Fete de la BD Strip feest 2012

The weekend of September 8th and 9th was the annual Comics Festival in Brussels.  This year it welcomed more than 70 comic strip authors.  Professional Belgian and foreign artists and writers were in attendance.  

We attended the festival with our good friend, Hope.  She has twins, Bella and Amelia.  They are in 1st grade with Liv.  Hope just happens to be a photographer...and...she happened to forget her camera at home.  What could I have done, but give her mine, right?!  She took it and started by saying, "What are your settings, Katie?"  Umm...let me think...my settings...Auto Focus and Shoot?!  I need to learn about my camera!  Thank you, Hope for reminding me of that:)

Liv with her friends, Amelia and Bella

The Smurf made out of Belgian Chocolate Balls

The main reason that we had decided to venture down to the festival was because it was advertised that they were having a parade, complete with balloons, much like the Macy's Day Parade that is held on Thanksgiving morning.  The teams of people that head up the inflating process are actually brought in from the United States.  We didn't stay for the parade, but we got to see a lot of the balloons being blown up.

Watching the balloons being blown up.

They over 20 balloons.  The had the Atomium, the Belgian Flag, a Care Bear, Woody Woodpecker, Betty Boop, Bob the Builder, Mannekin Pis, and many more.  They were much smaller than those you would see at Macy's, but it was great to watch them being blown up.  They kids really enjoyed it.

Belgium Beer Weekend

There always seems to be something going on in The Grand Place, which is located in the City Centre. The first weekend in September the Market Place of Brussels served as the setting for the 14th Belgian Beer Weekend.  The Beer Weekend is put on by the Belgian Brewers' association and the "Mashstaff of the Knights".  

Many small, medium-sized and large Belgian breweries participate.  Belgium offers a unique range of beers having the most contrasting tastes and flavors.  Nowhere else in the world can you find a larger choice of regional, authentic and colorful beers.  This year, 51 breweries participated.

Not sure if you know, but in Belgium, beer is KING.  Each beer has its own glass.  The glasses are very important and it is imperative that you DO NOT put the wrong beer in a glass.  Put a Leffe Blond in a Duval glass....NEVER!  A curse on you...lol.

The system of the Beer Weekend is a strange one!  Of course, what isn't around here, really!  You must first stand in a VERY LONG LINE to purchase your "beer caps".  The beer caps are 1 Euro each.  The beers ranged in price from 3 Euro to 5 Euro.  You also had to purchase a yellow token.  The yellow token was your "deposit" for the glass that you received.  Before you went home you could turn your token back in for your 2 Euro deposit.  Still with me?  Anyway...the place was packed.  You were elbow to elbow with people.  When you wanted a beer you would go up to a booth, give them your yellow chip and pay for your beer with your bottle caps.  The problem with the system...you had to turn your darn glass back into the same booth you purchase your beer from.  You couldn't take it to the next booth and turn it in when you wanted to try that beer.  Uggghhhhh.....it was a pain!  Note to self:  If you return next year....BUY MORE YELLOW CHIPS!!!!

All in all, we had a fun time...some more than others!