AQUARIUM NAUSICAA - BOULOGNE SUR MER

The year's end excursion for the seniors of our city took us to Boulogne sur Mer where we visited the Aquarium Nausicaa (all details here) The French Tourist Office describes it as the biggest of Europe. As everything is always the most beautiful, or the biggest or greatest in France, I wasn't surprised when I saw it. It was not so big at all and all signs for the different species of the water world was placed like in a mace, and as everybody walked of their own, I did it with my two friends and of course got lost turned around had to ask several times and finally gave up. But apparently we didn't miss a lot, but what we saw was really very interesting. I had never seen so many different fishes of all sizes and colors in my whole life !

From the city itself we only saw a few houses from far.  We had come for the Nausicaa aquarium and lunch which for some seniors is more important then the subject of the excursion !



We got out of the bus and walked along the sea to the Aquarium.



At the entrance we were checked for arms and weapons and had to go through a scanner, but this is normal nowadays everywhere. There was a nice bar with a beautiful view on the sea but unfortunately it was closed.  I don't know why because it was around 11 am.



We had this nice green bus and after having seen all the water creatures, we went into a very nice restaurant, where we had 5 courses and drinks as much as you wanted included in the price. We stayed there for at least 3 hours and then walked back to the bus again to return home.



Even here we met our friend Napoleon from the battle of Waterloo.



From out of the Bus window a glimpse on Boulogne sur Mer



Rays



Little fishes, I don't remember their name



and this monster was busy to swallow a shrimp, which was sitting on its head and had walked slowly down directly into his mouth.



Another huge fish



















Jelly fishes in all forms and sizes








Isn't that a friendly smile ?





Children trying to catch a fish through the glass






Herings





Fake grotto with different aquariums inside





A feeding place, but I don't know for whom may be sea lions, which I haven't seen. There are feeding times.









A few very impressive fishes



A cute chameleon

It is an ideal place for people who love the sea and its creatures

A SIGHTSEEING TOUR OF BRUSSELS

I have done sightseeing tours in almost all big cities I have visited except in my own town Brussels. As the weather was beautiful and it was the Sunday "Brussels without cars" I thought it would be a good idea to make this tour. My two neighbor girls came with me.



It is nice to see all streets without cars, except a few with a special permission, and the public transports, bus, tram and metro of course, and for free !!



We looked around and I tried to take pictures.



There were still some beautiful houses left, which hadn't been destroyed to built modern glass boxes. There were a lot of people in the streets and there was a cheerful atmosphere



There are a lot of parks in Brussels where people sat on the grass or walked around



In the background you can see the Cinquantenaire, which was built for the 50th anniversary of Belgium and hosts now a museum and showrooms.Everywhere were bikes or scooters and a lot to eat and drink !



This is the Brussels North station. Above is how I knew it when I took the train everyday for work and  underneath how it looks today. I didn't recognize anything ! The only high building where balls were organized and a lot of companies had their offices and where I used to go dancing when I was 18, had also disappeared !



The whole area had been demolished and replaced by glass boxes, I had the feeling to be in Dubai ! Then I thought if somebody would drop me in a city I wouldn't know where I am, because now they look all the same ! Sad.



Here lives the King Philip and Queen Mathilde with their 5 children.



Opposite of the castle is a huge park again and a memorial of a king.



Fortunately some areas are untouched and the old beautiful houses are still standing.



The Basilique, sitting on a hill. It's a catholic church, which has also a theatre and a restaurant.



The canal which connects Brussels to the Antwerp port



There was a whole group of bikers arriving



This beautiful Art-Deco building escaped the massacre



Les beaux Arts, theatre and exhibition hall



The museum of music



The street leading to the Palais de Justice (Justice palace)



The outside of the National museum


A beautiful church



On the hill where in the past criminals were hanged, there is now a huge wheel from which you have a wonderful overview from Brussels.



Just one car,  where usually there are traffic jams



This had been the old Belgian TV Station



The Schumann station in the middle of the area where all European institutions are and also a lot of embassies.



The European parliament





All this didn't exist when my father worked for the EU (at that time Commun Market)



Houses like this were all demolished there are only a few still standing.



A rather special architecture



I don't know why this old bridge leads to a very  modern building



There was a square surrounded with these European offices I think it is the Schumann square, but I am not sure I had never seen this ! I think last time I was there must be 40 or so years ago !



And here is the Berlaymont office which houses the headquarters of the European Commission, the executive of the European Union (EU).


and these are the surroundings I recognized the street where I had been two weeks before in the German embassy.

Our sightseeing tour lasted nearly 4 hours, because we made the two parts, the North and the South.
It was so interesting, but also a bit sad, because the Brussels of my youth had disappeared. Only a few things hadn't changed.