My Moroccan Journey!: October 2014

The thought of savory chocolate, a variety of strong beers and waffles topped with, you guessed it chocolate, lured us teachers to Belgium for our spring break in February.

Brussels view from the Atomium

The Atomium was the main pavilion and icon of the World Fair of Brussels (1958), commonly called Expo 58. It symbolised the democratic will to maintain peace among all the nations, faith in progress, both technical and scientific and, finally, an optimistic vision of the future of a modern, new, super-technological world for a better life for mankind.

Riding the escalator from floor to floor within the Atomium.

From the Atomium's website:
"The completely steel-clad Atomium is a kind of UFO in the cultural history of Humanity, a mirror turned simultaneously towards the past and the future, comparing our Utopias of yesterday with our dreams for tomorrow."

Cinquantenaire Park in Brussels: The Arch was planned for the world exhibition of 1880 and was meant to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the independence of Belgium.

A really cool public art exhibit that makes sounds as you walk underneath the sculptures.

Townhall

Our skylight view from our Air B&B apartment. This is Town Hall all lit up!

Manneken Pis: Little Peeing Boy "The famous Manneken-Pis remains the emblem of the rebellious spirit of the City of Brussels. His wardrobe counts more than 900 suits. The Museum of the City of Brussels presents one hundred of these suits. A multimedia database allows the visitors to consult the whole wardrobe of the famous 'ketje'." Read more on this website.

Bruges is a city of 20,000 people and has 21 churches! We stayed at hotel Anselmus in Bruges. Very quaint and Victorian. Many homemade chocolate and lace shops. The locals were very friendly and stopped and offered assistance when we were looking at a map for directions. The city was small enough that you could walk around to visit all of the top "must dos" of the city. We went to the Belfry tower in the Markt and walked up the - steps to the top. The staircase was narrow and windy and was a claustrophobic's nightmare. The drum for the bell was enormous and was supposedly the largest (and heaviest, weighing 9 tons) known in existence. At every quarter within the hour, a different song is played. They switch out the songs every 2 years. We heard a few of these songs throughout the day in the city. The walk throughout the city was quiet and peaceful

Belfry Tower famous in the movie In Bruges

Walking up the 366 steps to the top!

Church of Our Lady in Bruges houses the famous "Madonna and Child" by Michelangelo. This was the closest that I ever came to such a famous piece of art.

After Bruges, we took a train to Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. This was such a cute, quiet, and quaint city that had completely two different personas: old city and new city (very wealthy and expensive).

Taking a cozy boat ride throughout the city

Beautiful Adolphe Bridge that connects the New Town and the Old Town

Luxembourg feast

Chemin de la corniche, Luxembourg

What a stunning and serene garden nestled within the busy life of Marrakech. I stopped in here while waiting on my 4pm flight to Munich, Germany for Eid break. Eid al-Adha is where Muslim families gather to sacrifice and feast on a sheep. This is a Commemoration of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his young first-born and only son in obedience of a command from God.

The gardens were landscaped by Jacques Majorelle, a Frenchman, in 1947.