Dali designed the logo for Chupa Chups in 1969

Our apartment was in Hotel Bonobo.

not luxurious, but perfect location and perfect for a couple with a toddler

It's hard to pick a favorite, but Dumon is at the top of my list. Justin told me he hasn't found his favorite, but I think it is because he still wants to chocolate shop.  I can't even look at chocolate any more. 

Bruges's most famous landmark -

The Belforte 366 skinny steps

Halve Maan Brewery - the only one left in Bruges out of 28

more steps, but the view from the brewery included the canals

Sint Salvators Cathedral was right around the corner.

Pasta Maria

Excellent foccacia and calzones

March 24 and it's 25 degrees in Bruges

 

Ready for our river cruise, how about that face?

Snowy and 25 degrees and we are braving the windy river.

This picture looks as cold as we felt. All of the people on the cruise kept shivering and giggling. It was fun, despite the cold.

There is a story about these swans...later.

 

Croquettes, waffles, frites, and fish soup, oh my.

Coolest Vespa I've seen yet and my only thought was ....

Who didn't cover that leather seat?

 

I did make it to the Museum-Gallery Xpo Salvadore Dali without taking any photos.

 

airplane game in the park on the canal

Anyone know what is in the picture below?  Most houses have them near the front door right on the sidewalk. They are not near the horse tie-ups???

More beer samples, Bruges Zot is still our fave!

Angels in Bruges

The size of Belgium backyards on the canal

 

Brugge, Bruges, Bruge March 23rd

 Photo journal Style

March 23

Expo Picasso was fabulous and full of letters, sketches, signed Playbills, etc. Artists: Picasso, Chagall, Magritte, Rodin, Matisse and many more.  Loved it! It was small rooms connected by outdoor walkways. 

Here is the snowy view from the first walkway.

 

Rodin must have hung out with yogis.

I know I'm a freak, but why is Picasso looking at me?

It is really cold here, so our first trip in a chocolate shop here ended in Take Away hot chocolate.  Heaven in a cup is a steaming cup of milk and a huge block of dark or milk chocolate on a stick.  You twist the stick for about a minute. YUM! Then, we walked to catch a city bus tour.

We walked across Bonifacius bridge (just to the left of Colt). It's a small, romantic bridge where many marrige photos were taken.

View from the Bonifacius Bridge

No pics from the city bus, but at least we were warm.

 

The night ended with take away food and a dance party.....rofl

 

AND a Bruges Zot from the local De Halve Maan Brewery

 

View from our room at dusk....the moons are snow

 

Random pics courtesy of Justin

 

 

Spanogne is the narrowest street in Bruges.

 

Easier on Foot in Brugges

Getting to Bruges was simple.  We got all the way to city center flawlessly and then took one wrong, fatal turn.  We were lost in a maze of one-way, willy-nilly streets for an hour.  Finally, we found our starting point a main street called Katelijnestraat, followed Mariastraat according to google maps and took our left on Sint Salvatorkoorsstraat and DEAD END.  There was a posted sign with pics of walkers and bicycles.  I got out of the car (the third time in an hour one of us got out to walk) to see if the hotel was around the corner, it was.  wtf?  All I could was laugh and tell Justin to get out and walk it to see if he could figure out how to get there.  The street in front of it was one way and we knew not to keep going and make the same hour long mistake we had made earlier.  Justin returns from around the corner laughing shaking his head back and forth.  In my peripheral, I see a man waving to a friend.  I yell at Justin to ask them and he (male) looks at me horrified.  "They are locals, not tourists," I say and nod in their direction waving my map.  "What language?" one asks smiling.

In English, he says, "Ahhhh yes, it's just right there, a left and a right." It's going to be tricky, but zis car will go, yes."  Justin and I stare at him with open mouths and Colt is in the back seat grinning.  Can we drive here? A left right here? Of course, he answers and goes on his way.  Justin gets in the car and I am completely dumbfounded.  I wanted a take the photo as he drove throught the 5 feet of passable sidewalk with our 4 foot and 10 inches of car. Miraculously, it only took him reversing twice and about 3 minutes.  Pedestrians all waited for us without staring or cussing and even stepped out of the way.  One lady even checked both sides for us and waved us through..onto the sidewalk. I'm sure there must be an easier way because some of the cars in our hotel parking lot are wider than ours and there is NO way they could have possibly fit.

As Justin put the car in gear, I reminded him of the story my dad always retells.  He once saw two trucks stuck in an alley because they both thought they could make it and two old German men out in the street yelling and 50 on-lookers laughing.

 After walking the curve again, it wasn't the size of the space, but the angle!  Good job, Justin!



Crossing the Rhein

The view from our window is the Picasso museum.  The first place we went today. 

View the other direction from our window

Courtyard below in our hotel

Who's on first?

Colt and I were walking down the street today and had the following conversation:

C: I'm 4 years old.
N: No, you aren't!  You are 2 years old.
C: I'm two years old (intense look of disbelief)??????
N: Yes. Can you say that?  Say I'm two years old.
C: I'm two years old.
N: That's correct. You are two.
C: Well, I said I'm two, but I'm really four.
N: NO. You keep saying you are four, but you are really two.

Long pause

C: So, I'm three years old.

Charlie Brown face.

Temptation!

Wanna lure me out of the house on a weeknight...away from my two favorite men?  Tempt me with people, places and plays in English!  I can't resist.

Surreality: Listening to someone karaoke Lynyrd Skynyrd in an Irish Pub celebrating St. Patrick's Day in Kassel, Germany (a city with only 2% percent fluency in English). Yes, I made up the percentage. ha


I'm having trouble finding the words to explain my night last week so I had to invent a new word. Sweet Home Alabama being sung by a guy from Tennessee..cool! Not nearly as cool as when the entire bar belted out 99Luft Balloons by Nina like it was a national anthem.  No kidding, Nina. All in German.  With dozens of young people yelling each individual word. Surreality.  I know I was there.  I know it was real, but it was a Dali moment where time was melting right before my eyes.

The Nicole part of this night (because you all know there was one) was that it was supposed to be a museum and theater night! Cultured. Civilized. Artistic. The night was nothing like I expected. The evening began with an art exhibit of Jordeans and Rubens.  We are about to visit Belgium, thus I was excited about this Flemish show.  They brilliantly paired with 3 modern artists who share Ruben-esque qualities with these painters. I loved it.  Really. I loved the way the eyes followed you as you move...intriguing and creepy all at the same time. I loved the mythology. The tapestries. I loved the moderns!  And then....way too much sagging penis, rolls and rolls of it, people! It pains me to say that I really could have lived without wondering about one particular painting that included a donkey.  Thank you, Oh Modernist....I will spare calling you by name. Thirty minutes before our play started my phone rang...play cancelled. The American troupe performing in Kassel one night were too sick to perform.  Ah Shade!

Cool, we both decided a girl's night was needed and Italian food and wine would be delish. And my best stories come from the unexpected. Nice dinner, great conversation with a new friend.  She's intelligent, interesting and then she tells me about this Irish Bar where everyone speaks English....

two hours laters

99LuftBalloons go byyyyyyyyyyyyyy.... a memory that will last a lifetime!

I want to Hug you and Love you in Kassel, Germany!

My son is now 2 years and 10 months.

These are his stories (theme to Law and Order)

This morning....
Colt: I want to hug you and love you in Kassel, Germany!
Me: Ohhhhh, come here sweet boy.
Colt as he crawls into my lap and bats his mile-long eyelashes: Could you please move the couch so I can race cars?
Me: Is that why you want to hug and love me?
Colt: giggle, eyelash bat


Last night with dad 5 minutes to bath time....
Colt: I have an idea.
J: Really, what?
C: I can be the Papa and you can be the baby.
J: Ok.
C: Now, you clean up all the toys and I will just sit here and watch.
J: speechless, then laughing

Last week, at Bebel Platz tram stop....
N: Colt, do you know where you are?
C: Kassel, I'm in Kassel.
N: What is Kassel?
C: a city
N: What country are you in?
C: Germany
Wonderment and shock from a woman standing beside us who evidently understood English.  I was equally in shock. He usually gives the answer North Ammmmerica because he likes to say it. :)

Doppelganger Deutschland

Seriously. Tonight, I took my seat on the tram.  Directly in front of me, to my left sat Samuel Jackson and on my right sat Ernest Hemingway.  Surreal. Doppelgangers are everywhere.  First, I stared at Samuel trying to decide if it actually was the celebrity.  I searched for behavior that would indicate he was incognito or on the DL.  Nothing.  I was amused at Ernest but didn't bother staring because well, he's dead.  It couldn't be him.  By the beret with a tilt and the beard, it was obvious it was intentional, so I didn't want to feed his Ernest Ego. Then, I got it into my head they should look at each because they would both take first place at my next Halloween party.  I waited for "The Look"....the shock....the acknowledgement. It was playing out in my head beautifully. Again, nothing. They never looked at each other. Hmmmph.

Last month, I was so mesmerized by man who looked like Paul Newman I couldn't close my mouth.  Justin had to tell me to stop staring. I wanted to follow Paul's twin, but Justin wouldn't let me.  They had to be related...Paul's younger brother must live here in Kassel.  It's not only celebrity doppelgangers that haunt me here.  Yesterday, I saw a Jim Young look alike scraping ice off his car.  I actually back-tracked to double check.  It is crazy.  I am now a believer!

If you find me dead on the street, deep down inside you know what happened!  I saw my doppelganger and my heart stopped. :)