Brussels' 'Little Man Pee' or as locals know him, Mannekin Pis

Located just some hundreds of feet from the Brussels' central square, at the intersection of Rue de l'Étuve/Stoofstraat and Rue du Chêne/Eikstraat, is a small, 2-foot tall statue of a little boy urinating in a fountain. A Belgian landmark.

Know in Dutch as Mannekin Pis and in French as le Petit Julien, the little boy is one of legends. One of the many and most famous legends regarding his existence involves Duke Godfrey III of Leuven. It states that "in 1142, the troops of this two-year-old lord were battling against the troops of the Berthouts, the lords of Grimbergen, in Ransbeke (now Neder-over-Heembeek). The troops put the infant lord in a basket and hung the basket in a tree to encourage them. From there, the boy urinated on the troops of the Berthouts, who eventually lost the battle."

Our little boy wonder is known for his ever-changing attire. He's quite the trendy little fellow. His costume is changed several times each week and his wardrobe is cared for by a local non-profit, The Friends of Mannekin Pis. 

In October 2009, Alaina and I happen to catch him in his seemingly Arab-inspired wardrobe.

Little Mannekin Pis is so trendy.

Little boy legend. Literally. This one is to show scale of size.

Considering he's been standing around, peeing, since 1618, his closet must be gigantic.

I think he should dress as Mickey Mouse one day. What do you think?

Comics, comics everywhere!

Comic hero of Belgium? Why none other than Tintin of course! Also known as "the hero of the French-speaking world."

This little piece of quintessential Belgian street art was found on a quiet street corner in Brussels.

Tintin decorates Brussels.

If you're swinging by Brussels and want to discover more quirky and fun Belgian comic genius, I suggest you head over to the Belgian Comic Strip Center for more fanciful exploration and indulgence into a favorite childhood activity.

Recent discussions have inspired me to give Tintin a more thorough read, especially in preparation of this winter's release of the next Spielberg classic (?), the Tintin movie.

The written word seems to always be better than the movie, don't you agree?
Spielberg better not let this Francophile with one-half of her bachelor's degree in French, down.

Riding the rails: Amsterdam Centraal

The central train station of Amsterdam. October 2006.

I enjoy travelling by train. It's a great way to sit back and enjoy the true views of a foreign countryside sweeping past you.

Would I have been able to capture this lovely shot of real life as someone knows it (somewhere in between Brussels and Amsterdam) as a part of a standard tour group?

Doubt it.

Now grab your backpack and let's ride the rails! I'm look at you, Rick Steves.