I've been writing --- so why doesn't internet work like my camera? Anyway - a number of days and different postings -- and then several files of pictures -- it's being fun...
10-11-12 june - antwerp // antwerpen
all the languages are starting to blur - how interesting, how delightful.
yesterday we spent time in a wonderful museum. We see Vermeer and Rembrant and Rubens, and think (or at least I did) that these faces are artistic refinements of the models - air-brushing before the age of air-brushing - beautiful and abstractions -- and now, I look up, and the people looking at the pictures are the same faces as the people in the pictures.
There was a mother/child on the train who could have stepped out of the frame of madonna & child -- and another party in the restaurant tonight 'dutch, dutch, french'.
another 'i know this, but...' - the distances. Brussels to antwerp on the train seemed to take less time than I spend to get to gigs.
Antwerp is on the tour not only because it is a beautiful city, but also because a very special family lives there. More than 60 years ago my mother and Monny started writing to each other. Just after WWII, it was called "hands across the sea" or some such. Monny said that her mother, who did not read English, was suspicious of these letters from America, until reassured by Monny's teacher that all was on the up and up. Anyway, they kept writing, through growing up, marriage, children, now grandchildren, and the deaths of spouses.
My mother and Monny met for the very first time 6 years ago, in Belgium on a wonderful trip. It was a delight to see the family again, and I look for it to happen again in the future. They took us on a walking tour of the city - street corner madonnas (supposed to protect from bombs during the war - didn't, but still treasured and now historically protected), the new MAS museum (open only 3 weeks and a great observation deck), St. Jacobs church (w/ original Reubens on site while the art museum is renovated), through the red light district (at 10.30 some windows already occupied, and not all are tall and skinny!), and down the main shopping street (pedestrian, w/ many multi-national shops - fossil, H&M, claire's - and street musicians, who can be heard !!! because there is NO traffic noise. We talked almost non-stop for two days - comparing ways of living and how things are done. Thankfully, all the conversation was in English - my Flemish is two words - please & thank you - and my french not much more.
Sunday was Pentecost, and so all the stores were closed, and also on Monday, for the holiday. This is a national holiday!! A bonus because of the holiday was a 25 minute bell peal which we heard on Sunday morning - and I got lots of it on the ipod. What fun- you never know what will appear.
?? did I mention that in Antwerp we stayed at a Hilton?? Gotta love those credit card points. An Absolutely lovely room on Groen Platz (green square) - large by american standards, and huge by european. 3 of hotel the moon rooms would have fit in the room itself, and one more in the bathroom, equipped with both shower and bathtub. "green concerns" are in evidence - you are asked to re-use towels.
On the way into Antwerp we stashed our bags at the train station (a sight in its own right), and toured the zoo. On the way out, we stashed our bags at the train station, and went through the diamond museum. Many beautiful things, and while I understand no pictures, unfortunately also, only two postcards of the many incredible pieces of jewelry on display. And I use the word incredible, because even with the bling factor (which is considerable) many of the pieces are wonderful, imaginative creations. I have always thought of jewelry as miniature sculpture, and this proves it.
pick up the bags, and on the train to Bruges !!
13-14-15-16 june // bruges
this city is the mackinac island, the galena, the williamsburg of Belgium. There is a law prohibiting the building or conversion of buildings into more hotel rooms - and even more than in brussels, everywhere are tour groups, and chocolate and lace and restaurants.
Many restaurants close in the afternoon for a couple of hours - and I suspect the natives can easily tell the Americans, because we eat with purpose. Seems that the natives will order a drink or a cup of coffee, and sit nursing it, and sit when it is gone, for a couple of hours, visiting with their friend, or watching the people. There is no rush for ordering the entree, there is no rush to present the bill (and in fact, more than once, Bob has asked for the bill so we could move on with the day..). -- there is also no direct benefit to moving the people through; restaurants were quite empty, and service is included in the bill.
We did the tourist rounds - listened to the carillon concert (played live 5 x a week - otherwise mechanical on the 1/4 hour, oldest working mechanical in Europe), took a canal boat ride, took a brewery tour (with sample at the end-of course), and stayed in the B&B run by Marie-Rose in the house designed by her architect husband Ronny. I know I have seen this house in magazines - maybe you too?
Eating the tourist local -- mussels naturale, rabbit in cherry beer sauce, croque monsieur (toasted ham & cheese), and pastries. Glad that I am walking... and happy to note that even with all the eating, my belt is one hole tighter. New clothes ho....
Again, several of the museums are closed for renovations. Did get to see Flemish primatives - !!! wonderful !!! and visited the Beginnes compound. Didn't quite follow who uses the community of buildings now, but historically, this was a group of women who vowed to live peaceably and frugally in community without taking religious vows -- a way to provide a respectable place in society for the many women widowed by the many wars.
With the exception of a bit of rain in Antwerp, we have been in sunshine and good temperatures throughout. We are told this is unusual; usually much more rain -- and the only place with mosquitoes; both Bob and I ended up a little chewed.
for your trip - the buses work like a charm from the train station into town. Check ricky for numbers - and the transit ticket (cheaper than paying each time on the tram or bus) is good in antwerp, ghent and bruges (not brussels).
we are starting to find a caution necessary with Ricky. Times are wrong, costs are wrong, and in the case of restaurants, the scope of the menu was much changed. We will still use him - the information is very valuable, but I am surprised, especially as regards Bruges, on the number of misses.
off to brussels -- then Bob to Chicago & Susan to Munich
17-18 june - Brussels & airport
back to Brussels on Friday - out easy and got the bus all the way to the train station. Ibis hotel (cookie cutter - expensive except for weekend) with internet, so I could get up the posts from the first week. (sitting in the airport writing all of this, and will post when I get to Munich!)
We were on the same square as Hotel The Moon, and now it looked like old home week. the jazz quintet was back in place at the end of St. Hubert. We had lunch at Exki - a natural food place, excellent mushroom soup - and strolled to Le Gran Plase for one more look at the gold decorated buildings.
My policy on souveniors is "it makes my heart sing" and I had passed on swarowski crystal, and all manner of lace and tapestries - but in the open air market was a table topper that just caught me. It is going home with bob.
Another music group - 2 violin & standup bass doing pizz, and doing all the tunes that I do with trio on cello. Bass looks like 1/2 size, and strings don't look metal. Bass player is wailing on the pizz, and it really carries. Need to/want to figure this out when at home. While there they did the 2nd mvt. Bach 2 fiddle concerto, eine kleine, and taco bell.
Saw bob off on his plane to Chicago (11am), and now cooling my heels in the airport Starbucks till my plane (3 pm). This is really a fairly comfortable airport for crashing. Space in the sit-downs is spaced enough to accomodate luggage, and in addition to the standard rows of chairs, there are "reste" areas that have couches and easy chairs (pix).My stay in Munich is another wonderful "see friends". My mother and Janet's mother were incredibly good friends for many years - more wonderous because both were moving frequently with military husbands. Both familied ended up in Arlington Va, and got to see each other a LOT more. I am very blessed that Janet is hosting me, and I look forward to exploring the city that she has called home for many years.
see you in Munich !!
19-20 june - munich
My munich days are being hosted by a lovely family - friends of our family. She works for an international firm, he is a clockmaker, and they have a 10 year old - so the house reverberates with the ticking of many clocks, chiming on the hour and bouncing with the energy of a 10 year old who plays baseball, soccer, has 2 rats as pets and is learning how to play the harmonica. Did I mention she is a wonderful cook?
I was in munich 5 years ago with my mother and cousin, and saw some of the city. It is a pleasure to see it now more slowly.
yesterday, monday, I just had to do the tourist thing -- start in the town square, and check out the glockenspeil with moving figures. It celebrates the wedding of the Ludwig (king)whose personal festivities turned into Octoberfest - parading people, jousting knights, and dancing coopers - for 20 minutes. Think I got a movie to take home.
took a slow turn up a pedestrian shopping street - it's sale time in Munich - to the Residanz & Treasury. A royal house from 1500's to 1918, each new king built onto the existing, and while they were at it added bling to the rooms and their collections. LOTS of pictures, and up to the eyeballs in gilt and fancy plus. By the end I was humming Rococo Variations - seemed appropriate.
Public transit ho...
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