Traveling Outside France: Brussels (Part 2 of 3)

Our visit to Brussels continues.

Brussels is home to wonderful architecture, museums and cuisine.

Like Paris, Brussels has a triumphal arch, the Arcade du Cinquantenaire, completed in 1905.  We visited the top, which provided a panoramic view of the city.  (Unfortunately, the Brussels skyline is unremarkable.  So, we neglected to take a photo.)

The arch was constructed by a Frenchman, architect Charles Girault.  The arch measures about 145 high, 15 feet less than its cousin in Paris.  

Near the arch is a group of museums, including the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History.  The museum is large and the collection is impressive--spanning the middle ages to the present.   The collection features armor, small arms, cannon, tanks, uniforms, medals and flags, plus a large hangar full of planes.  

A couple of items caught Jean-Claude's attention.  One was an extraordinary Russian helmet (pictured below).  The Russians know helmets.  

Another item was the mysterious device below--a long pole with a metal contraption on the end.

  

We learned that the mysterious device is a "man catcher".  The device is designed to grasp a mounted knight in armor and pull him to the ground, rendering him nearly defenseless.  The goal was not to kill the knight but capture him to hold for ransom.  Who knew?

We visited another group of museums--the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.  The art museums also feature works from the middle ages to the modern era.  We especially liked the collection of modern paintings, some of which appear below.  

We happened to visit the museum when it hosted a Christmas choral concert in one of the galleries.  We enjoyed hearing the talented choir.  The concert featured songs in several languages--French, Dutch, German, English, Scots, Italian, Spanish and Catalan.  

Pop Quiz:  Can you name the official languages of Belgium.  (Hint:  There are three.)

While visiting the museum, we also discovered something out of the ordinary:  a huge elevator with seating.  Below, Marie-Chantal lounges while riding the elevator.

We also enjoyed the cuisine of Brussels.  We already mentioned eating some Neuhaus chocolate.  Marie-Chantal also felt compelled to sample the national food of Belgium.  That's right:  Brussels sprouts.  Of course, in Brussels, they are simply called sprouts.  

Next Up:  Let's get (sur)real.