Brussels is looking so beautiful today in her new white coat. Every twig and every lamp-post is gently dusted with a light powder, and the whole city feels fresh. I am still astonished how a town can be transformed overnight by tiny flakes of frozen water. I smile to myself as I carefully step across the slippery cobblestones, taking in deep breaths of clean fresh winter air.

We brought a new friend home from France. He is a chien du coupe froid (cold-stopping dog), who is working valiantly to frighten away the icy drafts that try to sneak in underneath our kitchen door. With temperatures predicted to range from from -6°C to -13°C (21 to 8.6 F) on Thursday, we’re going to need all the help we can get to stay safely snug.

This morning I caught a glimpse of the first snow-fall of the season. It didn’t last for more than an hour, however there were definite snow flakes drifting down my window. With current temperatures of -1^o to 1^oC (30-34^o F), winter has arrived.

As I write this tonight, the snow has returned in abundance. Millions of white feathery flakes are drifting down to the park below. We might even wake up tomorrow morning to find the whole city draped in white.

The rain stopped in Genova as the sun set, so we wandered through the world heritage listed Garibaldi Street, rugged up against the near-freezing cold. This street was once home to the richest families in the land – a row of elegant palaces that were ready to host visiting dignitaries and other important guests of the city. As we walked across the marble paving, we could peek through the lit windows to see elaborate frescoes on the ceilings, and grand staircases leading up to inner courtyards. Five hundred years ago, this avenue would have been the finest in the land. Now, Genova is no longer the capital, and the money has drifted elsewhere.

The old town was an enthralling place to explore. We often found ourselves lost, wandering through winding alleyways to pop out and discover unusual Cattedrale di San Lorenzo or the old city gates. We found a wooden boat with a remarkable figurehead of Neptune moored in the old harbour. Soon it was time to pack up our belongings and board the MSC Fantasia for nine nights at sea, sailing to Casablanca and back again.