The Trip - Belgium [2]
Date: Jul 13th, 2004 2:00:28 pm - Subscribe
And the story continues...
Wednesday, 07/07
I had my day planned for today...at least there was something certained...I was planning to meet Cali in front of the Stadhuis around 11am..Before I waited in front of the Stadhuis, Agoes and I went to get a cup of coffee at Mokamore!...cute name huh!
A few minutes after 11am, I was surprised when I saw Cali riding a bycicle around the city, especially when I knew that students don't have to pay anything for public transport [in this case a bus!]..but still Cali and his wife, Astrid, ride their bikes everyday....quite impressive!! I also heard from him that in Leuven you can't give anybody a ride on your bike..if you do, the police will have to arrest you!!!...hmmm..that's strange but yet funny also...
After we said our hellos, we went inside the KUL's library...and it was amazing.!!! I have never seen such great library...it was just like in the movies...!!..Incredible!!!
After that visit, we went on a bus to go to Arenberg Castle, which is the first KUL campus building...it is outside the cityring..for me, who isn't a student, the ride costed me 1euro...
At the Arenberg Castle, we made some picture together which I intent to show it off to Maureza..:p..and they took me for a tour around the campus...there were a lot of gardens inside it..I like gardens...after that we ate lunch at the student cafeteria named ALMA...They said that the food are disgusting..but I was lucky..that day my food was quite nice..at least ateable..hahaha...
After we ate our lunch, we walked to the centrum..which was not that far afterall...unfortunately the weather wasn't too friendly that day, so when we entered the centrum, it began to rain..so we stucked in a bookstore for about an hour...after that we decided to end the day by walking me to the hotel in the rain.....thanks guys!!!
Due to walking in the rain, that night I got another fever...oooo...how painful..
Thursday, 08/07
As I saw the sun shone, I instantly decided to go to Brugge up north of Belgium...so I went to the train station and bought myself another b-dagtrips to Brugge and a ticket to Diamant Museum and Volks Museum plus a voucher to drink at some cafe...
The journey to Brugge takes about 2 hours and I was lucky because the train was like the German's train...it wasn't shabby.....so..I got to have some nap on the train...
When I arrived there, it was already a little bit after noon..so I quickly went to the Diamant Museum..it was quite good...but that's all I could go to.. so I wasted my other ticket to the Volks Museum and the voucher...but it's ok 'coz the city itself was breathtaking!!!!...I loved it there...I took a lot of picture until I got a warning on my digic that the memory card was error...Oh my God!!...But I remembered that Agoes told me that the pics won't get lost but I couldn't take anymore pic with that memory card...Fortunately I packed another memory card...it has saved the day!!!...
After walking around for a few hours in the city, I went back to Leuven in the afternoon 'coz I promised to meet Agoes that we'll have dinner together...
We had dinner at a restaurant called Quasimodo...and the food were delicious!!! I had a big trout fish!!!...I was full on our last day of the trip to Leuven!!!...:p
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The trip - Belgium [1]
Date: Jul 12th, 2004 9:39:28 am - Subscribe
We went to Belgium on Sunday 04/07, we were supposed to take a train taxi, which Agoes has ordered the night before..but we didn't know why, the treintaxi didn't show up!!!! How stupid...!!!!
So we had to make a decision, either we walked to the station or rode our bikes with our bags..[mine was a carry-on..so imagine me riding a bike with that!!!]..
but, we then decided to take our bikes...
So we got onto the train around 9am and arrived in Leuven around 2pm...that's long!!!
Monday, 05/07
The night before, I couldn't sleep 'coz I wasn't feeling very well. When I woke up, it was raining outside...already??? So when we went to have some breakfast, I wasn't up to eat anything, so I just stared at the food, which was typical European [at least Dutch..] breakfast - breads and some dried breads..
Agoes was also stressed that morning [I think...] 'coz that morning he has to give his presentation...he said that he usually has to give his presentation during the 2nd or 3rd day of the conference...so he wasn't up to eating anything too...but you know him...when he said that, he still ate something..
After breakfast, I walked Agoes to the conference, and after that I wondered around the city...there are a lot beautiful buildings...mostly are old building which they preserved...the famous ones are the city hall, KUL's Library which is amazing!!!!, and many others...
After lunch, I wondered a little bit and I found nice shops...hmm...'they have nice places to shop..and the prices are reasonably cheap..!!!' I like it!!!!
So, I had fun during the day..but that night, my legs were in pain and I also experienced a sore throat and fever!!..I guess I was starting to catch a cold!! But it was all compesated by a nice hot bowl of chilli...
Tuesday, 06/07
At first I didn't know what I wanted to do or where I should go...but the weather was fine, so I just went to the station and asked around about the cheapest way to go around Belgium..and they introduced me to a scheme called B-dagtrips...it contains train tickets to go to destination cities and back plus tickets to enter tourist sites in those cities.
For today, I chose to go to Brussel and went to Mini Europe...
The train from Leuven to Brussel takes only 30 mins. As I arrived at Brussel Central, I supposed to take the Metro to Mini Europe...but I didn't know how...so I asked the person at the ticket booth...
But, the damnest thing was..he doesn't know how to speak English!!! he only speaks French!! Damn Belgian!!! So I asked him if he can speak Dutch and he turned me over to his friend next door..who was fortunately able to speak Dutch..so he gave me the direction to go to Mini Europe...which is in the middle of Bruparck...
So, when you got out of the Metro station, you can instantly see the famous Atomium...it is soooooo big....
and next to the Atomium is the Bruparck, where the Mini Europe is.
The Mini Europe is almost like Madurodam in Amsterdam...but the difference that the Mini Europe is bigger...I think...
I took a lot of pictures there...and the weather was quite hot!..so I didn't stay very long...
After a while, I decided to go to Brussel and explored the city....and I was quite an adventurous 'coz I explored the city without a map!!! I just relied on my sense of direction...which I am proud of!!!!
So, I found the city's Grote Markt...and also the famous Manekin Pis....after that I wondered more...did some shopping, took more pictures and then I got into the train and went back to Leuven...
It was a great day!!!
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I'm Back
Date: Jul 12th, 2004 9:04:04 am - Subscribe
It's been too long...for the past 2 weeks, I've been busy babysitting 'the big baby', who has taken a week off from work to prepare for his NT2 exam [..it's like TOEFL but it's in Dutch...] and I had to prepare for our trip to Leuven, Belgium.
The first week was tiring...and the other week I was supposed to be relaxing...but in the end, like every other people after taking a vacation...I was exhausted...I even got sick while we were on the trip...
But it wasn't bad...I wasn't 'that sick'..I just suffered from a mild indication of catching a flu...
That's the big picture of the past two weeks...but I'll tell more....
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...hmmm...
Date: Jun 26th, 2004 6:25:45 pm - Subscribe
Whoaaa...almost didn't make it...
Spent to much time being sleepy while there are still a lot of things to be done...
Anywhoo....nothing really special happened today..just a little bit astonished how people can confirm to something that I would probably just pass it by...
For example, today I went to the centrum, and I felt a little bit strange that everyone that I passed by wore pink clothes; pink t-shirt, pink sandals, pink handbags...everything pink...
and every store I went by, they all put up a "sale" sign...
Apparently, the city today has a 'pink' day..[don't ask me, 'coz I don't get it either..]..I saw an advertisement about it on a bilboard on my way to the centrum and inside the centrum...so..I don't know what happened in their mental process, but they confirmly wore anything that is pink!!! Go figure!!!!
But it was nice..at least the stores are giving us a bargain..)
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Another Day..
Date: Jun 25th, 2004 1:40:13 pm - Subscribe
Hmm...I guess I missed another day....
What a drag!!...Yesteday I had to finish reading a book and then...as usual...it is becoming a habit of mind...there's never a day that I wouldn't wonder if I would ever be able to go back to work again...that was a scary feeling..and it always gets me...makes me feel depressed or upset or suddenly stressed out!!!!
But, I eventually passed the day...
Listening to good music...that is one of the things that I do to heal myself...but sometime the songs make me think of other things...such as 'what if's' situations...and that makes me mellow...
But today...something nice happened...I was able to hear my precious nephew's voice on the phone...that made all my sadness absolete....he always cheers my days....
I thank for you...
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