The weather was fine when we ventured out after breakfast so first port of call was back to the military barracks.  On our visit the previous day we had forgotten to walk around the side to see the restored railway carriage that had transported the Jews from the barracks to Auschwitz Birkenau.

We then set off on a long trek visiting an exhibition of Rik Wouters art which is housed in  The Schepenhuis followed by what was formerly Margaret of Austria’s Palace, finally ending up in the Toy Museum, where we also took a break for lunch.  Whilst at the museum I picked up an excellent free magazine that covered the history, museums, churches and places of interest in Mechelen.

Whilst returning from the Toy Museum to the centre of Mechelen we inadvertently found the tourist information office.  It became obvious why we had missed the day before!  It had been hidden by a market stall!! I didn’t find anything in the tourist information office that I hadn’t already researched myself.

Our next port of call was St Rumbold’s Cathedral, so that Mr C could ascend the tower.  I sat enjoying the sunlight playing on the statue of St Rumbould and read the free Mechelen magazine that I had picked up and realised that I had happened on an unexpected gem, it had all the information that I could have hoped for.  When we left the Cathedral the Mechelen carnival was in full flow.  The crowd was showered with sweets, popcorn, plastic balls and cuddly toys. It was lovely to watch the children running around trying to gather them up.  Beer was handed out along the way and a bag of little china ornaments was pressed into our hands.  We initially thought it was a nativity set but on closer inspection it was six oriental gentlemen.

After all that we had a well deserved rest in the hotel before our evening meal, which again was followed by a nightcap in the hotel before retiring for the night.