Our Big TRIP Part 1 Belgium

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Our Big TRIPPart 1 - Belgium

• Mary Glenna
• May 24 June 4, 2006

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Ready to Go!
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Antwerp, Belgium

• Groenplaats or Green Plaza
• Our Ladys Cathedral

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The Town Hall in the Town Square (Grote Markt) of
Antwerp
Brabo Fountain
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The Steen Museum on the Scheldt River (Antwerp)
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Rubenshuis in Antwerp

• Peter Paul Ruben lived in this house from 1616
  until he died in 1640. He turned it into an
  elegant Renaissance-Baroque house with a restyled
  garden and impressive entrance. After the City of
  Antwerp bought it in 1937, the house and gardens
  were reconstructed from sketched dating from the
  1680s. Now Baroque paintings by several artists
  are displayed in the large workshop/gallery.

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Le Topaz Restaurant inMons, Belgium
Mr. Denisowner, maître d and quite the charmer!
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Le Topaz in Mons

• Le Topaz is across the street from SHAPE. Here
  are pictures of Generals and medallions given to
  Denis during his 25 years of serving great
  Turkish and French cuisine. (Supreme Headquarters
  Allied Powers Europepart of NATO.)

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Province of Luxembourg

• We traveled throughout southeastern
  Belgiumbeautiful scenery, green rolling hills,
  quaint villages, and a long international
  history, especially pertaining to World Wars I
  and II. French and Flemish are the languages,
  depending your location.

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Fortified Castle in Bouillon, BE
Laurie Mary.
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Brief History of the Castle of Bouillon in
Belgium

• Constructed around 1050 1067 under Godfry III.
• Owned by the Dukes of the House of Ardenne until
  1096.
• Sold by Godfry V to Otbert, Prince-Bishop of
  Liege
• Otbert died in Jerusalem leading the First
  Crusade.
• Eventually became part of France
• Given to the Netherlands after Waterloo
• Integrated into Belgium in 1830 after the Belgian
  Revolution.

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Courtyard with raptors
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Torture Device (the Rack)
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Fortress Semois River
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Town of Bouillon
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Flooding of Semois River
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Another view from the turret
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Boars Head Symbol of the Ardennes
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Orval Abbey--Notes

• An hour away from Bouillon is a working
  Cistercian monastery founded in 1132.
• The ruins are from medieval times. Built in 1124,
  it was destroyed by fire around 1252, rebuilt
  over a hundred years, then burned down in the
  French Revolution in 1793.
• New monastery was constructed between 1926 and
  1948.
• Regained rank of abbey in 1935.
• Produces beer and cheese.

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Ruins of Orval Abbey
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Legend of Orval

• This stain-glass is evocative of the legend of
  Orval foundation. The monastery was born of an
  act of gratitude Mathilda was a widow and her
  wedding ring had accidentally fallen into the
  fountain. She prayed to the Lord and at once a
  trout rose to the surface with the precious ring
  in its mouth. Mathilda exclaimed 'Truly this
  place is a Val d'Or'! " In gratitude, she decided
  to establish a monastery on the site.

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Cloisters New Monastery
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Herb Garden and Gatehouse
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Overnight in Marche, Belgium
Shower added to room.
Traveling motorcycle club from the Netherlands
staying at the same hotel.
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American Cemetery Memorial in Luxembourg
Wreaths from ceremony on Saturday.
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American Cemetery Memorials
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All the buried are listed here.
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General Pattons Grave
General Patton diedof injuries sustainedin a
car accident afterthe war.
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Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
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Notre Dame Cathedral, Luxembourg
Also known as The Cathedral of Our Ladyin
Luxembourg
Note the varied spires.
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Cathedral Choir
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National Library in Luxembourg
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Al Fresco dining in central Luxembourg
Like a big food court!
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Many streets in Luxembourg have American names.
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Memorial at Bastogne in Belgium

• American Memorial on Mardasson Hill honors the
  Americans who fought the Battle of the Bulge.
  More Americans died in this battle than in any
  other on foreign soil.

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Town Square of Mons, BE
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Shopping in Mons
And eating waffles!