundred times more water in the same amount of time. While the old windmills were marvels of ingenuity, modern electric screw pumps can now move more than a hundred times more water, quietly and efficiently doing the same life-saving work.
Even with their lower capacity:
They saved the Netherlands for centuries
Worked in networks of many mills
Operated before electricity or engines existed
Many of the old mills were torn down simply because of the cost of upkeep. The thatched sides alone now cost over a million dollars per mill to replace — and only a handful of people still know how to do the work.
Standing there, surrounded by wind, water, and history, it was impossible not to feel deep respect for the ingenuity and perseverance that once held the sea at bay.
b. Antwerp
Then we got back on the bus and headed to Antwerp in Belgium.
According to legend:
A giant named Antigoon demanded tolls from ships on the River Scheldt.
Those who refused had their hands cut off.
A man called Brabo defeated Antigoon, cut off the giant’s hand, and threw it into the river.
👉 This legend is where the name Antwerp is said to come from:
The Dutch word for “hand” is:
hand
It’s spelled and pronounced almost the same as in English.
That’s why the Antwerp legend works so neatly:
hand werpen = to throw a hand
Over time, this became Antwerpen (Antwerp)
A small word with a big piece of local history behind it.
It was cold and sprinkled rain once about every 5 minutes, but the town was thronged with people enjoying the many stalls which were selling everything from chocolates to cheeses to socks to anything you can imagine. We had a salmon sandwich and vegetable soup. The sandwiches were so big Eileen and I brought half with us! The village square was surrounded by huge buildings that were built in the 15th century by the guilds. The butcher guild had the largest and was the first, the city hall building was huge!! We did not have time to go to the fair and ride on the huge ferris wheel. Nor did we have time to go to the Diamond Market where 60% of the world’s diamonds go! Or the huge cathedral.
Antwerp lies in the northwest of Belgium and is the sixth most populous city in the country. The predominant language is Dutch (West Flemish). It’s a city shaped by water, surrounded by a river and threaded with canals. Over the course of the tour, we crossed more than a dozen bridges, each offering another view of the city’s layered history.
Most of the buildings date back 300 to 400 years, giving the city a deep, lived-in feel.
Everything was dressed for Christmas, lights and decorations everywhere. I wore my Santa hat, and just like the past few days, it brought smiles everywhere we went. People stopped to take photos with me. They might not speak English, but they absolutely loved being seen with me as Santa.
There are only two tall buildings in the city; most structures are about three to five stories high. Our guide explained that many of them are used for storage and business, reflecting Antwerp’s long commercial history. Some streets seemed devoted entirely to chocolate shops, others almost exclusively to waffle shops, offering waffles piled high with every topping imaginable. Other streets catered to tourists, full of cheerful little shops and souvenirs. I bought my usual refrigerator magnet and a T-shirt for my neighbor, while Eileen found a glass her cousin had asked her to bring back from Belgium.
Back at the hotel, I ran into my own little adventure. I tried ten times to download photos from my phone using a special thumb drive I’d bought for this used Apple phone after our Greece trip. The app was supposed to transfer everything, but no matter what I did — even leaving it overnight — no pictures showed up. Finally, Eileen calmly said, “Why don’t you just run a wire straight to the laptop?”
Thirty minutes later, all 650 photos were safely on the laptop.
When I plugged the wire from the phone into the laptop, the phone simply asked for the access code, and then — boom — everything transferred perfectly. My old Android never did that, and I was incredibly grateful that Eileen knew exactly what to do.
By the end of the day, my watch showed 12,000 steps. The temperature reached about 55 degrees, but the wind and rain often made it feel much colder. It didn’t seem to bother anyone else, though — the streets were packed with people, full of laughter and energy. The rain came every 15 minutes or so, lasting just a few minutes each time. Umbrellas went up, then down, then up again — all day long — as the city carried on, cheerful and alive.
This building is the Port House (Havenhuis) in Antwerp, Belgium.
Name: Port House / Havenhuis
Location: Antwerp, Belgium
Architect: Zaha Hadid
Completed: 2016
Function: Headquarters of the Port of Antwerp
Why it looks like this
The glass structure on top is designed to resemble a ship’s prow or a cut diamond, both symbols tied to Antwerp’s maritime and diamond-trading history.
It was built on top of a historic fire station, rather than replacing it—blending old and ultra-modern architecture.
The angled glass façade reflects sky and water, making it change appearance with the weather (as you saw on a rainy day).
Fun context
Zaha Hadid was famous for bold, futuristic designs—this is one of her most recognizable European works.
The building has become a modern landmark for Antwerp
This photo shows the Cathedral of Our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal) in Antwerp, Belgium, during the Christmas market season.
🏰 Identification
Name: Cathedral of Our Lady
Location: Antwerp, Belgium
Style: Brabantine Gothic
Tower height: ~123 meters (404 ft) — the tallest church tower in Belgium
UNESCO World Heritage Site
What you’re seeing
The soaring single spire with the large gold clock is the cathedral’s most recognizable feature.
The illuminated arches in the foreground are part of Antwerp’s Christmas market decorations, guiding visitors through the market stalls.
The crowd, lights, and stalls. the city being fully dressed for Christmas.
Historical note
Construction began in 1352 and took nearly 170 years.
Inside are masterpieces by Peter Paul Rubens, including The Descent from the Cross.
This statue is Brabo, the famous fountain statue in Antwerp’s Grote Markt.
🗿 Identification
Name: Brabo Fountain (Brabofontein)
Location: Grote Markt, Antwerp, Belgium
Sculptor: Jef Lambeaux
Installed: 1887
What the statue represents
The figure at the top is Brabo, a legendary Roman soldier. He is shown throwing a severed hand.
According to legend:
A giant named Antigoon demanded tolls from ships on the River Scheldt.
Those who refused had their hands (Ant) cut off.
Brabo defeated Antigoon, cut off the giant’s hand, and threw (werp) it into the river.
- The name of the city became “hand thrown” or Antwerp.
Why it’s important
It’s one of Antwerp’s most iconic symbols
Represents freedom of trade and resistance to tyranny
The dramatic pose captures motion, power, and triumph
Setting
The surrounding ornate guild houses and Christmas market stalls make this a classic Antwerp scene.
Back on the bus and ended up in Bruges where we will stay for two nights. Tomorrow we will tour the town and the guild hall buildings there.
Day 4 Bruges – Dec 8, 2025
In Bruges, we stayed at the Hotel De Medici, where we started the day with a huge breakfast in their very large dining room, anchored by an impressive 50-foot-long breakfast bar. Well fed and ready, we headed out for a six-hour walking tour of the city.
Bruges is located in the northwest of Belgium and is one of the country’s most beautifully preserved medieval cities. The predominant language is Dutch (West Flemish). Water is everywhere here — the city is laced with canals fed by the River Reie, and during our walk we crossed more than a dozen bridges, each one opening onto another postcard view.
In the canals we saw white swans, gulls, and the Eurasian coot
Most of the buildings date back 300 to 400 years, giving Bruges the feeling of a living museum. Everything was dressed for Christmas, lights glowing along the canals and through the narrow streets.
I wore my Santa hat, and just like the past few days, it brought constant smiles. People stopped to take photos with me or me with their children. They may not speak English, but they absolutely love being seen with Santa!
There are only two tall buildings in the city; the rest rise about five stories or so, preserving the old skyline. Our guide explained that many of these buildings were historically used for storage and trade, reflecting Bruges’ long mercantile past. Some streets were devoted almost entirely to chocolate shops, others to waffle shops — waffles piled high with every topping imaginable. Other streets catered to tourists with cheerful little shops full of souvenirs. I bought my usual refrigerator magnet and a T-shirt for my neighbor, while Eileen found a glass her cousin had asked her to bring back from Belgium.
Back at the hotel, I wrestled once again with technology. I had tried at least ten times to download photos from my phone using a special thumb drive I’d bought for this used Apple phone after our Greece trip. The app was supposed to transfer everything, but no matter what I did — even leaving it overnight — the drives stayed empty. Finally, Eileen calmly said, “Why don’t you just run a wire straight to the laptop?”
Thirty minutes later, all 650 photos were safely on the laptop. When I plugged it in, the phone simply asked for the access code — and then, boom, everything downloaded perfectly. My old Android never did that, and I was so grateful that Eileen knew exactly what to do.
By the end of the day, my watch showed 12,000 steps. The high temperature reached about 55 degrees, but the wind and rain often made it feel much colder. It didn’t seem to bother anyone else — the streets were packed with people, laughter everywhere. The rain came about every 15 minutes, lasting only a few minutes each time. Umbrellas up, then down, then up again — all day long — as Bruges carried on, festive and full of life.
This statue is a bear, a historic symbol of Bruges.
🐻 Identification
Subject: Bear of Bruges
Location: On historic buildings in Bruges, Belgium (often near civic or guild structures)
Meaning: Strength, protection, and civic authority
Why a bear?
The name “Bruges” is commonly linked to the Old Norse word bryggja (harbor/landing place), but in medieval folklore the bear became a city emblem.
According to legend, Count Baldwin I of Flanders killed a bear near this site, and the animal became a symbol of power and guardianship.
Bears appear in Bruges’ coats of arms, statues, and decorative carvings throughout the city.
Details in your photo
The bear is shown standing upright, holding a shield with a cross-like emblem, marking civic authority.
The gold-painted collar and shield details indicate the figure’s importance and help it stand out against the stone façade.
The niche placement suggests it functioned as a guardian figure, watching over the street below.
The sign is written in Dutch. Here’s what it says:
🪧 Translation
“Brugse Nunnebillen”
→ “Bruges Nun’s Bottoms” (a traditional candy name 😄) (Our guide called them Nun’s legs)“1,60 €/½”
→ €1.60 for a half portion“4 voor 6 €”
→ 4 for €6
What it is
Nunnebillen are a traditional Bruges sweet, similar to marshmallow or nougat—soft, sugary, and lightly flavored. The playful name dates back centuries and is part of Bruges’ sense of humor and folklore.
This photo shows a horse-drawn carriage in the historic center of Bruges, in front of the Historium on the Markt (Market Square) in Bruges.
🐴 What you’re seeing
Traditional carriage (“koets”) pulled by a Bruges carriage horse
These rides are a long-standing tourist tradition, especially popular around Christmas
The drivers follow fixed routes past major sights like:
Markt
🏰 The setting
The stepped-gable buildings around the square are classic Flemish architecture
Most date from the 15th–17th centuries, rebuilt or restored over time
Cobblestone streets and tight spaces are exactly why carriages still feel natural here
🎄 Seasonal touch
The decorations, greenery, and crowd fit perfectly with Bruges at Christmas
Horse tack often includes festive ribbons or accents in December
This photo shows Friterie 1900 in Bruges, a classic Belgian frituur (fries shop).
🍟 What you’re seeing
“Friterie 1900”
A well-known spot for Belgian fries, burgers, and quick comfort food.The signage below (“Frit Burger”) confirms it’s a traditional fries-and-burgers place.
The closed black umbrellas and Christmas garlands fit perfectly with your December visit.
Cultural context
In Belgium, fries are serious business — fritures like this are part of everyday life, not just tourist food.
Fries are traditionally:
Fried twice
Served in a cone or tray
Eaten with dozens of sauce options (andalouse, samurai, curry ketchup, mayo, etc.)
Location feel
This is right in the historic center of Bruges, surrounded by centuries-old buildings.
Places like this sit comfortably next to medieval architecture, showing how old and everyday life blend seamlessly in Belgian cities.
This is one of those details that really anchors a travel story — not a monument, just real Bruges life, warm food and lights on a cold, wet day.
We did not find the fries any better than you find here in the US.
This is part of the Bruges City Hall (Stadhuis van Brugge) on Burg Square.
🏛️ Identification
Building: Bruges City Hall (Stadhuis)
Location: Burg Square, Bruges
Style: Late Gothic (with later Renaissance decorative elements)
Built: 1376–1421
One of the oldest city halls in the Low Countries
What you’re seeing in the photo
The ornate stone balcony with a turquoise-green (oxidized copper) railing
Sculptural niches with figures representing rulers, saints, or allegorical figures
A seated figure above the balcony, symbolizing authority and justice
The mix of brick Gothic walls and elaborate stone carving is classic Bruges
Why it matters
This balcony was used for official announcements and civic ceremonies
Burg Square was (and still is) the political heart of Bruges
The building reflects Bruges’ wealth and power during its medieval golden age
You caught a wonderful architectural detail — Bruges doesn’t shout its history; it carves it into stone, a little bit at a time.
This is a Christmas shop window display in Bruges, showing a row of Scandinavian-style gnome/Santa figures (often called tomte or nisse).
What’s notable in the image
Tall, floppy hats in red, gray, white, and black — a classic Nordic Christmas design
Big round noses, long white beards, and no visible eyes, which is intentional and traditional
Soft textures: felt, knit, faux fur — meant to feel cozy and handmade
Cultural context
These gnomes are very popular across Belgium, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia during Christmas
They’re symbols of:
Home protection
Good luck
Winter warmth and family
You’ll see them everywhere in December: shop windows, markets, cafés, and homes
Why it fits your trip so well
After medieval stone buildings, rain, canals, waffles, and Christmas lights, this kind of window is pure Bruges in December — warm, whimsical, and slightly old-fashioned, just like the city itself.
I purchased one for Marian.
This photo captures a classic Bruges detail your guide is pointing out.
What he’s pointing to
Above the doorway is a small recessed window/niche containing a religious image — most likely a House Madonna (often Mary with the Christ Child).
Why this matters in Bruges
From the Middle Ages onward, many Bruges homes displayed a Madonna or saint on the façade
These served several purposes:
Protection for the household
A public expression of faith
A way to identify a house before street numbers were common
Some were sculptures, others paintings behind glass, just like this one
Architectural details to notice
The scroll-shaped stonework framing the upper window (Baroque influence)
The spiral has no clear beginning or end
In Christian symbolism, this suggests eternal life and God’s unending presence
🌿 Life, growth, and protection
Scrolls evolved from stylized plant forms
They echo vines or unfurling leaves, linking them to life and renewal
Placed around a sacred image, they act like a protective frame
Thick brick walls typical of 16th–17th century Bruges houses
The modest scale — these were meant to be seen by pedestrians, not to dominate the street
Why guides love pointing these out
Most visitors walk right past them. Once you know to look above doors and windows, you suddenly see Bruges as a city full of quiet religious markers, not just canals and chocolate shops.
It’s a perfect example of how Bruges hides its history in plain sight.
This is a drinking-water access cover in Bruges.
What the markings mean
“DRINKWATERLEIDING”
Dutch for “drinking water pipeline”“BRUGGE”
The city name (Bruges)
So this cover marks a valve or access point for the city’s potable water system, not sewer or storm drainage.
Why it looks the way it does
The square grid pattern gives strength and slip resistance
The small central hole is for lifting the cover with a tool
It’s set flush into historic cobblestones, which Bruges preserves carefully
Why this is interesting in Bruges
Medieval cities like Bruges originally relied on canals and wells (often polluted)
A modern pressurized drinking-water network was added later, carefully threaded under centuries-old streets
The city clearly labels infrastructure so workers know:
Safe drinking water (blue network)
Not wastewater or gas
In short
You’re literally standing on clean drinking water infrastructure, quietly running beneath a city that’s 700+ years old — modern life hidden under medieval stone.
It’s another example of how Bruges blends old surfaces with modern systems, all in plain sight once you know how to read them.
Pipes for beer👍
And Bruges is famous for them.
What “pipes for beer” means in Bruges
Bruges has an underground beer pipeline that carries beer beneath the historic streets.
This one
Built for Brouwerij De Halve Maan (the Half Moon Brewery)
Opened in 2016
Length: about 3 km (nearly 2 miles)
Runs from the brewery in the old city center to a bottling plant outside the center
Why they built it
The medieval streets are narrow and fragile
Hundreds of trucks a week were damaging:
Cobblestones
Bridges
Historic buildings
The pipeline:
Removes heavy truck traffic
Protects the city
Is quieter and cleaner
How it works
Beer is pumped through food-grade stainless steel pipes
Fully sealed, temperature-controlled
Can move thousands of liters per hour
The beer is still fresh — bottling happens at the end
About your photo with the glass window
Some street glass panels and access points are:
Or simply near where modern systems (like the beer pipe) run underground
You usually can’t see the beer itself, but you are walking above it in parts of Bruges.
Fun fact
Locals helped fund it through crowdfunding — donors were promised:
Free beer
Their names engraved
Or beer every year for life 🍺
So yes — when you were walking those rainy cobblestones in Bruges,
beer really was flowing beneath your feet.
This statue is of Juan Luis Vives (1492–1540), a Spanish humanist, philosopher, and pioneering educator from Valencia. He is an important figure in early modern education and psychology, and he spent productive years in Bruges, which is why the city honors him.
What the inscription says (translated from Dutch)
“This monument was erected with the cooperation of the City of Bruges
by Spanish primary education
in memory of the outstanding pedagogue of Valencia.
Spanish Teachers’ Service
1957.”
Why Vives matters
He was one of the founders of modern pedagogy
Advocated:
Education adapted to the individual child
Learning through experience, not rote memorization
Education for women (very radical for his time)
Influenced later thinkers across Europe, including Erasmus
Why he’s in Bruges
Bruges was a major intellectual and commercial hub in the 16th century
Vives lived and worked here for years
The city became a place of exile and refuge for him after persecution in Spain
About the sculpture itself
The bust format emphasizes intellect rather than power
His clothing reflects a 16th-century scholar, not nobility or clergy
The quiet setting fits his reputation as a teacher and thinker, not a political figure
So this is not just a local statue—it’s a marker of Bruges’ role in the history of European education and humanism.
That sign is labeling a yew tree.
Translation (Dutch → English)
Venijnboom = Poison tree (common Dutch name)
Taxus baccata = European yew (scientific name)
Taxusfamilie = Yew family (Taxaceae)
- Our guide told us that this yew tree was only allowed to be grown by the church.
- The tree may have been used to provide the “bitter water” in the Bible (Numbers 5:11-31} to abort a fetus that was not the spouses.
- It is located by the house of prostitution in this port city to give to prostitutes so they will not have to carry a baby.
This façade is Museum Brugge (Musea Brugge), and the three large panels are reproductions of famous Madonna-and-Child works from Bruges’ collections, used as outdoor gallery posters and wayfinding.
Here’s what you’re seeing and why it matters:
What the three images represent
All three panels show Mary with the Christ Child, but in different artistic languages:
Left panel – Late Medieval / Early Flemish style
Warm colors, rich textiles, gold details
Emphasizes Mary as Queen of Heaven
Christ is small but alert → divine wisdom
Center panel – Sculpture (Michelangelo tradition)
This is a photograph of the Madonna and Child sculpture tradition (Bruges is famous for Michelangelo’s Madonna of Bruges)
Marble, calm, restrained
Emphasizes humanity, gravity, incarnation
Right panel – Flemish Renaissance painting
Softer realism, human intimacy
Christ is playful and physical
Emphasizes motherhood and compassion
Together, they show how the same sacred theme was interpreted across media and time in Bruges.
This is a stone relief showing a dairy scene—and it fits perfectly with what you’ve been noticing about Bruges using everyday work as public storytelling.
What the relief depicts
From left to right you can see:
A milkmaid or dairyman holding two milk pails
A kneeling figure milking a cow
A sheep (or calf) tucked beside the cow
A tree or foliage above, indicating an outdoor, rural setting
This is a genre scene (everyday life), not a biblical story.
What it meant in Bruges
In medieval and early-modern Bruges, façade reliefs like this served several purposes:
Trade sign
This likely marked a dairy, milk seller, cheesemaker, or butter merchant
Before street numbers, images told you what was sold inside
Guild pride
Trades were honorable and regulated
Showing honest labor publicly reinforced trust and reputation
Moral symbolism
Milk = nourishment, purity, sustenance
The act of milking symbolized patient, honest work rewarded over time
Why it’s carved in stone
Stone reliefs were expensive and permanent, meaning:
The business was successful or guild-backed
The trade was considered respectable and essential
It was meant to endure for generations
Connection to themes you’ve been seeing
This relief balances many of the contrasts you’ve been asking about:
Not law or judgment → but daily life
Not elites or saints → but workers
Not spectacle → but sustenance
In Bruges, holiness and morality were embedded in ordinary work. Feeding people—milk, bread, beer—was seen as a civic good.
In Bruges, at the Groeningemuseum (part of Musea Brugge).
📍 Location details
Museum: Groeningemuseum
City: Bruges, Belgium
Collection focus: Flemish and Belgian art (15th–18th centuries especially)
This fits perfectly with what you photographed earlier on the street—those large posters with Madonnas were advertising Musea Brugge, and the Groeningemuseum is their main fine-art museum.
The equestrian portrait of Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria belongs exactly in that context:
He was Governor of the Spanish Netherlands
His court and patronage were centered in this region
Flemish artists produced many official portraits celebrating his rule
ASs we were walking through the museum a man with his kid saw me with my Santa hat on. He told me that they do not like the Santa hat for the readson that Santa was tied with a bad man who hurt kids. I do not speek Dutch so I was not sure what he was saying but here is the myth:
Krampus is a mythological creature that has roots in the pre-Christian, proto-Germanic mythology of Europe. Born as the son of Hel, the goddess of the underworld, Krampus is depicted as a hoofed demon that looks like a goat. He goes around hunting children, and when he finds those who have been disobedient to their parents, he beats them into submission with chains and birch sticks. Then he drags them to his underworld lair where they will spend a year with him. Now Krampus is a Christmas figure and, according to some traditions, works with Santa. However, he behaves more like Santa’s evil alter-ego who likes to scare children into being good.
Tue, Dec 9, 2025 – Day 5
a. Brugges to Gent
We started the day in Brugges with rain. Then after an hour we saw the sun for the first time on this trip! The temperature also dropped from 55 degrees to 49 degrees!
We had a good trip to Gent and walked all over the downtown area, Christmas displays everywhere! We also stopped in to see “The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb” by Hubert van Eyck (begun) & Jan van Eyck (completed) in the 1400’s. Stolen, hidden, and recovered multiple times — including during Napoleon’s era and World War II, there still is one panel still missing.
That is St. Michael’s Church (Sint-Michielskerk) in Ghent, Belgium.
How to recognize it
The large Gothic church with many pointed windows and buttresses
The stone bridge directly in front is St. Michael’s Bridge (Sint-Michielsbrug)
The scene sits along the River Leie (Lys)
Location
City: Ghent (Gent)
Area: Historic center
Between: Graslei and Korenlei (two of Ghent’s most famous medieval quays)
A bit of history
Construction began in the 14th century
The tower was intended to be much taller but was never completed
St. Michael’s Bridge is famous as one of the best viewpoints in Ghent, with sightlines to:
St. Michael’s Church
St. Nicholas’ Church
The Belfry of Ghent
You were standing in one of the most photographed spots in all of Belgium when you took this picture.
What you’re seeing are “love locks” attached to the railing of St. Michael’s Bridge (Sint-Michielsbrug) in Ghent.
🔒 What the locks mean
Couples attach a padlock to the bridge as a symbol of their love
Traditionally, they engrave names or initials
In some places, couples throw the key into the river (though this is now discouraged)
🌍 Where the tradition comes from
Popularized in Europe in the early 2000s
Spread by novels, movies, and social media
Famous examples exist in Paris, Rome, Prague, Cologne, and many Belgian cities
⚠️ Modern reality
Many cities now remove locks periodically because:
The added weight can damage historic bridges
Metal-on-metal contact causes corrosion
Ghent generally tolerates some, but avoids letting it get out of control—especially on historic ironwork like this.
📍 Why here
St. Michael’s Bridge is:
One of the most romantic viewpoints in Ghent
Overlooks the Leie River
Frames the classic three-tower skyline (St. Nicholas’, Belfry, St. Bavo’s)
So the locks are a modern, emotional layer added to a very old city, right where people stop, linger, and take photos—exactly where love traditions tend to appear.
That building is in Ghent (Gent), Belgium 🇧🇪.
🏛️ What you’re looking at
It is the former Main Post Office of Ghent
Dutch: Oude Postgebouw
Location: Korenmarkt, right at the junction of the historic center
Architect: Louis Cloquet
Built: 1898–1910
Style: Neo-Gothic / Flemish Revival
📍 Why it looks so familiar
It sits near the Graslei and Korenlei canals
The Belfry of Ghent is visible nearby (off to the left in your photo)
It’s one of Ghent’s most photographed buildings because of its ornate stonework, towers, and spires
🏬 Today
No longer a post office
Now houses shops, restaurants, and offices
A major landmark and meeting point in the city
This is a large trompe-l’œil mural in Ghent (Gent), Belgium, and it’s designed to look like the building’s façade has been ripped open, revealing layers of history, art, and architecture inside.
What it represents
Illusion of destruction → revelation: The cracked wall and scorched edges suggest upheaval or time tearing through the city, but instead of ruin you see culture and memory.
Art history references:
The lower section clearly echoes Flemish Primitives, especially Pieter Bruegel the Elder–style landscapes (rolling green hills, peasants, pastoral scenes). This ties Ghent to the wider Flemish artistic tradition.Architecture within architecture:
You can see vaults, arches, stacked materials, and interior spaces, symbolizing the layers of medieval Ghent—what’s hidden behind modern façades.Fire at the top:
Often interpreted as a reference to conflict, iconoclasm, or destruction (religious wars, revolutions, WWII), through which Flemish culture nevertheless survived.
Why Ghent does murals like this
Ghent is known for:
Supporting street art as public history
Using murals to blend medieval identity with modern urban life
Encouraging artists to make works that dialogue with the building itself, not just decorate it
This piece isn’t graffiti in the casual sense—it’s curated urban art, likely city-approved and part of Ghent’s broader street-art program.
This photo is Sint-Niklaaskerk (St. Nicholas’ Church) in Ghent, Belgium, seen from Korenmarkt, the city’s main historic square.
Here’s how the elements fit together:
The church
Sint-Niklaaskerk dates mainly from the 13th century
Built in Scheldt Gothic style, using blue-gray Tournai stone
One of Ghent’s “three towers” (with St. Bavo’s Cathedral and the Belfry)
The Ferris wheel and stalls
These are part of Ghent’s winter fair / Christmas market
The rides and wooden huts are temporary, which is why the medieval church and modern fair sit side-by-side
The location’s significance
Korenmarkt has been a marketplace for centuries, so fairs here are actually very traditional—even if the Ferris wheel feels modern
The mix of church, carnival, and crowds is very “Ghent”: sacred, civic, and everyday life all sharing the same space
This photo is also Ghent (Gent), Belgium — you’re at the Korenmarkt / Emile Braunplein area, right in the historic city center.
Here’s how we can tell:
The tram
The sign reads “T2 Melle Leeuw”, which is a De Lijn Ghent tram line
Ghent’s trams criss-cross the old center, unlike Bruges (no trams)
The setting
Cobblestones + tram tracks + stepped gables are classic central Ghent
This spot sits between Korenmarkt, Veldstraat, and Emile Braunplein
You’re just steps from:
Sint-Niklaaskerk
Belfry of Ghent
St. Bavo’s Cathedral
The buildings
Left: Flemish stepped-gable façades (neo-Gothic / historicist)
Right: late-19th-century brick building with tower, typical of Ghent’s civic architecture
So in short:
Historic Ghent city center, at or just off Korenmarkt, looking along one of the main tram corridors.
We took these trams several times all during this trip.
OOPS, CHATGPT GOT IT WRONG! This is not the same pulpit! Simmilar but not! Same city (see below where I told him he was wrong}:
This interior is Saint Bavo’s Cathedral (Sint-Baafskathedraal) in Ghent, and the striking structure you’re seeing is its famous Baroque pulpit.
What you’re looking at
The pulpit (1741–1745) was carved by Laurent Delvaux, one of the leading Flemish Baroque sculptors.
It’s considered one of the great masterpieces of Baroque church sculpture in Europe.
Symbolism of the pulpit
The figures represent Time and Truth:
Time (an old man) lifts the veil
Truth is revealed beneath
The message: Divine truth is revealed through the Word of God, proclaimed from the pulpit.
You’re absolutely right — thank you for catching that.
That is not the Saint Bavo’s Cathedral pulpit. 👍
Based on the stone interior, window shape, floor pattern, and the different Baroque woodwork, the pulpit in your photo is most likely from Bruges, not Ghent.
Most likely location
St. James’ Church (Sint-Jacobskerk), Bruges
Here’s why this fits better than St Bavo’s:
The pulpit design is different:
More compact
Heavier architectural base
Different sculptural program than the Time/Truth allegory at St Bavo’s
The interior stonework and floor pattern match St. James’ Church
St. James’ has a large Baroque pulpit often mistaken for the Ghent one
Your travel sequence (Bruges photos immediately before and after) strongly supports this (CHATGPT is following my path!!)
Bottom line
You were right to object — this pulpit:
❌ is not St Bavo’s
✅ is almost certainly St. James’ Church in Bruges
BELOW IS St. Bavos!
This is a Christmas pyramid — in German a Weihnachtspyramide.
What it is
-
A traditional wooden Christmas structure from Germany (especially Saxony / Erzgebirge)
-
The large fan at the top is turned by rising warm air (traditionally from candles; today often electric)
-
As it turns, it rotates the figures on the different levels
What it represents
-
Originally evolved from mining lanterns and light symbols during long, dark winters
-
Symbolizes light, life, and continuity
-
Common figures include:
-
Nativity scenes
-
Angels
-
Miners
-
Forest figures
-
Sometimes secular winter scenes
-
Why you’re seeing it here
-
These pyramids are now common at Christmas markets across Europe, including Belgium (Bruges, Ghent, Brussels)
-
Yours appears to be a large outdoor market version, likely electrically driven due to its size
This photo shows a Santa-themed Christmas carousel set up in front of Saint Nicholas’ Church (Sint-Niklaaskerk) in Ghent, Belgium.
How we know
-
The Gothic church façade and large pointed arch behind the ride match Sint-Niklaaskerk
-
The surrounding square is Korenmarkt, Ghent’s main historic plaza
-
These Santa / reindeer children’s rides are a regular feature of Ghent’s Christmas Market (Winterfeesten)
What you’re seeing
-
A temporary Christmas attraction for children
-
Santa seated above, reindeer sleigh elements, candy-cane arches, and a small rotating ride
-
Installed annually during late November–early January
Context
Ghent decorates more playfully than Bruges:
-
Bruges leans medieval and restrained
-
Ghent embraces family-oriented, colorful installations right in front of major churches
This is the Ghent Altarpiece, formally titled The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb.
What you’re looking at
-
Artist: Hubert van Eyck (begun) and Jan van Eyck (completed)
-
Date: Completed in 1432
-
Medium: Oil on oak panels (one of the earliest large-scale oil masterpieces)
-
Style: Early Netherlandish / Northern Renaissance
Where it is
-
Saint Bavo’s Cathedral (Sint-Baafskathedraal)
-
Ghent, Belgium
-
Today it’s displayed in a high-security glass enclosure, which is why you see reflections and dark framing
What’s depicted
-
Upper panels:
-
God the Father (or Christ in Majesty) enthroned at center
-
The Virgin Mary and John the Baptist
-
Angels singing and making music
-
Adam and Eve on the outer panels
-
-
Lower center panel:
-
The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, symbolizing Christ’s sacrifice
-
The Lamb stands on an altar, blood flowing into a chalice
-
Figures from all humanity—saints, prophets, martyrs—gather toward salvation
-
Why it’s famous
-
Considered one of the most important paintings in Western art
-
Revolutionary realism, light, and detail
-
Infamous history:
-
Stolen multiple times
-
Targeted by Napoleon and Hitler
-
One panel (“The Just Judges”) is still missing and replaced by a copy
-
This photo shows the high altar of St. Nicholas’ Church (Sint-Niklaaskerk) in Ghent (Gent), Belgium.
How we can tell
-
Monumental Baroque high altar with four massive fluted columns
-
A white marble sculptural group above the altar, dramatically lit
-
Black-and-white stone interior typical of Ghent churches
-
Large statues in the side niches and a deep, dark Gothic nave behind
-
Christmas trees flanking the altar (common seasonal decoration in Belgium)
What the altar represents
-
The central white sculpture depicts God the Father enthroned, surrounded by angels and clouds — a classic Baroque “heaven opening” composition
-
Below it is the tabernacle and crucifix, emphasizing Christ’s sacrifice
-
The theatrical vertical arrangement (earth → crucifix → heaven) is meant to visually teach theology, not just decorate
Architectural context
-
Church: St. Nicholas’ Church
-
Style: Gothic structure (13th–15th c.) with Baroque interior furnishings added later
-
Location: Korenmarkt area, Ghent — right where many of your other photos were taken
This is not the same pulpit you photographed earlier (that one was wooden and highly carved). What you’re seeing here is the main altar, meant to overwhelm the viewer with scale, light, and symbolism.
b. Back on the bus we went to Brussels. The first thing we saw as we were getting to Brussels was the 1958 World’s fair display called the Atomium, an amazing structure that is still in operation with a restaurant at the top! We did not stop but proceeded to the city.
We went into the city center with a walk around that city (16,000 steps today – 9 miles!). The huge buildings for the UN and other enterprises are amazing. We climbed over churches, city hall, and all around. Many Christmas displays and shops – chocolates, beer, everything.
The sun stayed out from 2 to 5 and it was cold with the wind, but we survived by having hot cocoa and Eileen had an Irish coffee.
Gent was picturesque with mostly buildings 300 to 400 years old, where Brussels is a combination of the old and the new.
I had no idea the city of Brussels was so international with the EU executive body here, NATO headquarters, Eurocentral manages air traffic control all over Europe, 120 embassies, one of the largest concentrations of diplomats, 100 languages found here and three main languages spoken (French, Dutch, and English). Truly international!
Brussels has a major NATO presence.
🛡️ NATO in Brussels
NATO Headquarters is located in Haren, in the northeast of Brussels.
This is NATO’s political and administrative center, where:
The North Atlantic Council meets
Ambassadors from all member countries are based
Defense and foreign policy coordination happens daily
🏢 What’s actually in Brussels
NATO HQ (opened in its current, purpose-built building in 2017)
Thousands of:
Diplomats
Military officers
Civilian staff
Permanent national delegations from all NATO member states
🇧🇪 Why Brussels?
Brussels is already:
The capital of Belgium
The de facto capital of the European Union
Home to EU institutions (European Commission, Council of the EU)
This makes Brussels one of the most important international diplomatic cities in the world, alongside New York and Geneva.
Wed, Dec 10, 2025
Brussels
No rain today, but it was 13 °C (55 °F). We went to the Belgian Beer World museum, which is all about how beer is brewed. They use the same yeast that’s used in bread, wine, and cider! Top fermenting, bottom fermenting, and mixed fermenting are all typical methods. After fermentation, the mash is decanted and the beer is filtered. Lots of different spices can be used, and additions range from wood chips to fruit, sugar, or herbs. We were given two samples—one was very fruity, raspberry I think.
Walking through the streets, there were all kinds of Christmas shops and stalls. Chocolates, beer, and socks were everywhere.
Then we went to the Brussels City Museum in the “King’s House,” where we saw many more paintings—and Manneken Pis, along with his many costumes.
This is a late-medieval carved wooden relief, almost certainly part of an altarpiece (retable) from the 15th century, and it is telling a specific religious story rather than being decorative only.
What the scene shows
-
Center foreground: a kneeling figure (likely a donor or pilgrim) presenting an offering or petition to a saintly group. This was very common—wealthy patrons were often carved kneeling within sacred scenes to show devotion.
-
Standing figures around him: clergy and nobles, indicating the importance of the event.
-
Upper center (the boat): this is the key narrative clue. A boat carrying holy women/virgins, sheltered by a canopy, strongly points to the legend of Saint Ursula and her companions.
-
Right side: armed figures and soldiers—often representing persecution or martyrdom.
-
Architectural framing: Gothic columns and arches divide the story into “stages,” like a carved comic strip.
Likely subject: Saint Ursula
This relief matches classic imagery of Saint Ursula, a very popular subject in northern Europe (Belgium, Germany, Netherlands):
-
Ursula was a Christian princess who traveled by ship with her companions.
-
They were martyred after arriving on land, often shown with soldiers nearby.
-
The boat scene above and the grouped female figures are hallmark signs.
What the inscription says
The text is a donor prayer, roughly:
“… who caused this work to be made,
pray God for mercy for his soul,
and for all those for whom he is bound to pray.”
This photo shows an entire altarpiece.
What this altarpiece is
Type: Large Brabantine carved wooden retable
Date: Late 15th – very early 16th century (c. 1480–1520)
Material: Oak, polychromed and gilded
Current location: Brussels City Museum (Maison du Roi / Broodhuis), Grand Place
Origin: Duchy of Brabant (Brussels/Antwerp workshop tradition)
What it depicts
This is a multi-scene narrative altarpiece with opening wings, meant to be read left to right:
Central shrine:
The Nativity of ChristMary and Joseph at the manger
Angels descending from above
Shepherds and witnesses gathered around
Inner wings:
Key episodes from Christ’s early life, including:The Annunciation
The Adoration scenes
Related devotional moments
Outer sections (when opened):
Additional Gospel scenes, likely including:The Presentation in the Temple
Teaching or communal scenes
Donor-related devotional imagery
This structure allowed the altar to be:
closed on ordinary days
partially opened on Sundays
fully opened on feast days
Why it is so elaborate
Brabantine retables were famous across Europe for:
Extreme detail (hundreds of figures)
Architectural canopies imitating Gothic churches
Gold leaf to reflect candlelight
Serving as visual theology for an illiterate congregation
Brussels and Antwerp workshops exported these all over Europe.
Why it’s in the King’s House
Removed from its original church (likely during reforms or secularization)
Preserved by the City of Brussels
Now displayed as a centerpiece of Brussels’ medieval heritage
In short
You photographed a masterwork of Brabantine sculpture, one of the finest types of late-medieval religious art, exactly where it belongs: the Brussels City Museum on the Grand Place.
Your altarpiece represents:
the high point of Brussels medieval craftsmanship
collaboration between painters and sculptors
art meant to teach, inspire, and dazzle during worship
It is exactly the kind of “prestigious altarpiece” the sign describes.
In short
What you photographed is a textbook example of why Brussels was famous in the 15th–16th centuries:
elite workshops, religious storytelling, and extraordinary technical skill.
What it is
-
Type: Corbel / keystone fragment (architectural carving)
-
Date: Late 15th century
-
Material: Limestone
-
Origin: Brussels / Brabant region
-
Original location: Inside a church or civic building, high on a wall or vault
What the figures represent
The two figures are angels, identifiable by:
-
their youthful faces and flowing hair
-
their inward-leaning, symmetrical poses
-
the musical instruments they are holding (now worn)
They are part of the medieval idea of heavenly music:
-
Angels were believed to constantly praise God through music
-
Such carvings visually “filled” church space with divine harmony
Why they look the way they do
-
Exaggerated heads and hands: meant to be seen from far below
-
Deep carving: creates strong shadows in candlelight
-
Traces of red pigment: shows it was originally painted, not bare stone
Why it’s broken
This piece was almost certainly:
-
removed during church renovations, iconoclasm, or demolition
-
preserved later as an art-historical fragment Museums often display these to show how rich medieval interiors once were.
How it connects to what you saw earlier
This sculpture comes from the same artistic world as the Brussels altarpieces:
-
same workshops or guild traditions
-
same expressive faces and drapery
-
same goal: turning architecture into theology made visible
What they’re called
Delftware spigot vessels
Also known as figure jugs or fountain figures
How they worked
The liquid (wine, beer, water, or flavored cordials) was poured in through an opening at the top or back of the figure.
It flowed down inside the hollow body.
You dispensed it through the small metal or ceramic spigot at the front (you can see it clearly on the center figure).
Why they’re shaped like people
Humor and novelty were part of the appeal.
Guests would literally “draw a drink” from a character.
Many were intentionally:
comic
satirical
based on everyday townsfolk, jesters, or peasants
This fits perfectly with Bruegel-era taste for lively, human, slightly irreverent scenes.
Where and when
Netherlands (Delft and other centers)
Late 17th–early 18th century
Common in wealthy middle-class homes, taverns, and guild halls
What liquids they held
Wine or spiced wine
Beer or ale
Herbal waters
Cordials or medicinal drinks
Why museums love them
They sit right at the intersection of:
art
design
daily life
humor
They show how art moved off altars and into hands and homes.
In short
These are functional sculptures—art you could literally drink from.
This sculpture represents Saint Elizabeth of Hungary (also called Saint Elizabeth of Thuringia) — a very popular subject in late-medieval Brabantine sculpture.
How we know it’s Saint Elizabeth
Several key visual clues line up perfectly:
👩🦱 Noble woman in modest dress
-
She wears simple but high-status clothing (long gown, veil)
-
This reflects Elizabeth’s status as a princess who chose a life of humility
👶 Child at her side
-
The poor or needy child tugging at her cloak is crucial
-
Elizabeth was famous for caring for the poor, sick, and children
🪙 Gesture of giving
-
Her lowered hand is the classic “almsgiving” pose
-
Many versions show her distributing bread or coins
🐕 Dog (partially visible)
-
The animal near her feet often symbolizes:
-
protection of the poor
-
domestic charity
-
everyday life rather than royal power
-
Who Saint Elizabeth was
-
Born: 1207, Hungarian royal family
-
Died: 1231 (very young)
-
Known for:
-
Giving away her wealth
-
Founding hospitals
-
Personally nursing the sick
-
She became a model of Christian charity, especially admired in cities like Brussels with strong guild and civic traditions.
Date & origin
-
Date: Late 15th century
-
Material: Limestone
-
Region: Brabant / Brussels
-
Original setting: Church niche, hospital chapel, or charitable institution
Statues of Saint Elizabeth were often placed where the poor would see them, reinforcing the duty of charity.
Why it looks worn
-
This statue stood outdoors or in a damp church interior
-
Originally painted (traces may still be present)
-
Weathering softened the facial features and hands
Why it fits what you’ve been seeing
This sculpture continues the story you’ve been walking through in the museum:
-
Medieval art → teaching moral behavior
-
Saints shown not as distant figures, but as active helpers
-
A direct bridge between religious belief and everyday civic life
In short
You’re looking at Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, carved as a living example of compassion, exactly the kind of figure medieval Brussels wanted its citizens to imitate.
This painting is a 17th-century Flemish Baroque genre scene, depicting elite society gathered in a Brussels courtyard, with music and social display at its center.
What you’re seeing
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Setting: A formal urban courtyard in Brussels, identifiable by the red-brick stepped gables, tower, and civic architecture typical understanding of Brussels in the Spanish Netherlands period.
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People: Well-dressed bourgeois and courtly figures—men in black with white collars, women in rich silk dresses—posed informally rather than in a strict portrait lineup.
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Music: Several figures hold string instruments (viols/lutes). Music here signals education, refinement, and status.
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Mood: Calm, orderly, and dignified—this is society presenting itself as cultured and harmonious.
What kind of painting this is
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Not a specific historical event
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Not a portrait of named individuals
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A “conversation piece” or genre scene: images of everyday elite life meant to celebrate manners, taste, and civic pride.
These were popular with Brussels’ upper classes in the mid-1600s.
Artistic context
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Period: c. 1640–1680
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Region: Brussels / Southern Netherlands
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Style: Flemish Baroque, influenced by:
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court painters in Brussels
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Dutch genre painting
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earlier traditions that later culminate in Bruegel-influenced interest in daily life
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Unlike dramatic religious Baroque art, this is quiet, observational, and social.
Why music matters here
In 17th-century Flemish art, music symbolized:
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harmony in society
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moral balance
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cultivated leisure (as opposed to labor)
Placing musicians in an architectural setting ties personal refinement to urban identity—“this is what Brussels civilization looks like.”
How it fits with what you’ve been seeing
This painting completes the arc of the museum galleries you walked through:
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Medieval altarpieces → sacred order
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Saints and charity sculpture → moral example
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Delftware spigot figures → domestic life & humor
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This painting → secular, civic, cultured society
In short
You’re looking at a Brussels self-portrait of its own elite culture—music, architecture, and sociability presented as ideals of a well-ordered city.
You’re looking at a dockside mobile crane, part of the everyday industrial machinery that kept canal cities like Brussels economically alive.
This is Manneken Pis, the iconic symbol of Brussels.
What it is
Name: Manneken Pis (“little man who pees” in Dutch)
Type: Bronze fountain sculpture
Date: 1619 (actually the earliest notation of him is in 1451 – ‘the place where the child takes a pee”)
Sculptor: Jérôme Duquesnoy the Elder
City: Brussels
Why he’s important
Manneken Pis represents the spirit of Brussels:
irreverent
humorous
independent
a bit defiant of authority
He’s not a classical hero or a saint—he’s an ordinary child, which is exactly the point.
What you’re seeing here
The statue in your photo is displayed inside the Brussels City Museum (King’s House / Maison du Roi) on the Grand Place.
This is the original statue, protected indoors
The version outside on the street is a copy
He’s often dressed in costumes—hundreds of them, donated by countries, guilds, and organizations worldwide
Why the pose
Legends vary, but common stories say he:
put out a fire threatening the city
mocked occupying forces
symbolized civic freedom
Brussels embraced the joke and turned it into civic identity.
How this fits everything you saw
Your museum walk traced Brussels perfectly:
medieval faith and craftsmanship
civic charity and daily life
trade, water, and infrastructure
humor and self-image
Manneken Pis ties it all together—art, water, satire, and city pride.
In short
You ended with Brussels’ most famous citizen:
small statue, big personality.
Lastly, we took the train to the Atomium, which I sent a photo of yesterday. It was a LOT larger than I expected. The connecting tubes are about 10 feet in diameter, and the spheres are around 70 feet in diameter—big enough for about six stories inside! We went to the top and had a drink, took the elevator down, and then climbed back up using mostly stairs. There was a light show throughout, and as we came down, the red-tinted windows made us feel like we were on Mars.
That’s the Atomium, one of Brussels’ most famous landmarks.
What it is
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Name: Atomium
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Location: Brussels, at Heysel / Laeken
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Built: 1958 for Expo 58 (the World’s Fair)
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Designer: André Waterkeyn (engineer)
What it represents
The Atomium is a giant model of an iron crystal:
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9 stainless-steel spheres = iron atoms
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Connecting tubes = atomic bonds
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Scale: about 165 billion times larger than a real iron atom
It symbolized:
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optimism about science and technology
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peaceful use of atomic energy
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post-war confidence in the future
What’s inside
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Some spheres contain exhibitions
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One sphere has a restaurant with panoramic views
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Tubes include escalators and stairs
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The top sphere offers one of the best views in Brussels
Why it’s mirrored
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The reflective steel was chosen to:
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look futuristic in 1958
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mirror the sky and city
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make the structure feel light despite its size
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Why it matters to Brussels
Just like Manneken Pis represents humor and independence, the Atomium represents:
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modern Brussels
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innovation
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international outlook
It’s the city’s 20th-century icon, balancing the medieval Grand Place.
In short
You’re standing in front of a walk-through atom, built to celebrate science, optimism, and Belgium’s place in the modern world.
Thursday, December 11, 2025
We took the train from our hotel (the “Pullman Brussels Centre Midi”) which was in the same building as the train station “Midi” to the Brussels airport (BRU). It was so very convenient. We went from our room in the hotel to the airport in 25 minutes, no taxi, no long walk, no going outside!
Tre hotel had given us a boxed meal (in a large bag) for our breakfast, we flew to Frankfort, Germany, walked a mile to our next gate, then flew home to Tampa . a total of just over 30 hours.
A very good trip with a lot of information about the rest of the world. It was interesting that the names of towns and cities are named so creatively!