We were first off the ship and into the central market square early. Hardly a soul in sight.

… just some horses waiting for the tourists to wake up.

366 steep steps to the top here … (Jan demurred) …

… for a great view of the city and the empty square below.

Down again, this, the courtyard behind the Belfry.

We wandered down and got on one of these for a canal tour before the queues built up …

A picture postcard around every corner …

… and this fellow taking a nap?

Then we walked and found a wonderful variety of city sights … pretty canals …

… busy streets and squares …

“back alleys” and quiet streets …

This house with a plaque dated 1628 …

city serenity …

through the quadrangle of this old monestary …

… near this, the tallest brick spire in Europe …

along this alley …

to this handsome square called the burg(?)

We found chocolate shops, of course. (there must be hundreds!)

… and place selling lace …

… and this old bird making lace, who demanded money for a photo …

… and this old music man who didn’t …

… along the way we snacked on Belgian waffles (Jan), a spicy Belgian sausage baguette (me, yum!), Belgian chocolate and Belgian beer … at intervals, mind you, not all at once … but we were bulgin’ …

… and so back to the Central Market Square to rendevous with our taxi … just a few more people out and about now!!!