BELGIUM

Thursday, June 11th – (KUWAIT, AMSTERDAM)

11:00am – We had an amazing year end luncheon for the elementary girls. The food was delicious. A family whose daughter was in Erin’s class catered the lunch. Normally the meal would cost 15KD per plate and they did it for us 2.5KD per plate. This girl must really like Erin!!

1:00pm – We had early dismissal from school and I went home to pack my bags. 1 bag was only for items that I would need traveling and the other bag was for souvenirs that I would pick up along the way. Had a few drinks while packing and said good bye to people as they stopped by 5th floor.

5:30 – The school sent 2 buses to pick up the teachers that were leaving on the flight to Amsterdam. (There was a lot of us!) At the airport everyone sat and ate McDonalds together until it was time to board our plane. During this time Lexi and I booked our hotel for Belgium. Nothing like last minute booking!! We had an hour and a half stop in Bahrain but we didn’t have to get off the plane. Lexi and I slept the entire flight to Amsterdam, even when we were in Bahrain. Jon put a bunch of pillows on Lexi and we sorta woke up but then went right back to sleep. haha

Friday, June 12th - DAY 1 (AMSTERDAM - BRUSSELS)

4.55 am - All our bags arrived in Amsterdam. Lexi and I said good bye to the others. We went directly to where you can buy train tickets and found out that the first train to Brussels left at 6:10a.m. Perfect timing! Lexi grabbed a muffin and coffee at startbucks and we went down and waited for our train at the platform. We were both a bit nervous because as we watched other people get on the train we wondered how they knew they were on the right train. A nice couple told us which side our train would come and how the boards worked. The board would say the time and where that train would be going.

The train to Brussels was 2 hours and 45 minutes long. The lady sitting beside Lexi told her that we could get off at the Brussels Central Station because it was close to the street our hotel was on.

We had so many bags we had to take a taxi to the Hotel Brussels. It was 17 euro! Our room was not ready at the hotel because we were there early so we stored our bags in the meeting room.

The hotel attendant showed us a pamphlet of recommended tours for us to go on. The first one was at 9:30am for a tour around Brussels. Ekks 9:30 was in 15 minutes. Lexi and I had to quickly make up our mind. We decided to go on the tour of Brussels because our room was not ready and it would be after the tour was completed. We also decided to book a tour to Bruges, Ghent, Luxembourg and Antwerp for 150 euros each.

The tour bus came and picked us up at 9:30 and took us to the meeting spot. We walked to the Grand Place and saw a flower market. The Grand Place is an old square and the architecture is beautiful.

On the tour bus we saw many attractions. The St. Michaels Cathedral, Brussels Canal Port, Notre Dam de Laken (The Chuch of our lady Larken), Church of St. Anne. We stopped at the Atonmium (Molecule of Iron) to take some photos. We saw the statue of Adolphe Max, the trade mart which was near the centenaire. In the Royal Gardens we saw the Fountain of Neptue, Chinesee Pavillion, Japanese tower. The Royal Palace was built in the 18th century. The flag was out on the building so we knew that the King was in the building. We saw the statue of Leopald.

1:00 p.m – The bus took us back to our hotel. We went for supper at a restaurant around the corner. Lexi and I both had a pasta dish and a glass of Rose Wine. I had Penne Asparagus. Back to the hotel and slept until the morning. Oops I guess we were exhausted from a busy week at school packing and going out.


Saturday, June 13th – Day 2 (GHENT & BRUGES)

Today we went and saw Ghent and Bruges. As we left Brussels we saw the basilica which represents the 9 colonies of Belgium and the 1 congo.

Our first stop was Ghent. We stopped at St. James Church. We went inside the St. Bavos Cathedral. In the St. Bavos Church is where the mystic lamb paintings are. We had time on our own to wonder Ghent.

Back on the bus we headed to Bruges. When we entered Bruges we saw the flags of the European Union.

We walked on the bridge over the Lake of Love and the Beguine. We stopped for lunch and Lexi and I shared the traditional flounders Beef Stew with beer sauce. It came with fried cheese balls that were breaded, small salad and French fries. For desert we had chocolate mousse. We had 2 big beers and it was 36.50euros!

On the local walking tour we saw Our Lady Church with the statute Madonna and child by Michelangelo. The market square with belfry and holy Chapel.

Then we went on the boat canals for 5.50 euro. It was 30 minutes long for a beautiful ride and seeing the city from a different view.

Afterwards we grabbed an ice cream and looked at the items at the local market. We decided to stop at a café for a beer and our first Belgium waffle with strawberries for 15euros. Ekks!

We learned to be on time when traveling on a tour bus because an elderly couple was not on the bus and we left them behind. Not cool. Both Lexi and I wondered what we would do if that had happened to us or better yet if it happened to our parents one day.

The bus dropped us off at our hotel and we checked our e-ails and then went for a walk looking for a place to eat. We couldn’t find anything so we went to another Italian restaurant. I had spaghetti carbonara. It was not that great and it was 29.50 euro for a disappointing meal.


Sunday, June 14th – Day 3 (LUXEMBOURG)

We woke up and got on the tour bus going to Luxembourg. After 1.5 hours we stopped in Dinant. We went up the teleferic to the citadel for euro. You could walk the steep stairs but we didn’t have enough time. The view at the top was beautiful. After we walked around the citadel for awhile we took the teleferic down and walked around the small town. Then we decided to sit at a café and have a beer and enjoy the warm weather. The people in Dinant spoke French. It was interesting trying to order off the menu when it was only in French. Good thing Lexi and I could recognize a few key words and phrases still from our high school days.
In Dinant is where the house that Sax used to live. The man who invented the saxophone. There is a monument of a saxophone too.

We drove through the Ardennes Mountains. In Ardennes the locals in these small towns like their beer, cheese and sausage.

A little later down the road we stopped at the Little Castle Lavaux Sainte-Anne. The gardens around the castle were very beautiful. Everything was so green! The homes in this town are made of brick because of the harsh weather that they have. Lexi and I sat and enjoyed a beer in the gardens of the castle. It was a lovely day.

We finally made it to Luxembourg City. Our first stop was for lunch. We opted to have the chicken and pork dishes to share. Krista loved the chicken dish because it was very much like a chicken pot pie. It came with potatoes, beans and carrots. Lexi preferred the pork. The meal came with all you can drink wine and beer. We polished off a bottle of white wine and had a shot of schnapps (a local drink that they make from apples and beer). Dessert was fruit salad with ice-cream. All for a whopping 22 euro each Well worth the money! We met two very nice couples from Quebec who ate with us.

After lunch we walked to the war memorial with the golden lady. Then to the grade Ducal Palace and city hall.

We had 1.5 hours on our own so we went to check out the casemates (underground tunnels) They were alright. As we were walking back we encountered a group of traditional dancers and singers. We stopped for a photo op and took a couple of videos.

We walked back to our meeting spot were we met 2 American teachers who taught in Luxembourg.

Back to the bus for our long journey back to Brussels. At the hotel we took a taxi to the Grand Place to find Dilirium Pub. In the alleys looking for this pub there were many restaurants. Lexi and Krista were stopped and given many proposals to eat at their restaurant. Lexi was given hugs and tight squeezes and a few kisses on the cheek. One guy told told me that I was hot, very hot. Krista replied in a hot pink shirt!

Delirium Pub is down a very small side street. We had 2 flavored fruit beers that cost 3 euro each.

Then we went and had Belgium French friends with mayonnaise, ketchup, and fried onions for 4 euro. They like their French fries in Belgium.

We looked in some Belgium chocolate stores. We stopped at a place to have Belgium Waffles and chocolate. We had a Premus Beer and a Raspberry beer. 18 Euro. Europe is not a cheap country!!

It was after midnight so we decided to call it a night.



Monday, June 15th – Day 4 (ANTWERP)

We woke up and grabbed a taxi to McDonalds. He didn’t know where to go! Agh for 6.90 euro we were not getting happy. He stopped the meter and was very apologetic and we were going to go back to the hotel and try again. We turned the corner and to all our surprise there was McDonalds. We both had an egg mcmuffin and a hash brown. Ketchup was 0.60 euro extra!

Afterwards we stopped in a few shops and bought a couple of items in H&M.

We then took a taxing to the peeing boy statue. As we walked we took a picture of the Van Gogh Statue. We noticed a chocolate store that had Belgium chocolates with the peeing boy picture on them and decided that is what we wanted. It was cheaper to buy 5 boxes for 15 euro.

Then we took a picture of the peeing boy statue. Next to it was a Beligum Waffle Place so we bought a strawberry and banana icing sugar waffle for 4 euro. Mmm was it good. We shopped some more and then took a taxi back to the hotel.

Got on the tour but at 1:000 and headed to Antwerp which was about an hour outside of Brussels. It was rainy and cold outside. We were frigid!

First stop, Diamond Land. We learned about how diamonds are made for sale. Krista had to be escorted out of the building for truing to steal. Lexi had to use her stunning good looks to get her out of trouble! haha just kidding. True Fact: 70% of diamonds are produced in Antwerp.

Went to see the statue in the Grand Place. It represented the city of Antwerp. An means hand twerp means to throw so it has a statue of a man throwing the hand of an evil man that lived in a palace and taxed the citizens of Antwerp.

City Hall had about 86 flags to represent the countries with Embassies in Belgium.

Next stop De Katehdral “Cathedral of Our Lady”. It is the largest Catholic Church in the low countries. $100 000 Euro dress is kept here that was worn by “Our Lady” We also looked at the art display in honor of Peter Paul Rubens that was done by a student of his named Quinten Metsjs.

Rubens was a creep and married a 17 year old when he was 54. On a happy note his paintings became much less gloomy because he was getting some. haha

We stopped at a local pizza place called Da Giavanni and ordered 2 pizzas and 2 beer. We were hungry. The food was good. Krista looked so good she walked out of the restaurant with a free umbrella. Lexi was left to carry the pizza. True story.

Back to the bus for the ride back to Brussels. We got some beer at shop n’ go and drank in our hotel.