Well, today is the final day of this outrageous five week journey. It is so hard for me to believe that the trip is over and I am headed home today. I got up early, went out for some coffee and a croissant and was off to get the Roissy Bus, which goes from central Paris near the Opera to Charles de Gaulle airport. I arrived at the airport by 12:00 noon, checked in, went through security and was at the gate waiting for my 2:30 PM flight to JFK, in New York. Everyone boarded the flight early and we took off promptly at 2:30 PM. The flight was uneventful, a bit bumpy at times and we landed in New York after about 8 1/2 hours of flying time, by 6 PM local New York time. I went through passport control and immigration, and headed over to Hertz to pick up my rental car for the drive home to Rhinebeck. I arrived in Rhinebeck about 9:15 PM local time, and was quite tired and exhausted, considering the six hour time difference.
Now that I am home, I have to thank my wife Gail for "allowing" me and understanding my "need" to go away for the past five weeks. After getting up at 6 AM and going to work diligently for the past 37 years, I definitely needed a trip like this to begin my retirement, and she kindly understood this. I could go on and on about all my thoughts and experiences regarding the past five weeks in Europe, but I will save that for any of you that I happen to see and chat with personally. I also want to thank the Giger family in Switzerland for hosting me for a week, and making all the arrangements to make my life long desire to attend the Oktoberfest a reality. I cannot thank them enough for this. Additionally, I must thank my friend Peter in Germany, who also hosted me for a week and put together a wonderful itinerary of places to visit and things to do while I spent time with him. Thank you so much Peter, it was great.
In conclusion, I must say to everyone, that world travel is a wonderful thing for the body and mind. It helps people grow as you have the opportunity to meet new people and have different experiences daily. Travel allows and helps people to learn, grow and appreciate the world around them. Let me conclude my latest travel blog with a few quotes:
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – St. Augustine
“Like all great travelers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen.” – Benjamin Disraeli
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Paris ....................Day Four
Wednesday October 19, 2011
Today, my last day in Paris and actually the last day of my five week journey, I was off to the Pompidou Center. The Pompidou Center is named for former President of France, Georges Pompidou, who served as French President from 1969 -1974. The center is a museum/cultural center that houses a tremendous amount of modern and contemporary art. The building itself is an extremely modern facility that was completed and opened in 1977. I spent a few hours here, viewing a lot of modern art, including several works of Picasso, Marc Chagall, Andy Warhol among others. On the top floor of the museum, there was a tremendous view of the entire city of Paris. Once I left here, I took a slow walk back to the hotel absorbing as much of Paris as I could. Once back at the hotel I had to pack all my belongings to be sure they were distributed evenly by weight and for security, so I could meet all the requirements of the airline. Once this tedious job was complete, I relaxed a bit before I was off to meet one of my son's college buddies and wife for cocktails and dinner. My son's friends have lived in Paris for about a year and I was looking forward to seeing them. We had a lovely dinner in a small, very fine French restaurant, called Comptoir de la Gastronomie. The food and wine were excellent, and we all enjoyed our dinner as we chatted for a few hours. By 11:30 PM, I was back at the hotel to get a good nights sleep before heading to the airport tomorrow morning.
Today, my last day in Paris and actually the last day of my five week journey, I was off to the Pompidou Center. The Pompidou Center is named for former President of France, Georges Pompidou, who served as French President from 1969 -1974. The center is a museum/cultural center that houses a tremendous amount of modern and contemporary art. The building itself is an extremely modern facility that was completed and opened in 1977. I spent a few hours here, viewing a lot of modern art, including several works of Picasso, Marc Chagall, Andy Warhol among others. On the top floor of the museum, there was a tremendous view of the entire city of Paris. Once I left here, I took a slow walk back to the hotel absorbing as much of Paris as I could. Once back at the hotel I had to pack all my belongings to be sure they were distributed evenly by weight and for security, so I could meet all the requirements of the airline. Once this tedious job was complete, I relaxed a bit before I was off to meet one of my son's college buddies and wife for cocktails and dinner. My son's friends have lived in Paris for about a year and I was looking forward to seeing them. We had a lovely dinner in a small, very fine French restaurant, called Comptoir de la Gastronomie. The food and wine were excellent, and we all enjoyed our dinner as we chatted for a few hours. By 11:30 PM, I was back at the hotel to get a good nights sleep before heading to the airport tomorrow morning.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Paris..........Day Three
Tuesday October 18, 2011
This might be my last post for two days, as I will be leaving Paris tomorrow AM and will not have time to write and summarize my Wednesday wanderings before I leave........ I will give a wrap up once I am home.
I began my day by taking a slow walk toward the Orsay Museum. I have been looking
forward to visiting this museum, since we unfortunately missed it when Gail and
I were in Paris in the summer of 2010. The Orsay Museum is best known for its huge
collection of impressionist art, primarily dating to the period from 1848 to
1915. On my way to the museum I
stopped off for some coffee and picked up a chocolate éclair as well. As my
journey to the Orsay continued, I happened to pass by Angelina’s, famous for
its hot chocolate, and I could not resist. I took the extremely thick, rich hot chocolate to go, strolled slowly through the Tuileries on the way, and
arrived at the museum at about noon.
Since the Orsay is closed on Monday, the line was huge. I joined the line that had formed and finally
entered the museum after a one-hour wait.
I paid my admission, which was a few Euros less than I expected, but
shortly found out why………..parts of the museum are under renovation and
therefore closed, thus the reduced entry fee. To my very extreme disappointment,
I found out that the floor that housed the extensive impressionist works of
Renoir, Monet, Manet, Degas, and Cezanne, was the section that was closed! I cannot even describe how disappointed
I was, since this is what I have been looking so forward to seeing. I did thoroughly enjoy my museum visit,
as they did have some of the works of Degas, Cezanne, and Manet on display, as
well as most of the works of Van Gogh and Gauguin. I spent almost 3 hours
absorbing everything, including the post-impressionist art collection. Perhaps,
the fact that the impressionist section of the museum was closed worked to my
advantage………now I have an excuse to shortly return to Paris! By 4 PM I was on
my way back to the hotel for some rest. After resting a bit, it was raining outside, so I just went out to get some dinner and returned to the hotel earlier than normal. Wandering any city in the rain is not enjoyable.Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Paris..............Day two
Monday October 17, 2011
Upon getting up this morning, the first thing I did was take
a five minute walk to Galeries Lafayette.
Galeries Lafayette is one of the largest department stores in Paris and
sells everything you can possibly imagine.
I was here with Gail last year, and absolutely loved the gourmet food
department, so that is where I went first. There was a little kiosk among all the goodies, that had coffee, etc., so I had my morning coffee and a croissant here. Next I just browsed and
browsed. I did not buy anything, because of the dam airline weight limitations and crazy fees, and I think I am pushing that limit right now. There were huge numbers of Asian people spending a lot of money buying very high end products, such as Rolex watches, Cartier jewelry, Louis Vuitton items, etc. It is very interesting how the world economy has changed in the past 35 years, and it is quite evident just by looking at many of the tourists and who is spending a lot of money. After visiting various
departments in their three buildings, I was off for a “Rick Steves'” Historic Paris Walk. Rick Steves' puts out
many travel books, but also has a series of podcasts that include walking tours
in many cities, as well as museum tours. I had the podcast on my iPod Touch, so I was all set. The tour started at the Cathedral of
Notre Dame, so I took the metro to that location. The “tour” took about three hours to complete and explained
many interesting and historical things along the way. It concentrated in the area near the Cathedral Notre Dame and the Left Bank of the Seine River. Once my “tour” was over, I walked to the Marais district of
Paris for a late lunch. I ate a chicken falafel where Gail and I had one last year, and
then began to walk back to the hotel for some rest. When in a city such as Paris, I always prefer to walk rather
than take the metro, because I see so much more while walking. I love looking at all the stores,
cafes, various automobiles, motorcycles, etc., that are not the norm in the
United States. These are the things I always enjoy so much about traveling. I finally reached
my hotel, rested up for a bit and then took the metro to the Montmartre to see
the Basilica Sacre Coeur. This is
the highest point in Paris and you can see the entire city from the
Montmartre. Additionally, seeing the
Basilica Sacre Coeur all lit up at night is a treat.
I walked around the Montmartre a bit and then took the metro back to the
hotel for some well-needed sleep.
Upon getting up this morning, the first thing I did was take
a five minute walk to Galeries Lafayette.
Galeries Lafayette is one of the largest department stores in Paris and
sells everything you can possibly imagine.
I was here with Gail last year, and absolutely loved the gourmet food
department, so that is where I went first. There was a little kiosk among all the goodies, that had coffee, etc., so I had my morning coffee and a croissant here. Next I just browsed and
browsed. I did not buy anything, because of the dam airline weight limitations and crazy fees, and I think I am pushing that limit right now. There were huge numbers of Asian people spending a lot of money buying very high end products, such as Rolex watches, Cartier jewelry, Louis Vuitton items, etc. It is very interesting how the world economy has changed in the past 35 years, and it is quite evident just by looking at many of the tourists and who is spending a lot of money. After visiting various
departments in their three buildings, I was off for a “Rick Steves'” Historic Paris Walk. Rick Steves' puts out
many travel books, but also has a series of podcasts that include walking tours
in many cities, as well as museum tours. I had the podcast on my iPod Touch, so I was all set. The tour started at the Cathedral of
Notre Dame, so I took the metro to that location. The “tour” took about three hours to complete and explained
many interesting and historical things along the way. It concentrated in the area near the Cathedral Notre Dame and the Left Bank of the Seine River. Once my “tour” was over, I walked to the Marais district of
Paris for a late lunch. I ate a chicken falafel where Gail and I had one last year, and
then began to walk back to the hotel for some rest. When in a city such as Paris, I always prefer to walk rather
than take the metro, because I see so much more while walking. I love looking at all the stores,
cafes, various automobiles, motorcycles, etc., that are not the norm in the
United States. These are the things I always enjoy so much about traveling. I finally reached
my hotel, rested up for a bit and then took the metro to the Montmartre to see
the Basilica Sacre Coeur. This is
the highest point in Paris and you can see the entire city from the
Montmartre. Additionally, seeing the
Basilica Sacre Coeur all lit up at night is a treat.
I walked around the Montmartre a bit and then took the metro back to the
hotel for some well-needed sleep.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Brussels to Paris............
Sunday October 16, 2011
Today, I was up early and had to catch the train from
Brussels to Paris. I had my
breakfast at a local coffee shop and was on my way to the train station. I took the high speed Thalys train at
12:15 PM and was in my hotel room in Paris by 2:30 PM. The train ride was scenic, passing many farms and took 1 ½ hours. I took
the metro to the area of my hotel, which is near the Opera, checked in and was on my way. I walked and walked and walked. I must have walked 5 miles today as I
went to the Plaza de Concorde, up the Champs-Elysees, to the Arc de Triomphe,
to the Eiffel Tower and back around and here there and everywhere. Along the way I stopped for dinner in
the Rue Cler area. I was back at
the hotel, with aching feet by about 10:30 PM.
Sunday October 17, 2011
Now that I am in Paris and there is just so much to see and
do, I am “forced” to keep my blog posts rather short………I prefer to explore the
city, both day and night, rather than sitting at the computer typing and
editing photos. Sorry!
Today, I was up early and had to catch the train from
Brussels to Paris. I had my
breakfast at a local coffee shop and was on my way to the train station. I took the high speed Thalys train at
12:15 PM and was in my hotel room in Paris by 2:30 PM. The train ride was scenic, passing many farms and took 1 ½ hours. I took
the metro to the area of my hotel, which is near the Opera, checked in and was on my way. I walked and walked and walked. I must have walked 5 miles today as I
went to the Plaza de Concorde, up the Champs-Elysees, to the Arc de Triomphe,
to the Eiffel Tower and back around and here there and everywhere. Along the way I stopped for dinner in
the Rue Cler area. I was back at
the hotel, with aching feet by about 10:30 PM.
Paris is a great and wonderful walking city. There is so much to see, there are
interesting people everywhere and the city is just buzzing with cafes. I was here last summer with Gail, and
we both thoroughly enjoyed it. I
have only a few days to check out some of the places I missed seeing last year.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Brussels, Belgium...........day two
Saturday October 15, 2011
Since this hotel does not include a breakfast, I walked
about 2 blocks to the train station and had a coffee and muffin at Starbucks. It was good as usual, but cost almost
twice the price it would be in the U.S.
After my breakfast, I walked over to see the “Bourse”, which is the
building that houses the Brussels stock exchange. It is quite an interesting building and was completed in
1873, after five years. I have
always heard about the Bourse, so it was exciting for me to finally see
it. Next my trek in Brussels took
me back to see the Mannekin Pis statue and see if he had a new outfit on
today. Today he was dressed rather
plainly, in a pair of blue jeans and a "golf" shirt. As usual, there were huge crowds gathered round to see and photograph
this little dude taking a leak.
All around this area are chocolate stores and waffle shops and every one
of them was packed. Today, being
Saturday, I am sure was a factor as to why Brussels was so crowded with
tourists. Next, I just walked around
and stumbled into this really long pedestrian shopping street, which was packed
with Saturday shoppers. I just
walked along with all the crowds, doing some window-shopping and see what all
the stores had to offer. I always
find the electronics, mobile phone, and sports equipment shops most
interesting. Overall, things are a
lot more expensive here, and in Europe in general than they are in the
U.S. This is such a reversal from
25 plus years ago, when Europe was a bargain for the American. I recall coming to Europe several times
in the 1970s and 1980s and finding many items attractive to buy. Now, there is
really nothing to buy in Europe that is not available in the U.S. for less
money. I think a lot of this has to do with the advent of the Euro in 2000 and
the poor exchange rate for the U.S. dollar. After a lot of browsing and walking, I made my way back to
the hotel for a bit of rest. Along
the way I picked up a sandwich and some great French fries. Next, I was out the door again for some
more walking and photo taking. I
had seen many of the “highlights” of the heart of the city, so I found a place
to sit in the “Grand Place” and watched all the people and tour groups go by. There were a lot of
police out among the crowds today, many even in riot gear…………..obviously, this is in response to some of the demonstrations going on in New York and other cities around the world, and especially the violence in Rome (See NY Times article). Upon
completing my thoughts about dinner for tonight, I headed over to Chez Leon for
a Belgian specialty, Moules, mussels as we call them. I had read about Chez Leon in several travel books, so I
thought I would give them a try.
There are so many restaurants in the downtown area to choose from, but
this was an excellent decision. I
ordered a salad and Moules Provencale (mussels with butter, tomatoes, garlic
and covered with melted cheese) and a bier. (Check out Chez Leon’s menu). This was truly an excellent dinner. I sat outside, and chatted a bit with a
few women from England, which made for a pleasant dinner. Once I was done with dinner, I headed
back to the hotel to pack for my final destination, Paris. I have a reservation on a 12:15 PM
train to Paris, which takes about 1-½ hours. It is hard to believe,that I only have one more stop on this
great journey and I return home on Thursday.
Since this hotel does not include a breakfast, I walked
about 2 blocks to the train station and had a coffee and muffin at Starbucks. It was good as usual, but cost almost
twice the price it would be in the U.S.
After my breakfast, I walked over to see the “Bourse”, which is the
building that houses the Brussels stock exchange. It is quite an interesting building and was completed in
1873, after five years. I have
always heard about the Bourse, so it was exciting for me to finally see
it. Next my trek in Brussels took
me back to see the Mannekin Pis statue and see if he had a new outfit on
today. Today he was dressed rather
plainly, in a pair of blue jeans and a "golf" shirt. As usual, there were huge crowds gathered round to see and photograph
this little dude taking a leak.
All around this area are chocolate stores and waffle shops and every one
of them was packed. Today, being
Saturday, I am sure was a factor as to why Brussels was so crowded with
tourists. Next, I just walked around
and stumbled into this really long pedestrian shopping street, which was packed
with Saturday shoppers. I just
walked along with all the crowds, doing some window-shopping and see what all
the stores had to offer. I always
find the electronics, mobile phone, and sports equipment shops most
interesting. Overall, things are a
lot more expensive here, and in Europe in general than they are in the
U.S. This is such a reversal from
25 plus years ago, when Europe was a bargain for the American. I recall coming to Europe several times
in the 1970s and 1980s and finding many items attractive to buy. Now, there is
really nothing to buy in Europe that is not available in the U.S. for less
money. I think a lot of this has to do with the advent of the Euro in 2000 and
the poor exchange rate for the U.S. dollar. After a lot of browsing and walking, I made my way back to
the hotel for a bit of rest. Along
the way I picked up a sandwich and some great French fries. Next, I was out the door again for some
more walking and photo taking. I
had seen many of the “highlights” of the heart of the city, so I found a place
to sit in the “Grand Place” and watched all the people and tour groups go by. There were a lot of
police out among the crowds today, many even in riot gear…………..obviously, this is in response to some of the demonstrations going on in New York and other cities around the world, and especially the violence in Rome (See NY Times article). Upon
completing my thoughts about dinner for tonight, I headed over to Chez Leon for
a Belgian specialty, Moules, mussels as we call them. I had read about Chez Leon in several travel books, so I
thought I would give them a try.
There are so many restaurants in the downtown area to choose from, but
this was an excellent decision. I
ordered a salad and Moules Provencale (mussels with butter, tomatoes, garlic
and covered with melted cheese) and a bier. (Check out Chez Leon’s menu). This was truly an excellent dinner. I sat outside, and chatted a bit with a
few women from England, which made for a pleasant dinner. Once I was done with dinner, I headed
back to the hotel to pack for my final destination, Paris. I have a reservation on a 12:15 PM
train to Paris, which takes about 1-½ hours. It is hard to believe,that I only have one more stop on this
great journey and I return home on Thursday.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Brussels, Belgium........
Friday October 14, 2011
Got up early today, headed for the central train station,
and was on my way from Antwerp to Brussels. The train was to depart at 10:18 AM, and when it did not
depart by 10:25, most people on the train were getting a bit confused…….then
there was an announcement in French, and everyone was getting off the
train. I had no idea what the
announcement said, or what was
going on so I asked someone and was told there was some trouble with the
locomotive and that we had to get another train on a different track. I just followed the crowd and by 10:50
we were on our way to Brussels.
The ride was only about 40 minutes and was rather scenic. I knew that my hotel was close to the
station, so I walked to the hotel, which only took 15 minutes. I checked in and went to my room……..
all I can say is wow. I did not
expect such luxury. This is by far
the most luxurious & elegant hotel I have stayed at yet, Hotel Le Dixseptieme. The room rate was not that high, but
because it is in the city, there is a reduced rate on the weekends. I left the hotel shortly thereafter,
and walked and walked as usual. I
wondered around the heart of the lower town and made my way to the “Grand Place”.
This is the main square in the city and probably Brussels most visited
site. It was packed with tour
groups and everyone else. In the Grand Place there are several famous buildings, museums, and many chocolate shops. From here I made my way over to see the famed Mannekin-Pis
statue that Brussels is famous for.
It is a statue of a little boy urinating. Today he was wearing a costume ……….he supposedly has 800
different costumes, and it is never known which one he will be wearing on a
given day. Much later in the day I
went back to see if he changed his clothes, and now he was totally “nude” as he
was when I first saw him when I was last in Brussels in 1967. This costume “thing” must be a new
innovation for the statue. Again,
there was a crowd around the statue, and everyone was watching him piss……….very
strange. Nearby there were several
waffle shops (they are everywhere in Belgium), and I had a delicious waffle
with strawberries, bananas and whipped cream….. a very nutritious lunch. I now went back to the hotel to get
some rest before heading out for the evening. Again, I just wondered around with my camera, saw masses of
tourists in huge groups, and kept to myself. I stopped into a Lebanese restaurant for a chicken pita and
salad and was off again. As I
continued to explore the downtown area, I went into a bar with a rather young
crowd and sat down for a few Belgian beers. It was quite interesting, sitting among all these people
that were speaking French, and I had no idea what anyone was saying. It was fine with me, as I minded my own
business, took in what was going on around me and enjoyed my beers. Here in Brussels, most people speak
French, but in Bruges and Antwerp, it appeared that most people were speaking
Dutch. About an hour or so later, I was getting tired and went back to the
hotel.
Got up early today, headed for the central train station,
and was on my way from Antwerp to Brussels. The train was to depart at 10:18 AM, and when it did not
depart by 10:25, most people on the train were getting a bit confused…….then
there was an announcement in French, and everyone was getting off the
train. I had no idea what the
announcement said, or what was
going on so I asked someone and was told there was some trouble with the
locomotive and that we had to get another train on a different track. I just followed the crowd and by 10:50
we were on our way to Brussels.
The ride was only about 40 minutes and was rather scenic. I knew that my hotel was close to the
station, so I walked to the hotel, which only took 15 minutes. I checked in and went to my room……..
all I can say is wow. I did not
expect such luxury. This is by far
the most luxurious & elegant hotel I have stayed at yet, Hotel Le Dixseptieme. The room rate was not that high, but
because it is in the city, there is a reduced rate on the weekends. I left the hotel shortly thereafter,
and walked and walked as usual. I
wondered around the heart of the lower town and made my way to the “Grand Place”.
This is the main square in the city and probably Brussels most visited
site. It was packed with tour
groups and everyone else. In the Grand Place there are several famous buildings, museums, and many chocolate shops. From here I made my way over to see the famed Mannekin-Pis
statue that Brussels is famous for.
It is a statue of a little boy urinating. Today he was wearing a costume ……….he supposedly has 800
different costumes, and it is never known which one he will be wearing on a
given day. Much later in the day I
went back to see if he changed his clothes, and now he was totally “nude” as he
was when I first saw him when I was last in Brussels in 1967. This costume “thing” must be a new
innovation for the statue. Again,
there was a crowd around the statue, and everyone was watching him piss……….very
strange. Nearby there were several
waffle shops (they are everywhere in Belgium), and I had a delicious waffle
with strawberries, bananas and whipped cream….. a very nutritious lunch. I now went back to the hotel to get
some rest before heading out for the evening. Again, I just wondered around with my camera, saw masses of
tourists in huge groups, and kept to myself. I stopped into a Lebanese restaurant for a chicken pita and
salad and was off again. As I
continued to explore the downtown area, I went into a bar with a rather young
crowd and sat down for a few Belgian beers. It was quite interesting, sitting among all these people
that were speaking French, and I had no idea what anyone was saying. It was fine with me, as I minded my own
business, took in what was going on around me and enjoyed my beers. Here in Brussels, most people speak
French, but in Bruges and Antwerp, it appeared that most people were speaking
Dutch. About an hour or so later, I was getting tired and went back to the
hotel.
Click on any of the photos to enlarge them....
Friday, October 14, 2011
Bruges to Antwerp..........
Thursday October 13, 2011
After breakfast and leaving the hotel, I caught a 10:18 AM train to Antwerp. The ride was about 1 ½ hours long. Once I arrived in Antwerp, I assessed the situation and the location of my hotel, and I decided to walk to the hotel. It took about 20 minutes and was straight through the main shopping district. There were a lot of young people shopping, as well as many pan handlers along the way. As in Amsterdam, there were bicycles and trolley cars everywhere. It is quite obvious, that the extremely high price of gasoline impacts the population of the European countries to use alternative means of transportation, aside from the automobile. Once I checked in at the hotel I was off to see some of the sights and visit the Rubenshaus, which was the former home of Peter Paul Rubens, the famous Flemish painter, architect and overall Renaissance man. Rubens lived from 1577 to 1640 and was not only a distinguished painter, but a patron of the arts as well. As a result he had a tremendous collection of art, but only a limited amount was on display at his home. The museum/home showed how life was at the time Rubens was alive, and displayed some of his artwork. There was just so much to absorb, especially after visiting two other museums in the previous two days. Once I left the Rubenshaus, as usual, I just walked and walked to explore and see as much of the city as I could in the limited time I have here. I eventually went into the Appelmans’s Brasserie for dinner, which was recommended to me by people at the hotel. It was an excellent dinner accompanied by a few De Koninck, locally brewed beers. Tired from all the walking, I headed back to the hotel for some sleep. Tomorrow I am off to Brussels, which is next to the last stop of this magnificent journey. I guess all great things must, unfortunately, come to an end.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Bruges, Belgium..............in the rain
Wednesday October 12, 2011
Upon waking this morning, I was not too happy to see that it
was raining outside. This would
not stop me from my wonderings, but it definitely puts a damper on things. After breakfast, I headed into the
center of town, to the Markt. On
Wednesday’s, there is a weekly market where merchants arrive with vans and
trucks to sell various items from vegetables, meats, cheeses, plants, cooked
food items and more. This is the
type of thing I really enjoy! Unfortunately the rain made the outdoor market
shopping somewhat difficult, but it was still quite crowded. Many of the local
people, under umbrellas, were buying their foodstuffs and ignoring the
rain. After taking many photos
(with my small camera, under the umbrella), I joined in the shopping and bought
some roasted potatoes and chicken for lunch. This stand was particularly crowded and the smell emanating
from the cooked food was too much for me to ignore. I returned to the hotel to
savor my purchase, and it did not disappoint me. Everything was quite flavorful and tasty. Finally, it stopped raining and I was
immediately out the door. I
wandered the town, browsing mostly in candy and chocolate shops before deciding
to go to the Memling in Sint-Jan Hospitaalmuseum. This museum is
one of the oldest preserved hospital buildings in Europe. Throughout the museum you see what life
was like in a medieval hospital, seeing many paintings, medieval medical
instruments, pieces of furniture, and more. It was quite fascinating to see all of this, and think about
what life and medical facilities were like 500 years ago. After leaving the museum, I stopped in
for some hot chocolate at The Old Chocolate House, which is supposedly the best
hot chocolate in Bruges. It was definitely
excellent, and reminded me of some of the best hot chocolate I had ever
tasted………….Angelina’s, in Paris. By
this time, it was getting late, so I had some light snack and headed back to
the hotel. Tomorrow, I am off by
train, for one night in Antwerp, before heading over to Brussels for the
weekend. It is hard for me to
comprehend that I will be heading home to New York in one more week…….this trip
has been outstanding and the past four weeks has gone by so, so fast. What a great experience!!
Upon waking this morning, I was not too happy to see that it
was raining outside. This would
not stop me from my wonderings, but it definitely puts a damper on things. After breakfast, I headed into the
center of town, to the Markt. On
Wednesday’s, there is a weekly market where merchants arrive with vans and
trucks to sell various items from vegetables, meats, cheeses, plants, cooked
food items and more. This is the
type of thing I really enjoy! Unfortunately the rain made the outdoor market
shopping somewhat difficult, but it was still quite crowded. Many of the local
people, under umbrellas, were buying their foodstuffs and ignoring the
rain. After taking many photos
(with my small camera, under the umbrella), I joined in the shopping and bought
some roasted potatoes and chicken for lunch. This stand was particularly crowded and the smell emanating
from the cooked food was too much for me to ignore. I returned to the hotel to
savor my purchase, and it did not disappoint me. Everything was quite flavorful and tasty. Finally, it stopped raining and I was
immediately out the door. I
wandered the town, browsing mostly in candy and chocolate shops before deciding
to go to the Memling in Sint-Jan Hospitaalmuseum. This museum is
one of the oldest preserved hospital buildings in Europe. Throughout the museum you see what life
was like in a medieval hospital, seeing many paintings, medieval medical
instruments, pieces of furniture, and more. It was quite fascinating to see all of this, and think about
what life and medical facilities were like 500 years ago. After leaving the museum, I stopped in
for some hot chocolate at The Old Chocolate House, which is supposedly the best
hot chocolate in Bruges. It was definitely
excellent, and reminded me of some of the best hot chocolate I had ever
tasted………….Angelina’s, in Paris. By
this time, it was getting late, so I had some light snack and headed back to
the hotel. Tomorrow, I am off by
train, for one night in Antwerp, before heading over to Brussels for the
weekend. It is hard for me to
comprehend that I will be heading home to New York in one more week…….this trip
has been outstanding and the past four weeks has gone by so, so fast. What a great experience!!
Click on any of the photos to see them in a larger size..........
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Bruges, Belgium.........
Tuesday October 11,
2011
Today was a rather busy day in Bruges. I started off with the usual European breakfast and then went out for a walk in the town. After a bit of walking around, I decided to visit the De Halve Mann Brouwerij, which is the only brewery in Bruges. The brewery is family owned and has been active brewing beer since 1856. It was a very informative and well narrated tour in English. Once the 45 minute tour was over we were given one “Brugse Zot” beer, which was quite refreshing. While drinking the beer in the outside tavern, I met and chatted with a very nice couple from Hawaii, who are also traveling around Europe for a lengthy period of time. Once I left the brewery, I was off for a visit to the Groeninge Museum, but stopped for some of the famous Belgian French Fries along the way. This is a rather small museum, but has an extensive collection of early Flemish art from the 15th and 16th centuries. Some of the masterpieces of Jan van Eyck, Gerard David, Roger van der Wyden among others are on display. What fascinated me the most were the meticulous, microscopic details in these paintings. The painters used extremely fine-pointed brushes to capture the incredible details of bearded men, wrinkled foreheads, bloodshot eyes, expressive facial emotions, intricately patterned clothes and much much more. I spent about two hours here before returning to my hotel for a bit of rest. Along the way I stopped at a waffle shop for a waffle with chocolate sauce.......excellent! By about 7:00 PM it was time for dinner and I went to a very nice restaurant that I read about in two travel books and online; Bistro den Amond. I had an excellent dish of shrimp in a mildly spicy tomato sauce with a variety of fresh vegetables over linguine……..a superb dinner! I washed it down with a special 9% alcohol Belgian bier….. Troubadour MAGMA. After this great dinner, I went back to the hotel for some well-needed sleep.
Today was a rather busy day in Bruges. I started off with the usual European breakfast and then went out for a walk in the town. After a bit of walking around, I decided to visit the De Halve Mann Brouwerij, which is the only brewery in Bruges. The brewery is family owned and has been active brewing beer since 1856. It was a very informative and well narrated tour in English. Once the 45 minute tour was over we were given one “Brugse Zot” beer, which was quite refreshing. While drinking the beer in the outside tavern, I met and chatted with a very nice couple from Hawaii, who are also traveling around Europe for a lengthy period of time. Once I left the brewery, I was off for a visit to the Groeninge Museum, but stopped for some of the famous Belgian French Fries along the way. This is a rather small museum, but has an extensive collection of early Flemish art from the 15th and 16th centuries. Some of the masterpieces of Jan van Eyck, Gerard David, Roger van der Wyden among others are on display. What fascinated me the most were the meticulous, microscopic details in these paintings. The painters used extremely fine-pointed brushes to capture the incredible details of bearded men, wrinkled foreheads, bloodshot eyes, expressive facial emotions, intricately patterned clothes and much much more. I spent about two hours here before returning to my hotel for a bit of rest. Along the way I stopped at a waffle shop for a waffle with chocolate sauce.......excellent! By about 7:00 PM it was time for dinner and I went to a very nice restaurant that I read about in two travel books and online; Bistro den Amond. I had an excellent dish of shrimp in a mildly spicy tomato sauce with a variety of fresh vegetables over linguine……..a superb dinner! I washed it down with a special 9% alcohol Belgian bier….. Troubadour MAGMA. After this great dinner, I went back to the hotel for some well-needed sleep.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Amsterdam to Bruges.............
Monday October 10, 2011
Today was a travel day, so I was up early, had breakfast and
was off to the Amsterdam Central Station.
I had purchased my ticket for Bruges, Belgium, a few days ago, so I was in no real rush. I had to change
trains in Antwerp, and there was a train from Amsterdam to Antwerp every
hour. After walking to the train
station, I was able to catch a train to Antwerp at about 11 AM. The train ride took about two hours and
was very uneventful. Once I
arrived in Antwerp I found the platform for the train to Bruges, which left in about 20 minutes
after my arrival. The train to
Bruges was more of a local train and took about 1 ½ hours. Once I arrived in Bruges, I took a
taxi to the hotel, checked in, and was out the door to explore the town. I will be in Bruges for two more days,
so I went out to explore and get a feel for the town. Bruges is a rather medieval/Gothic city, which developed into an
economic powerhouse in the 14th and 15th centuries. This
growth was due to Bruges being the middleman in the sea trade between northern
and southern Europe at that time.
Today, Bruges’ economy is based almost entirely on tourism. After walking a bit I was getting hungry and had dinner
at De Hobbit Café, and after a stop at Charlie Rockets (an American style bar) for another Belgian beer (Brugse Zot) I headed back to the hotel.
Please click on any photo to see a larger size!
Today was a travel day, so I was up early, had breakfast and
was off to the Amsterdam Central Station.
I had purchased my ticket for Bruges, Belgium, a few days ago, so I was in no real rush. I had to change
trains in Antwerp, and there was a train from Amsterdam to Antwerp every
hour. After walking to the train
station, I was able to catch a train to Antwerp at about 11 AM. The train ride took about two hours and
was very uneventful. Once I
arrived in Antwerp I found the platform for the train to Bruges, which left in about 20 minutes
after my arrival. The train to
Bruges was more of a local train and took about 1 ½ hours. Once I arrived in Bruges, I took a
taxi to the hotel, checked in, and was out the door to explore the town. I will be in Bruges for two more days,
so I went out to explore and get a feel for the town. Bruges is a rather medieval/Gothic city, which developed into an
economic powerhouse in the 14th and 15th centuries. This
growth was due to Bruges being the middleman in the sea trade between northern
and southern Europe at that time.
Today, Bruges’ economy is based almost entirely on tourism. After walking a bit I was getting hungry and had dinner
at De Hobbit Café, and after a stop at Charlie Rockets (an American style bar) for another Belgian beer (Brugse Zot) I headed back to the hotel.
Please click on any photo to see a larger size!Monday, October 10, 2011
Amsterdam in the rain..........
Sunday October 9, 2011
After awhile I headed back to the hotel to dry off a bit. I worked on organizing some of my things for the journey
tomorrow, and then was back out the door for some more exploring of
Amsterdam. I grabbed a quick dinner
at a fast food Asian place called “Wok To Walk”. It really was not too bad for fast food. On my final way back to the hotel, I
stopped by a small local bar for a cold Amstel to wash down the dinner. I was back to the hotel by 8:30 PM,
getting ready for tomorrow’s train trip to Brugges, Belgium.Looking at my visit here, I must say that Amsterdam is quite different than any other European city I have visited. The city is made up of such a diverse group of people, which makes it quite cosmopolitan and interesting. In addition to marijuana and prostitution being legal, the city is just a free, open, liberal place where almost anything is tolerated and therefore some people might refer to it as decadent.
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