Train from Antwerp to Amsterdam

I am on the 9:00 train to Amsterdam (I took the 7:18 train from Bruges to Antwerp).

My final day in Bruges was enjoyable. After finishing the brewery tour and grabbing a quick bite, I went through the small Begijnhoff museum (note: while the courtyard and premises were, in medieval times, inhabited by beguines, or lay "nuns," the need for such an order eventually dwindled, and it is now inhabited by nuns). I then took a boat tour of the city, which was peaceful (it helped that our boat was not full) and allowed passengers to have striking views of the town's landmarks.

De Halve Maan Brewery

Yesterday was quite busy. After checking in at my (adorable) bed and breakfast, I went to the Groeninge Museum. The museum houses several works by Flemish "primitives," who worked during the period in which Bruges was an economic powerhouse. It was interesting to see a Van Eyck up close: the characteristic strengths of his works are the degree of detail and crispness of the paintings, and it was interesting to see how the skillfully-deployed, tiny strokes of paint helped to create the illusion of shimmering cloth, jewels, fur, and glass.

Next, I went to the Memling museum, which is located at St. John's house, a former hospice where nuns would care for the sick. The building doubled as a museum for the hospice and an art museum. In the corner of the building, there were several works by Flemish artist Hans Memling, including a large altarpiece and a shrine dedicated to St. Ursula (who allegedly made a pilgrimage to Rome in the company of 11,000 virgins).

Afterwards, I went across the street to the Church of Our Lady, where I saw a small Madonna and Child sculpted by Michelangelo, along with some 10th-14th century crypts which had recently been uncovered.

Train to Bruges

Despite waking up slightly later than I had hoped (I blame the noise outside), I was able to check out of my hotel in a timely fashion.

The plan was to take the Metro to Zuid/Midi (South) station, then take the 8:02 train to Bruges. But, when I got to my local station at around 7:30, I discovered that the Metro was closed. So, I went straight to Central Station. Fortunately, I realized that my train would be stopping at Central Station at 7:59 anyhow. The train arrived (albeit a few minutes late), I got on, and here I am.

Hotel Opera

Today was my last day in Brussels, and it was low-key and fun. I started by taking the Metro to the outskirts of town, where the Atomium is located. The Atomium was created for the 1958 World's Fair, and naturally has quite a bit of tacky retro-futuristic charm. Its scale is also pretty overpowering when one gets up close

I went inside and viewed the city and its surroundings from the top "ball" (the building is meant to look like an atom, naturally, and consists of several metallic balls connected by tubes). Afterwards, I went through the exhibitions in the other "balls" (they involved the 1958 Fair and the issue of immigration in Belgium).

Next, I went to the nearby Mini-Europe, which contained miniature versions of various cities, towns, and monuments around the continent. It was like a low-rent Epcot Center. Although, it must be said, Mini-Europe was a bit more ambitious in its choice of locations; there were obvious sites like the Eiffel Tower, but the park also made space for places like Notre Dame du Haut (the church built by modernist architect Le Corbusier).

Hotel Opera

Antwerp was fun, although the weather was not ideal. I was able to buy an umbrella in town, which was necessary, as the off-and-on rain got pretty bad at times. I had planned on starting my day at the Rubens house, but, due to the swarm of schoolchildren ahead of me (I spent a good part of the day avoiding groups of schoolchildren), I saved it for later.

So, I started out at the Rockox House, which was owned by the local luminary (and Rubens' friend and patron) Nicolaas Rockox. The house contained several paintings and curios from Rockox's time. Afterwards, I headed towards Rubens' grand house, which contained several works by Rubens, his followers, and other artists, including an Annunciation and a work in progress depicting a scene from the life of Henry IV.

After grabbing a bite to eat, I went towards the cathedral. Like many Gothic cathedrals, it had a wealth of detail, including a pair of large altarpieces by Rubens, a golden ark, a wooden pulpit with a variety of birds in the design, and a variety of wooden confessional sculptures.

Train to Antwerp

I have decided to take a day trip to Antwerp, and am looking forward to seeing the sights there. Including:

• Rubenshuis*: Rubens' house/mansion
• Rockoxhuis Museum*: A restored 17th century townhouse which is home to a small museum
• Onze Lieve Brouwekathedral*: Gothic cathedral
• St. Pauluskerk*: Baroque cathedral
• Vleeshuis: Headquarters of the medieval butchers' guild
• Groenplaats: Open square
• Museum Plantin-Moretus
• Museum voor Schone Kunsten*

So, we'll see how it goes!

On an unfortunate note, it looks like it is drizzling a little. Hopefully this will not be much of a problem.

La Moule Provencale

I was able to visit the BELvue museum, which provided an interesting timeline of the country's (relatively brief) history as an autonomous power, along with biographies of the Belgian kings. Next, I went to the Royal Museums, which had a decent selection of works, including David's Death of Marat.

After the museums, I mustered enough energy to visit Brussels' curous icon, the Mannekin Pis (which is basically what it sounds like). I walked through the Grand Place, and over to Rue des Bouchers, or "restaurant row." The row is pretty vibrant, with lots of people dining and enjoying the area, strolling accordionists, and waiters accosting passersby for their business.

I have just about finished a filling, if somewhat pricey, meal, and am ready to head back and plan for tomorrow.

Mokafe

I was able to find an adapter without too much trouble. Fortunately, my hotel is pretty close to a shopping complex.

I spent the morning wandering around and waiting for places to open. Later, I went to the comic strip museum, which is housed in a grand Art Nouveau  building and focuses on Belgian comic art.

I am still getting a sense of my surroundings, although I do feel like I have a clearer idea of where everything is. Anyhow, I still have much more museum-ing to do today, so I'd better finish my lunch and head off.

Hotel Opera

I have arrived safely in Belgium. I got into town late in the afternoon on Wednesday. Because I was not up for any serious sightseeing, I spent the rest of the day getting acclimated, looking through some chocolate shops, and getting over jet lag. I was able to walk around the Grand Place and visit some of the surrounding stores.

My hotel is in the thick of things. Unfortunately, because I have a first floor unit which faces the street, I do get a fair amount of noise. Hopefully, this won't interfere with my sleep too much.

This morning, my power converter (which I bought before my Spain trip) died. I will need to get a new one, as I am dependent on my iPhone for my trip (it has my postcard checklist, addresses, travel guides, and other important information). Hopefully, I won't have too much trouble finding a replacement.

LAX - Gate 2, Samsung Charging Station

Well, I am here and getting ready to fly to Brussels (by way of London) and am looking forward to the trip. This is my itinerary:

• May 24 at 4:30 p.m.: Fly from Los Angeles to London
• At 12:40 p.m. London time on May 25: Fly to Brussels
• May 25 at 2:45 p.m.: Arrive in Brussels
• May 25-28 (4 days) in Brussels
• May 29 at 8:05 a.m.: Train to Bruges
• May 29-30 (2 days) in Bruges
• May 31 at 7:35 a.m.: Train to Amsterdam (transfer in Brussels)
• May 31-June 3 (4 days) in Amsterdam
• June 1 at 9:45: Anne Frank House
• June 4 at 10:20 a.m.: Flight to Copenhagen
• June 4-6 (3 days) in Copenhagen
• June 7 at 12:00: Fly from Copenhagen to London
• At 4:15: Fly from London to LAX

There was a bit of a scare over an Icelandic volcano, and the potential for airborne ash to disrupt flights, but it does not look like it will affect me. Which is fortunate; it would be such a huge disappointment if such a long-awaited trip fell through.

Dinner Party III: Greek Night

These recipes hail from the Epicurious website (or, more precisely, from their iPhone app).
Saturday, May 14
Guests of Honor: Alejandra, Natasha, and Samantha
The food from this dinner was all of Greek origin, and the main dish was Spanakopita. Needless to say, lots of feta and dill were involved.

Dinner Party II: Eggplant Parmesan

The Eggplant Parmesan is from the Food Network's How to Boil Water cookbook. The other recipes are from Martha Stewart's webpage.
Sunday, May 1
Guests of Honor: Chrissie and the Matts (Enlow and Hannon)
The main dish was a perennial favorite: Eggplant Parmesan. In addition, we had green beans with tapenade dressing, garlic rolls, and, by special request, the return of Berries with Sherry Sabayon.

Improving My Mornings

I sometimes have trouble motivating myself in the mornings. I'm not fully awake, I feel overwhelmed, and I have a tendency to daydream or otherwise lose track of the time.

So, I've been experimenting with this Performance Timer app. It is designed to time speeches and presentations, but I have adapted it so I can use it for my morning routine. I basically program a routine into the app, setting aside a specific amount of time for each task.

While the program is running, I have a time limit to do each of the tasks on my list; the time for each portion is up when the red timer in the center makes a full circle. If I finish a task early, I can use the additional time to complete a different task.

The timer is helpful because it breaks up the morning tasks, and also keeps me from getting in a rut or feeling paralyzed; I know exactly how much time I need to complete a task, and I am acutely aware when time is running out.

The program also allows you to log past 'performances,' although I haven't found that feature to be very useful yet.

I currently have two different schedules; one for weekdays, and another for weekends. It has been fairly helpful so far, so I hope to keep it up!