Dan Birthday London trip – 19th May 2012

Animal’s inside out exhibition - Adapted from Gunther von Hagens' Body Works, this exhibition features 90 plastinated animals and capillary specimens displaying the intricate insides and inner workings of some of the world’s most spectacular creatures, from goats and giraffes to octopuses and ostriches. While photos could not be taken inside the exhibitions, the Central hall of the Natural history Museum houses a plastinated camel.

 

 Wicked the musical - tells the incredible untold story of an unlikely but profound friendship between two girls who first meet as sorcery students at Shiz University: the blonde and very popular Glinda and a misunderstood green girl, Elphaba. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfil their destinies as Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

 

Park plaza hotel – located right by the Themes, with the Houses of Parliament opposite this hotel was ideally suited for our travels around London. We had the back view in the cheaper rooms but the room was very nice and not too expensive (£110) for such a central point in London.

 

Leonardo da Vinci: Anatomist - the largest-ever exhibition of Leonardo da Vinci's astonishing anatomical drawings at The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace. 

Da Vinci's remarkable drawings were intended to be used in a treatise on anatomy, but for unknown reasons he never wrote it. The works were found among da Vinci's personal papers on his death in 1519 but their significance failed to be noticed for almost 400 years.

Family trip to Brussels 10th – 13th May 2012: Other areas

The Atomium – Built for the 1958 world fair, the Atomium is probably the most identifiable symbol of Brussels. As the world moved into an age of science and space travel at the end of the 1950s so the design reflected this with a structure of an iron atom, magnified 165 billion times.

Each of the nine spheres that make up the atom is 18 m in diameter, and linked by range of either escalators or stairs. The spheres house exhibition rooms and at the top a viewing platform.

From the top you could see view of the city, Domaine de Laeken Park, and mini Europe –

  

You can’t go to Brussels without having a waffle

 Sue reflects upon the local artist use of colour upon this wall –

Palais de Justice – rules the Brussels skyline and can be seen from almost every vantage point in the city. It occupies an area larger than St Peters Basilica in Rome, and was one of the most impressive buildings in the world during the 19^th Century. It is home to the city law courts.

Dan strikes a pose:

 

Cathedrale Sts Michel et Gudule – national church of Belgium, although it was only granted cathedral status in 1962. There has been a church on this site since at least the 11^th century, but work on the current church started in 1225 and took 300 years to complete.  

Brussels pride: The Saturday happened to be Brussels gay pride, there was as expected a parade and then a lot of drunks lying about the streets

Chocolate shopping:

Return journey, time for a snack:

Family trip to Brussels 10th – 13th May 2012: Upper town

Upper town: once home to French-speaking aristocrats and royalty, this currently is the main centre for international politics, hosting the principal EU institutions as well as the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). 

Palais du Cinquantenaire – was created at the time of the exhibition of 1880 to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of Belgian independence.  The central path of the garden leads to the Triumph Arch which is 45 meters high and has three archways. The palace consists of two large aisles housing museums.

 

Musee de l’ Armee – (museum of Army) houses numerous very interesting army collections

 

Commission and council of the European community – the various building of the European political headquarters

Institute Royal des Science naturelles – our stop for a well needed cup of tea and then an adventure in to the Dinosaur collection 

The Royal Palace – the most imposing monument within the district, today it is the official residence of the Belgian sovereigns

Rest break – resting the worn out feet

Mont des Arts – designed during the reign of Leopold I, it contains a range of statues and gardens overlooking the city

Medical equipment for sale –

Eglise St-Nicolas – at church has been on this site since the 12^th Century, but much of it was damaged in the 1695 French Bombardment

Eglise St-Jean-Baptise au-Beguinage – this stone-clad church was consecrated in 1676 alongside the largest beguine community in the country.

Take me to a gay bar :)   - off with the parents to the gay area for a few drinks