Plaisirs d'Hiver

From now until the new year, Brussels (and many other cities in Belgium) play host to winter markets, festivals and celebrations.  The series of events and activities in Brussels is called Plaisirs d'Hiver (Winter Pleasures).

It is a very fun time, and I've already gone 3 times!  (It's been open for 5 days.)

There are a few different parts to it, but here's the website (in English!) and you can see for yourself!

The main places to be are the Grand Place, and the Christmas Market.  Those are different links than the regular ones, so check them out!  There are tons and tons of little cabins that are selling different crafts and things.  It's a really warm, Christmasy environment.  Well, I wouldn't call it warm; it has been cold here lately - today there was snow outside when I woke up!  Actually, it's still there...

Right, so here are some pictures from the great festival Plaisirs d'Hiver!

This is the café / restaurant thing.  It is 2 floors.

A view from one end of the Christmas market.  This was on Saturday.  It was much less busy on Monday when I went, and I talked to the girl at the Québec booth for like an hour!

Colourful Bourse!

Grand Place looking festive

Nativity in the Grand Place

This guy is always here, but with the tree I thought it made a nice picture!

Mom - this is for you!

A little game for kids - you pick up an ornament and get a prize!

Skating!  

Very very popular - vin chaud (mulled wine).  The smell is so nice and it's sold at every other booth so the whole festival smells like it.  It is very delicious.  You can get things like amaretto added to it for .50€.

As I mentioned before, the best part (and most magical) was the light and sound show in the Grand Place that was projected onto the hôtel de ville (town hall).  It was one of those moments where I realize how lucky I am to be living in Europe right now!  Every day I have those moments, but this one filled me with so much joy because I just love the Christmas season!

Here's the video!  It takes about a minute to get into it, but after that it's fun fun fun!

This week is going to be an exciting one for me.  I love bowling, and I am going on Wednesday and Thursday!!  yay!  Wednesday will be with David and his Mom, then Thursday will be with the meetup group again.  I told them that I will beat them all next time so I sure hope I can live up to that expectation!  Perhaps the practice on Wednesday will help.

J'ai etudié le français hier, et je vais étudier après finir cet post.  Puis, je vais aller à la bowling alley à  faire une reservation pour mercredi soir.  Je ne dois pas faire une reservation pour jeudi, parce que l'homme qui faire le meetup group a ça fait.  Aujourd'hui j'ai déjà rangé ma chambre et mis quelque livres sur un étagère.  Un étagère à eux a cassé aujourd'hui et presque moi tué!  Ah well.  D'accord, à grâce de écrir en français je veux la étudier maintenant, puis je vais finir à present.  


K bye!