Brussels, Treaty City

I was in Brussels (as Jurist Linguist on the Irish translation team) for the  signing of the Treaty of Accession to the EEC of Great Britain and Ireland (and Denmark) and returned there this week-end prior to the giving of notice of Britain's intention to withdraw.

Joining the EEC was the most important step in Ireland's economic miracle. It also benefited the English economy enormously, and it it a serious mistake to leave.

Here are some photos taken on my visit.

We stayed in a pleasant area near the city centre, from where to view the  city on foot

Murals on back-street gable walls enchant

Alas, spoiled by graffiti: but Brussels is relatively graffiti-free

Skate-boarding park

Ancient building partially preserved

Charming squares

The old city lovingly preserved

Beautiful corners

Wallace's Tavern!

Modern glass towers peep over the shoulders of the fine old city buildings

A bit out from town centre:the hotel we stayed in 45 years ago when working for the EU, Hotel du Congrey, the dark building second from the bright corner

Looking back towards town from Rue du Congres

Teresa and I by the fireplace of the hotel where we stayed 45 years ago

A ten-minute walk from that hotel to the Berlayment building where we worked on the Treaty 45 years ago, along boring, commercial Rue de la Loi

Traffic is managed by ringroads and underground motorways

Two of the statues outside the Charlemagne building, former home of the EU Commission, which holds the European Commission Visitors Centre

Me and Teresa outside the Berlayment building where we worked for a few months 45 years ago

Close-up of us outside the Berlayment

And again, right beside the building

The old tavern still on the corner!

Another of those murals, as we make our way back to our present lodgings

My daughter Niamh, who was not even a twinkle in my eye then

Lunching al-fresco in the beautiful sunshine of Brussels on 26 March 2017

A Brussels dog-station

The tourist city centre is free of traffic, but it must get stuck somewhere

Citizens relaxing on a sunday afternoon outside the Gare de Midi station

Sunset as we arrived home at Dublin airport