Am backsterdam

Last proper day but put in a four hour stop in Cologne on the way to have a look around.

During my walk in the morning I noticed some wag had stored his bike safely, possibly while having a night on the town

Cologne has a famous cathedral, and it is a dark and sinister building if I have ever seen one.

Despite a bit of rain walking to Aachen Hbf and some in arrival in Cologne the weather was OK.

Marvellous back in Amsterdam even, where the tourists were out and about in droves in the redlight district

Did I mention I had a pretzel and curriewort in Cologne

Charlie 2

Second full day in Aachen. Sunday, so most places are closed.

I went to the Charlemagne centre, after all that's why I am here.

Saw a good statue

Lots of interesting artefacts, including a

Medieval crown of some sort.

Then a wander around th city which has some Sharm despite being generally grey.

Went this afternoon to the Ludwig centre of modern art. Quite few interesting pieces but I am not sure that any could compete with the shop window on the way back to the hotel

More fries for diner. Hopefully the guacamole ones.

Aachen marvellous

Rainy day on the trip to Aachen from Luxembourg. Got to the stop off at Liege which I had changed to 80 minutes because I don't like quick changeovers. Put my luggage in storage for an hour to have a look around and it started bucketing down.

Go to Charlemagne's city though.

Church is pretty impressive

Too big to get in one photo as you can't get back far enough from it.

In the treasury is a reliquary with his actual skull in it

And a book from his actual royal school

I also went to the Rathaus 

And had a good old walk around.

Saw this so had to take a photo just to prove it exists

Loving Luxembourg

Luxembourg is beautiful, the city is stunning, at least the old part where I am staying in Place Guillame. Then there is the amazing gorge of two rivers, with the Grund at the bottom

Pretty city

Place Guillame 

Amazing gorge

Grund 

There is also a church in Grund attached to an abbey that has a famous black madonna

The food is marvellous, lots of pastries and quiches etc but the national dish is pork with beans and potato. Not just any pork beans and potato mind

Absolutely loving the place. Not wrapt in the hotel. Tiny, no fridge or tea coffee facilities. Timed free wifi on only one device at a time, and THEY RAN OUT OF MUESLI AT BREAKFAST!

Goeden daag

Had a great day. Started off looking for the chapel market. Found the chapel but not the market.

Then went to the Magritte museum

Then to the cathedral, which was cathedralish.  Hard to be impressed after churches in Rome. I suppose the grandeur is the thing.

Went

To Gaasbeek Castle, wasn't sure whether to bother or not. Just a castle and the only close one. It was great. Rebuilt many times and a bit I'df a romantic folly the last time

Inside is more like a chateau, inside the outside I mean

Here is me in a lady's bathroom photographing the mirror.

And why are kings always drinking?

Waterloo

Went to Waterloo. Not the station, not in Sydney. The real one where the battle was. The actual battle site is about 3 miles south which the hotel man didn't tell me. Nevermind I got to see the Duke of W museum which is actually in Waterloo.

The meseum at the site is pretty full on. It also has a 3D film which is amazing.

Rain came today but then it fined up again.

Likin' Laeken

Lovely start to the day, by that I mean lazy.

Went to Laeken where there is the cathedral, the Brussels version of a legends cemetery, the royal palace and an atomier.

Try and guess which is which

Obviously the atomier is not there. The king and queen of the Belgians live in the funny connected balls thing.

On return went to the Old Masters gallery. Brueghel is amazing, well elder and younger are.

Also Rubens

Actually, that might be the king getting pissed, no wonder he wants to live in an atom Palace.  Here is Rubens

Went on a health kick for dinner.

Belgium wins the fries off. Also a waffle with a whole banana hidden in whipped cream and chocolate sauce.