on to BELGIUM! - Brussels

We arrived in Brussels... and treked to our trains, trams, and hotel room, luggage in tow.  It was much cooler than in Paris, and a lot cleaner!  Everything seemed much less crammed together and with air to breathe!  It was very beautiful with sights like this down every street...

We walked with Jacob the first day...man, could he outwalk us!!  But it was fun to see where he had served and walk the streets he had walked.  I was always a few feet behind...either because I couldn't catch up, or I was engrossed in everything or trying to take pictures of all the awesome buildings!  It was amazing!  Jacob took us down to the Grand Place...which is quite the tourist sight...lots of people, and beautiful buildings and cobblestone square...it really is a gorgeous place!

I felt like Brent...I just kept looking and looking at all the sculptures, and architecture...it was breathtaking!

Jacob showed us this place, where he said there is a superstition of some sort, that if you rub this statue, you will marry within the year...I made him rub it!!  ha ha

Here is the ever popular, Manneken Pis...Brussels is famous for this and everyone knows about it and he is quite the tourist pull...which is all fine and dandy, until you see the little guy in person!  I was expecting much more...he was TINY...and just stuck in a little corner by some of the souvenier shops...

This is the real size, when you can see it in comparison to people and buildings!  Don't quite know what all the fuss is about...but Jacob said that they also dress him up on many holidays...so I guess he's a novelty, even if he is small!!

One of many shopping malls that connect to the Grand Place...they are so pretty!

This is Saint Michel.  Jacob loves this church and wanted to show it to us...I thought it was so awesome...I even thought it outshown Notre Dame...maybe not in size, but in majestic beauty alone.

It is quite intricate, and the inside is beautiful and not dark like in the Notre Dame Cathedral.

The stained glass is so beautiful and the wood carvings...very intricate and exquisite!

Another view point of the outside - this is along the side...it's so amazing!

This is Le Palais de Justice...their government building.

We got to visit the Atomium...It was quite the modern sculpted piece in it's time...built back in the 50's for a World's Fair in Brussels....it is still amazing and an awesome sight to see!   

There are cool passages between the spheres with escalators and stairs...

We rode an elevator up to the top and this is some of the view overlooking Brussels.

Very cool indeed!

This is all for right now, but this isn't all of my Brussels pictures...more are on Jacob's camera...so stay tuned for more...I will get them up shortly!

London, Paris, and Jacob!

 On the morning of the 4th of July, Brent and I flew to London, England to start our journey.  Our plan was to have a couple of days in London, and then proceed to Paris, where we could pick up Elder Simonson at the France Paris Mission Home on July 8th.  We had a great time seeing all the beautiful sites in London.  This is Brent in front of Buckingham Palace...

The Palace is still guarded by the Queen's Guards, even though they are backed up "heavily" by men with really big guns walking around!

Me by the Memorial that sits directly in front of the Palace...in the center of the square.

Just the square and grounds that are around Buckingham Palace.

Then we walked a little way down to some government buildings and came upon the Queen's Royal Guards and Band practicing in the square.

When they were finished, they went marching down the street playing and heading toward the Palace, for the changing of the guards.

This is Westminster Abbey...the side that faces the Palace.

This is the front of Westminster Abbey...it is a huge building...very beautiful!

Then as we walked on by the Abbey...We crossed the street and around the corner was the most gorgeous and spectacular building!!  It was the English Parliment building...it took up an entire block and the detail was just breathtaking!

Here is Big Ben that stands just on the end of the magnificent Parliment Building.

Te detail is just as impressive.

Trafalgar Square...

We also visited the London Bridge...

...but since the old one 'fell down' and moved to Lake Havasu, Arizona...

the new one is a little less impressive!

This one was a little more spectacular!

Then it was time to go to the Train Station for our train trip through the English Channel Tunnel and on to Paris! 

 

So Farewell to London...on to Paris...

The train ride was amazing...the French countryside was awesome...and before we knew it, we were arriving in the (less than clean, overly crowded) Paris!

Paris had some amazing sites...of which I will post a few, but my favorite site of all, was the one of my son's face!!  Two years, and finally a hug...it made the less desirable Paris my favorite place on the whole earth!

We were able to go the Mission Home in Paris and meet our son, Elder Simonson, and officially pick him up from his mission.  This is Pres. and Sis. Staheli with Elder Simonson.

It was great to meet with them and hear all the good things they had to say about Jake.  He seemed very happy and in good spirits...feeling like he had done all that he could and given his best for 2 years, he was ready to leave, no regrets...and we were so excited to get to spend time with him again!

Our first stop was the Arc de Triomphe in the heart of Paris...

So awesome...so BIG!  It was just beautiful, and the view from the top was very amazing!

And of course...the Eiffel Tower, once again...very BIG!!

We went to the top that night...it meant very long lines, and the temperature was sweltering...but the view was wonderful, and the company even better.  We stood in line with the Schmutz family, who also picked up their son, Andrew, from the mission at the same time.  They are a very delightful and fun family...it was great to get to know them and spend time with them!

Then on to the Louvre Museum...it was very interesting and HOT!

Everyone took advantage of the fountains!

Once again...much larger than I ever could have imagined!!  Could it be that everything in Paris is larger than imagination?  Except for the Mona Lisa...

This is the Seine River in Paris...there were locks all along the fence...all of them with engravings or writings of love...it was interesting.

Then a visit to the Church in Paris...one of the most expensive properties owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...it is right downtown Paris and dates back hundreds of years.  It has a courtyard in the middle, where cars were parked...and either residents or businesses above the church rooms on the first floor.

Also a visit to the famous Notre Dame Cathedral, which was very intricate and beautiful on the outside...very dark on the inside!

Just a few of the other sites we saw in Paris...buildings by famous architects...

...beautiful fountains and statues...

Paris was just amazing...au revoir!