Brussels

Rubens and Van Dyck have been cropping up all over the place on this trip. So it's not surprising to find more of them on their home turf in Brussels. The art here ranges from lavish Baroque in Gothic churches and swirling art nouveau at the Horta House to the fantastic visions of the symbolists and surrealists.

Extravagance also appears in the weird saxophones at the Museum of Musical Instruments, where you automatically hear the instruments you're standing in front of playing through programmed headphones. These collections are housed in a glorious art nouveau building called Old England. The view from the restaurant terrace on the roof helps make sense of the city's quirky layout.

There's plenty of live music on the streets this evening with a loud rock concert in the Grand'Place and impromptu performances in the surrounding area.

(Special thanks to Susanne Bentley for providing me with my first home-cooked meal in six weeks.)