June 3, Brugge/Bruges, Belgium

We disembarked at Zeebrugge.

           We got on a bus that drove us to a station—most likely Blankenberge—and we went to Bruggezone; we were now in Bruges, at their largest train station. Unfortunately, as we got off the train, I realized I had lost my card! (The cruise card was a small credit card-like thing that you needed to get on or off the boat. They would scan it to make sure you were a passenger, and use it for the drink sticker, attached to the card.) Rather frantically, I ran up the escalators to our train, but could not find it. I was really distraught, and mad at myself. After we were sure it was gone, we decided we should go to church. Kirk had found out where it was, and we started off, with Kirk in the lead. After a while, we became lost; and were coming up to another train or bus station. We decided to go in and see if we could get directions or find a map. After we were in one part, Mom and I went down one of the halls. Oddly, the vending machines looked a little familiar. In fact, so did the ads and restaurants. Suddenly we realized that we had gone in a giant circle and had come back to the same station!

           This time around, we actually got directions, and got to the apartment were church was faster, even though we did get a little lost this time too. At the apartment, we met two other people from Utah; one was the wife of a Church painter, and the other a student. We talked and after a few minutes, left as the apartment where church should be was empty.

           We went to a delicious waffle place, and I got ice cream and whipped cream, as did Kirk, while Mom got strawberries and cream. Dad didn’t get any for some reason.

           Next, we went to the old city square. We saw lots of cool stuff, including a choir, and some performers. There were also many horses with carriages, and one almost ran over Kirk and me! While we were in the square, we had some frites or French fries. I just had ketchup on mine, while Dad got curry flavor. I thought his was nasty. After that, we went to a museum about the Euro. It was somewhat interesting. We also saw the Basilica of the Holy Blood, the belfry of Bruges (Belfort), the City Hall (where the Euro exhibit was), and the Church of Our Lady. The Historic Centre (what I called the city square) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

           We strolled to a walking street, and began shopping. We went to a lace shop where Mom got some lace for Grandma and the girls, while I bought a lace rendering of the Belfort. We went to two chocolate shops, a Christmas-y shop, some of the touristy stores, and then went back through the city. We met the cruise people at Zeebrugge and then they drove us back to the ship. When we came back, thankfully, I was able to get my card back easily.

           Brugge is the Flemish spelling of Bruges, and the city was very beautiful. There were many canals, and most of the streets were cobbled. Horses pulled carriages through the roads, and much of the architecture is medieval.

 Waiting at the train station.

 We love taking pictures of each other.

 Kirk leads the way!

 One of the many canals.

 The station we found after getting lost.

 The weird store that Mom and I recognized.

 The tree-lined canals.

 Yeah, verbraeken!

 The cobbled streets.

A heron in the water. 

The scary statue. 

It was so green. 

We all liked the little alleys and confusing roads. 

Mom's Belgian waffle. 

My Belgian waffle! It was so delicious. 

The Belfry of Bruges. 

The Frites shop, it was a little wagon at the Historic City Centre. 

The horse-drawn carriages that kept trying to run over Kirk. This was in the Markt, close to the Belfry and Provincial Court. 

Kirk and his frites and lemon Fanta. 

The carved wood shop. It had tons of little painted figures.

 And some ridiculously expensive cuckoo clocks. 

 Belgian chocolate.

 The Provincial Court.

 Taking pictures by a picturesque canal.

 Kirk was done smiling by now.

Mom liked Brugge too.  

The fog covered lake. 

The Basilica of the Holy Blood. It looked pretty scary.

The canals have made Bruges one of the "Venices of the North." 

Coming back to the train station, on purpose this time.

THE END

Snow!

Today was the first day that it really snowed here. This morning, it was surprisingly, and pleasantly warm. By noon, the snow was almost sticking. By the time the kids came home from school, there was easily three inches, and it's still coming down.

 We have a tricolor beech, and as I passed it, I heard little chirping; there were three chickadees playing in it!

 Eliza had her castle/doll house moved into a toy closet. She loves it!

After going outside at all, everyone was cold. Especially Phantom: she had to get under the covers to warm up.
 (By the way, this is the 300th post on this blog!)

May 31-June 1, London, England

I just copied this out of the journal I kept while we went to Europe.

(May 31^st) 

I watched Inception, Kirk watched The Muppets. I did not sleep very much.

           I got nasty spinach pasta with nasty green bread. It looked like something out of the hunger games, and not in a good way.

           At 5:00 (AM) I woke up and turned on the Flight Tracker, and watched as we went over Ireland. Unfortunately, it was too cloudy to see anything.  I had a yummy muffin, sour orange juice, and a banana for breakfast.

London

           

We landed at Heathrow, and got on the tube and went to Swiss Cottage.

           We dumped our baggage at the hotel and then ate at a nearby food place suggested to us by one of the hotel staff. I had French toast, Kirk had the “American” Pancakes and Mom and Dad shared the Big Original English Breakfast. It was okay.

           We went to King’s Cross Station, posed with the 9 ¾ sign and cart, and saw the British version of the Harry Potter.

           We then went on the Tube and went to the Tower of London. We got in and skipped the Beefeater, because we didn't think we had time. Then we came back, and went to the Beefeater tour. (Mom said, “We liked it, it was pretty fun.”) We went to all the places and the little exhibits. Finally, because we were all starving, we got directions from a Beefeater to his favorite Indian food.

           It looked a little odd, so we went to a pub and got some curry; it was their curry day. Mom described it as “Half Costa Vida and half… something else.” I was not too impressed with the food, but the hot chocolate was delicious.

           We went on a River Cruise through the Thames, and I got many pictures of the skyline and city.

After a brief detour through souvenirs, and the London Wall, (but mostly just got lost) we went to the London Bridge Experience.  The “scariest attraction in London” was fun, but not that scary, except for Mom. The best part was that it really woke us up.

           We saw another church, then got a little lost, and went to King’s Cross and had pasties. I had to go to the “loo” and paid 30p for it.

           We came back to the hotel and went to sleep.

 (June 1^st)

           We got on the tube and went to King’s Cross St Pancras, went to S&D and the Olympic Store. Kirk got a shirt there that said Team GB. Mom talked to a bobby, about the differences between American and English school, and the possibilities of flying to Paris. We got a picture with him.

           Next, we went to Westminster Abbey and saw many tombs, the amazing ceilings, but pictures were not allowed.

We then went to Chinatown, via Piccadilly, and the food we got there was not that good. We spent a while looking around for a nice restaurant, but unfortunately, the buffet we chose somewhat sucked.

We went to St Paul’s Cathedral next. There were many steps; we went up to the whispering gallery. Dad decided to go higher, and after waiting for him for quite a while, Kirk and I went to the crypt. We also explored the gift shop, and then left. We waited outside, and after a lot longer, Mom and Dad finally came.

We saw The Monument, and then went to Hampton Court Palace. We started on a train, or the Tube, I cannot recall, then switched to a bus that took forever. When we got there, there were a few minutes left, so they let us in free, but told us to run to get to everything. Hampton Court Palace was the home of Henry VII, and it was interesting. Later we decided to go to a fish and chips place, but it was extremely difficult to find, and we had to go through one of the racier parts of London. It was not as bad as I thought it would be, and the chips were good, even though their ketchup was weird. We went on a double-decker bus for the first time and it was fun.

We decided to split up, and Kirk and I went to St. Pancras, but because it closed at 9:30, just a few minutes ago, we went back down to the tube station. Surprisingly, when we got down there, Mom and Dad were still waiting, so we were able to get on the same train home.

Pictures: (I took all of the pictures, unless I'm actually in them.)

Breakfast at the Primrose Eatery.

This is just one of the stops on the Tube. 

Right out of Harry Potter! If you're wondering why it doesn't look like the movie, platforms 9 and 10 are in a separate building from the main station, and they are separated by two intervening tracks. J. K. Rowling misremembered the train station. The area used in the movie is in-between 4 and 5.

The famous Tower Bridge, confusingly named for the Tower of London, rather than the bridge's distinctive towers.

The Underground sign closest to the Tower of London.

 Beefeaters, or more precisely, the Yeoman Warders of Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London, and Members of the Sovereign's Body Guard of the Yeoman Guard Extraordinary, gave tours at the Tower of London.

 One of the famous fuzzy-hatted soldiers. What I didn't realize at the time was the machine gun. He was guarding the Crown Jewels in the Tower.

The White Tower dates to the eleventh century. 

Interestingly, when we arrived in England, we saw the Clock Tower that houses Big Ben, which is a bell. When we returned after our cruise, the tower had been named the Elizabeth Tower in tribute to Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee.

 A View of the Eye and County Hall from Westminster Bridge right before we boarded a boat tour through London.

This is London Bridge.

At Pancras Station with the Olympic rings in anticipation of the London 2012 games. 

Me at Westminster Abbey. 

Trying to find out where to go next. 

The famous telephone boxes, unfortunately this one didn't have any Time-Lords inside.

 Kirk and Dad trying to get to Chinatown.

 Chinatown gate, with Chinese and UK flags.

The steps of Saint Paul's. All around the cathedral the saints and apostles looked down at us. The original dedication to St. Paul was in 604 AD. The current building was from the seventeenth century.

 This was the incredible view from the Stone Gallery, looking at the south west clock tower. 

 The entrance to Hampton Court Palace.

 The Fountain Court of the Palace, designed to be startling, and full of contrast.

The fish, chips, and mushy peas at the Golden Hind. The fish and chips were good, but the mushy peas were really... mushy.