We took an overnight trip to Tongeren, Belgium, 75 minutes from Brussels. Tongeren is the oldest city in Belgium dating back to the 1st century BC, part of the Roman Empire. Given its history, it is apropos that it hosts a weekly Sunday antique market on Sundays 7am-1pm. A true brocante with hundreds of dealers lining the cobblestone streets. This is why we ventured to this cute town.
We arrived Saturday around noon and walked the streets to the town square. We enjoyed lunch at a cafe in the square with entertainment from the beautiful church bells that rang the hourly song and a ding at each quarter. Lunch was amazing, I had the baked camembert with figs, rosemary and home baked crusty bread, I should have taken a photo. Scott ordered a trio of burgers, sort of like a slider but really a meatball on a bun with three different cheeses and sauces, looked good. Connor was happy with his pasta bolognese. As we ate, there were three different Belgium “scout” troops selling waffles as a fundraiser in the square. One set of uniforms looked similar to Connor’s while the other two were blue and very different. Also in the square was a large bronze statue of Ambiorix, the Belgian national hero. He lead the resistance movement against Julius Caesar.
After lunch We walked the old town which dates back to the 1200s. We strolled along the original fortress wall and found the original gate leading into the city. The old town streets and mote were beautiful with several gardens from locals. I especially liked the house painted purple. Scott and Connor strategized how the wall was used as defense of the town in the 1200s. We ended the day a few kilometers from downtown at a small B&B.
The B&B, located on the edge of a neighborhood, backed up to farmland. We were greeted by the owner and she showed us around the grounds which included a pool, sauna hut and gardens. They have an honor bar so we selected located Tongeren beers and thought we would enjoy the gardens at the end of the day. Oh, but wait, there’s more. The large stone and ivy wall was hiding animals that we could out see or hear, but we 100% smelled them. On second thought, maybe it was a fertilizer farm. Who cares, it was most unpleasant! I worked in barns and rode horses for many years, I am not afraid of farm smells. This was something much different. We headed back to the courtyard and enjoyed our beer next to the koi pond and just the occasional light whiff of manure. Dinner at the B&B was really lovely, (inside no bad smells) but long in the typical Belgium way. The morning breakfast was also yummy, a good start to antiquing.
While Scott and Connor took the morning slow, I was up and walking the cobblestone streets by 8am, just as daylight was illuminating the vendor tables. I bought three items. First is a painting by an unknown artist, but sister of the dealer. I liked the soft purple and green hues. Next was is a cotton sack used for picking grain. I plan to make pillows. And the last item is a walking cane to add to my collection. The handle unscrews to show a hidden cork. The dealer said it was for whiskey. I scoped out several tables but I am still working on exactly what I want that will work in the Brussels house and still be an option for us at home. I will definitely visit Tongeren again, maybe a solo overnight while Scott and Connor have a campout. Although, Bucky may enjoy the trip with me!
Delius Diaries 
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