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.

In disappointing news, I broke my Kindle at the airport, so I won't be able to use it on my trip. This is particularly disappointing because I had all of my travel books loaded on to the Kindle. Fortunately, I was able to load all of the travel books on to my iPhone, which is a halfway-decent alternative.

Here are my travel priorities:

•  Brussels
• Grand Place: The main square in Brussles
• In particular, I will have to partake in the chocolates sold there
• Royal museums: Ancient and modern art
• Magritte Museum
• BEL Vue Museum: Museum dedicated to Belgium's history
• Comic Strip Center
• European Parliament
• Atomium and Mini-Europe
• Possible day trips from Brussels
• Antwerp: Cathedral, Rubens paintings, Rockoxhuis museum
• Ghent: St. Baxo's Cathedral (Adoration of the Mystic Lamb altarpiece), guildhouses
• Bruges
• Bell tower
• Burg Square
• Groeninge Museum
• Memling Museum
• Begijnhof
• De Halve Mann Brewery Tour

[3 hours into the LA-London flight...]

•  Amsterdam
• Rijksmuseum: The principal art museum in the Netherlands
• Van Gogh Museum: I bought my ticket to the museum before leaving
• Anne Frank Museum: I already have my ticket
• Royal Palace
• Canal Tours
• Amsterdam History Museum
• Rembrandt's House
• Hermitage on the Amstel: A satellite of the Russian museum
• Dutch Resistance Museum
• Possible day trips from Amsterdam
• Haarlem: Frans Hals Museum (closed Mondays), Grote Kerk, i.e. Great Church (closed Sunday)
• Delft: Porcelain
• The Hague: Parliament, Royal Picture Gallery (Girl with a Pearl Earring)
• Arnhelm and the Kröller-Müller Museum (probably impractical)
• Copenhagen
• Tivoli Gardens: An old-fashioned amusement park
• National Museum (closed Mondays)
• Christiansborg Palace
• Rosenborg Castle: Home to the Danish Crown Jewels
• Christianshavn: Home to the bohemian commune of Christiania
• Canal Tours
• Kronborg Castle (a 50 minute train ride from Copenhagen)
• Little Mermaid Statue in Kastellet Park

And here are my hotels:

• Brussels: Hotel Opera (Near the Grand Place)
• Bruges: Debruyne (A modern-style B&B run by architects)
• Amsterdam: Blue Sheep Bed and Breakfast (Near the Dam)
• Copenhagen: Delacour Bed and Breakfast (In Nyhavn, near the Amalienborg Palace and cruise ship terminals)

[on the London-Brussels flight, about to land...]

Anyhow, I am excited about this trip. I am trying not to create too many expectations as to what I must see, as that could only  lead to stress and disappointment. Regardless, I know I'll have some great experiences!