For my last full day of my trip, tomorrow being a long and exhausting travel day, I hit some of Rick Steves’ hot spots:  City Museum, European Parliament, and Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.  Additionally, I returned to the Grand Place and, due to being frustrated with yesterday’s photo, Manneken-Pis.  Of course, I needed to round out my eating tour of Brussels with a waffle and chocolate!

Manneken-Pis:  Today, he’s wearing a costume!

Fun bicycle shop!

“Whoever saves one life, saves the entire universe.”  (The Talmud)

“In tribute to the ‘righteous’ of Belgium and to the citizens who, at the peril of their lives, came to the rescue of the Jews persecuted during the Nazi Occupation.”

Commemorative plaque, located next to this sculpture, inaugurated on May 8, 2007.

Several crosswalks in Brussels are painted rainbow colors in support of the LGBTQ community.

The hemicycle of the European Parliament, where 705 members from 27 countries “represent people’s interests with regard to EU law-making and to make sure other EU institutions are working democratically.”  [https://www.europarl.europa.eu/about-parliament/en]

Sculpture through a round window in the European Parliament building.

I’m not a big fan of the “old masters,” especially because I find most of the paintings dark and dreary.  However, the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium has restored several paintings by Rubens, including this “Portrait of D’Helene Fourment.”  The restoration removed the darkened glaze and brightened the original colors.

A gallery in the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium shared some artwork with unclear provenances, most likely due to Nazis looting art from European Jews.  (See next photo for full explanation.)  This piece, Flowers by Lovis Corinth, was ultimately returned to the Mayer family.  (See below for the details.  This is too important for me to summarize in a sentence or two.)

“The problem of restitution of looted property…”

“In 2008, the RMFAB appealed to the general public…”

“Building art” across from the main train station.

CEILING artwork in the Belgian Comic Strip Center.

Not only do pedestrians need to watch out for cars, bicycles, and people, but there are a TON of scooters everywhere!

A daytime pano of Grand Place.