A funny little country sandwiched between France, Germany, and Netherlands, Belgium is freaking awesome. It is very similar to Amsterdam and the Netherlands as everyone speaks english and it's like 100 times better than anywhere in the US. Basically. They have three official languages And antwerp (where the ship is docked) is where 80 percent of the world's diamonds go.
Ypres is where I started my adventure in Belgium and I am here on a field lab which is a required trip for my world literature class. It is worth 20 percent of the final grade. We started at the Flanders field museum. It was really gloomy but very informative. Museums on wars and things generally make me uncomfortable. They kind of just put all of this suffering and death in your face and it is a lot to handle. Ypres is actually a very cute town, I got my first taste of Belgian frites (French fries)! They are divine. We saw the menin gate where they have a ceremony every night at 20:00 to honor the soldiers that died in Flanders field. The whole area was the bloodiest fields of the First World War. We were also able to visit Tyne Cot, the largest cemetery on the continent, as well as the trench of death, a preserved trench from WW1. The whole experience made me disgusted with war.
Menin gate
Ypres
View from the gate
Tyne cot
Tyne cot
Old trenches
Poppies- the symbol of Flanders fields
We got back to the ship rather late, just in time for a quick dinner and then I was getting ready for some tomfoolery in Antwerp. The city is a typical European city, it's fantastic, I love it. 10 points to antwerp for being awesome. We went to a pub and met some British people. They have the crudest sense of humor, I cringed half the time they were talking. Cringing and laughing myself silly. We went to a karaoke bar, my new favorite thing!! Really embarrassing story though, this guy and I tried to sing hey baby by DJ otzi or something (Brynne Jordan Amelia betsy, you know the one) but they on a different hey baby!!! One that I did not know at all! Yikes..
Toward the end of the night we ended up at a really cool bar called the White House. We met a lot of guys who all worked at a nearby cocktail bar, Applemans. Fun fact: if you want a cocktail you have to go to a "cocktail bar" otherwise.. No cocktails. We stayed out much too late, as per usual, but we met a nice guy who offered to show us around the next day.
Bar selfies are the best selfies
We woke up the next day and headed to town, only 5 minutes from the boat which is super nice, and met up with our friend who took us all around antwerp. We went through the main shopping streets and through antwerp central station. I bought my ridiculously expensive ticket to Paris! Good stuff.
Shopping
Inside the station
He also took us to the Antwerp Zoo, one of the oldest in Europe. We had a grand time with all the animals, I took too many pictures.
What are you looking at?
Elephant for momma
Penguins
The zoo was really pretty and a great way to spend a few hours. Afterward we ended the day with Belgian waffles (had to!) and me being too cute.
Zeta crown
Nutella and raspberry jam!
Back on the boat for dinner and a quick workout and then out again. Usually I'd sleep but that's not an option when there is so much to see! We went to Applemans because my roommate amber wanted to see her boy toy with whom she was canoodling all night. We stayed there and had wifis and cocktails. I has a Prosecco for me, and one for my mother. It was the cheapest drink at 6 euro. I am not about these prices.. Beer is best lol
The actual cocktail bar is really fun and has an amazing selection of drinks if you ever find yourself in Antwerp. It's right next to the cathedral! They also have cute waiters.. ;)
We went back to the White House so that amber and her boy toy could canoodle some more. I am forever destined to be a third wheel.
This brings me to my next point.. I am opening up a school. It shall be called the University of Third Wheelers. I have such extensive knowledge of the subject I feel compelled to share it!! We will have many classes on the topic of you and the couple you are third wheeling ranging from "third wheeling 101" to "how to strike up conversation with strangers because your couple is making out.. Again". Some other favorites include "how many trips to the bathroom is too many trips to the bathroom" and " candy crush saga: a third wheelers best friend"! I hope to open up this schooling within the next year.
Honestly I had a great time making friends and talking to locals. Not because I had to.. Because I wanted to. The buddy system is tricky.. I am a nice buddy and stayed for many hours at the bar so that they could canoodle. Got back to the ship at 5 and got a restful 1 and a half hours of sleep before I got up for my train to Paris!
Antwerp is beautiful even at seven in the morning, freezing cold, pouring rain on me and my bag, for 30 minutes on the way to the station. Just kidding.. That part sucked. A lot. But I am in Paris !! Finally! I booked two nights at a hostel, it's very rainy here but I think and hope it will clear up a bit so I can rent a bike and go all over the city today. This is where my hostel is
Literally the perfect location!!
I'm going to leave the cafe I have been holed up in for the past 2 hours now and walk of the croissant :) hehe
Ta ta for now!
haahahahaha the karaoke story
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