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| Antomium |
Firstly, thank you train from Amsterdam to Brussels for being punctual. I arrived early enough to acquaint myself with the streets promptly before heading on a metro to MiniEurope. This museum offers a lot of interesting information of which I will reiterate here.
European Values
- Democracy; originating in Greece, forged its way into the other European cities. The English invented the Houses of Parliament, a bicameral democracy, the French Revolution added the principle of equality. Napoleon's armies helped spread it.
- Spirit of Adventure; Christopher Columbus initiated European colonization, and is an important figure in world history. Chinese, Zeng He sailed on bigger ships 70 years before Columbus, but did not leave his footprint because the Chinese Emperors changed, and their fire of exploration was rapidly extinguished.
- Spirit of Enterprise; banks, commerce, capitol, and networks. The European Union is the World's largest production and trading hub.
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| Oil Rig |
- Technology; Europe has long used the power of innovation to develop in efficiency and progress with the United States on levels of modernity.
- Culture and Influence; Christian heritage, culture inspired monuments, education, social thinking; The Renaissance.
- New Values: Secularism, the separation between the state and religion, is continuing to spread: long inspired from the French Revolution. Multiculturalism grows with globalization, and constant and increasing levels of interaction within and outside of Europe.
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Trelleborg, Denmark: *highest precentage of women work in the EU (70%).
| | | | | | | | * Trelleborg is a Viking camp from 1000AD
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| Copenhagen: *famous for going to for a tattoo, in suit of King Frederik IX. This building, called "Exchange" is 17th century Renaissance, built to boost Danish economic life. |
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| Sweden: Stockholm's City Hall. The origin of Pippi Longstocking |
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| Monument of Freedom in Latvia |
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| Lithuania: The University of Vilnius founded by Jesuits 1579 |
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| Extreme sports #1 base jumping! |
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| The Netherlands: Capitol Amsterdam, [check] Maastricht's Town Hall. The Treaty of Maastricht, an important step to the European Union, was signed here. |
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| Hoensbroek Limburg, Netherlands: Hoensbroek Castle- Meuse Renaissance |
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| Liege, Belgium, This Curius House is Meuse Renaissance design |
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Celles, Belgium: Veves Castle
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| Brussels, Belgium: The Grand Place [check] Capital of Belgium and the EU. |
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| Alkmaar, Netherlands: Pesee- Municipal freedom "Courage and Strength have given back to the Government and the Citizens their lost Weighing Right" |
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| Holland, Nethlands: Mills of Kinderdijk |
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| Ghent, Belgium: The Rabot a sluice gate on the left, and the Spijker, a Roman style house on the right are located on the Graslei once "the most beautiful street in Europe |
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| Alden Biesen, Belgium, The Commandery belonged to the Teutonic Order, an order of knights sworn to defend the Christian faith |
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| London, United Kingdom |
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| Houses of Parliament or the Westminster Palace. The Big Ben Clock Tower |
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| Glendalough & Ballydavid, Ireland: St Kevin's Church, Bell Tower, and the Gallarus Oraory in the foreground |
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| Cashel, Ireland: Location of St. Patrick's Rock. Languages, Gaelic and English, though not common, Gaelic is (since 2007) an official EU language. |
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| Extreme Sports #2: White water kayaking! |
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| Bath, United Kingdom: The 30 houses of the Royal Crescent |
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| The Circus is located here to emulate the Roman amphitheatre |
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| Dover, United Kingdom: Dover Castle- Norman style |
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| Athol Terrace Houses |
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| The Chunnel has been created in order to connect Great Britain to the European continent |
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| Eiffle Tower [Check} Paris, France Simply built for the World Fair of 1889 |
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| Sacre-Coeur [Check] built on Montmartre hill from 1875 when the Franco-Prussian war started, to 1914 |
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| This picture is to make up for forgetting to take a good shot of the Arc de Triomphe while I was there [check]. Located in the Place Charles de Gaulle, Napoleon built it in 1806 to glorify the Empire |
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| Extreme sport #3 Flying? |
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| Ronchamp, France: Chapel of Notre-Dame-Du-Haut-Modern church architecture (1955) |
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| Chenonceaux, France: Caslte of Chenonceaux |
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| Lisbon, Portugal: Torre de Belem- Manuelin Style fortress to protect the harbour |
The Ocean Pavilion: built for the Lisbon World Exhibition 1998, is a home to more than 25,000 fish, birds, and mammals. Exhibitions are help in Europe to present countries' industrial achievements.
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| Algarve, Portugal |
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| Madrid, Spain: Escorial- royal monastery |
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| Torro! |
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| La Mancha |
The story of Don Quixote and companion Sancho Panza as their imagination carries them into trouble across the land. The White Windmills are in Don Quixote's mind Giants only disguised as windmills!
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| Seville, Spain: Famous for its bullfights in Plaza de Toros. Traditionally three matadors slay six bulls. The red cape "muleta" is used to wear the bull out before they deliver one death-blow.Some people call it art... some call it a barbaric tradition! |
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| Barcelona, Spain: Monumento A Colon [check]- 1886 built in memory of Christopher Columbus. The four discoveries are represented by angels near the base of the column: San Salvador, Guadeloupe, Trinidad, and Haiti. |
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| Santiago De Compostela, Spain: Cathedral of Santiago de Compestela- originally Romanesque, converted to Gothic and Plateresque style. It is one of the great holy places of Christianism. |
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| Mnajdra, Malta: The temple of Mnajdra 3400BC. Mysterious ancient Maltese temple: the only known history of the civilization who came from Sicily disappeared here with no technology greater than flint and stone. |
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| Venice, Italy: Palazzo Ducale- Venetian Gothic architecture |
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| Pisa, Italy: The Campanile or "Leaning Tower of Pisa" |
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Extreme(ly fun) Sport #4: Swimming with dolphins?
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| Vicenza, Italy: Villa Rotonda- Beautiful Renaissance-style country house |
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| Lubeck, Germany: Holstentor |
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| Berlin [Check] Brandenburg Gate |
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| Berlin Wall |
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| Spire, Germany: Spire Cathedral |
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| Magdeburg; Millennium Tower: tallest laminated wood tower in the world. |
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| Soest, Germany: Osthofentor- Gothic 16th century city gateway |
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| Luxembourg: Pont Adolphe [Check] |
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| Gdansk, Poland: Artus Court-Accompanied by the Neptune Fountain |
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| Monument of the Fallen Shipyard Workers "Three Crosses" |
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| Through the window it appear someone had too much fun partying....[Extreme sport #5?] |
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| Trier: Porta Nigra: largest monument of Roman times built of dark limestone |
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| Eltz, (Castle) The knights of Eltz were stubborn and were thus nicknamed "Ironheads" |
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| Bratislava, Slovakia: The Blue Church designed in the Art Nouveau in 1913. Blue mosaic and majolica decoration |
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| Mogosoaia, Romania: Byzantine Palace- Italian/Walachian Renaissance. Brancovan Style. |
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| Budapest, Hungary: Szechenyi Baths. Water is drawn from a 960m deep spring |
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| Ljubljana, Slovenia: Triple Bridge. Austria paid to rebuild the original central bridge which was thought to have been destroyed in 1895. Since it wasn't, the funds were used instead to build 2 pedestrian bridges on each side! |
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| Monastery of Rila, Bulgaria |
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| Melk, Austria: The Abbey |
 Ariane, France: designed by European Space Agency and sent up 12,000kg satellites |
| Extreme Sport #6: Astronaut!? |
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| Limassol, Cyprus: Kourion Theatre- built by the Greeks 2nd century BC, modified by Romans 2nd century AD |
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| Athens, Greece: Acropolis-built to worship the 12 Greek gods. The Parthenon was built for Athena |
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| Extreme Sport #7: Fire fighting? |
MiniEurope really reminded me miniature golf. I can't wait to do that in Delaware this summer! And it appears I have not seen half Europe, even though I think I have gone many places not advertised. Europe you will be seeing me again soon.
Back into the real world:
Brussels:
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| This definitely reminds me of Zelda. |
I indulged in Brussels's food along my little route. Some personal
selection of chocolates to make up for not being home for Easter, a true
Belgium waffle with chocolate and strawberries, and then later a
delicious sandwich with some Brussel sauce and "smelly" frumage. I want
desperately to recreate this sandwich! It came together so well!!
I went to the Grand Plaza
The Cathedral
Passed some family statues
Royal Plark
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| European Parliament |
I was on my way back to the train station when I realized I had forgotten to try famous Belgium beer. I still had some time, so I made a picnic out of my sandwich, the chocolate and the beer. It was a solid conclusion to the trip.
I do not thank you Brussels trainstation for a) being as obvious to find as a secret door in a medieval castle as a result of being surrounded by the European Parliment. b) first delaying, then canceling my connection train to Luxembourg. c) for then getting to Luxembourg a half an hour after my connection to Metz left. But fortunately I got French across fast enough to catch a night train going to Nice if I ran really fast. That I did. And a few hours later the train made a stop in Metz.
The story of Don Quixote and companion Sancho Panza as their imagination carries them into trouble across the land. The White Windmills are in Don Quixote's mind Giants only disguised as windmills!
