Antwerp

This morning I woke up later than usual. Even though I'm on vacation (or holiday as Europeans call it), I still go to bed around 11 and wake by 8am. Today I woke up at about 9. My bed in Bruges was comfy but the pillow killed me! Grrrrr! I think that's why I didn't sleep well and slept late. The checkout time at the B&B was 10 so I rushed. I thought I was going to miss breakfast, gladly my food awaited me. The owner is so kind. Each morning I came downstairs to eat and she brought me a small kettle of coffee, and made me eggs however I requested. I taught two different people about the wonders of egg-whites only for breakfast. Both times I requested it the people sort of chuckled and took it as a challenge with the response, "I'll try". And so, after breakfast I was off to the bus stop to take me to the train station. I had purchased my ticket already so I was set to go.

The train ride was about an hour or a tad more. Very easy trip; even though I almost missed my stop because this crotchety man was bitching about Belgium and the government and pollution and gangs and, well, you get the picture. All I could do was smile and say, "I live in Hollywood". But, he kept on.

The Antwerp train station is the most attractive of the few I've so far stopped through. Antwerp itself is just a very big, modern, high style city--at least from what I can tell so far. I took my first cab to my hotel, which to my suprise is a real hotel. Real as in, there is a reception desk, elevators, maid service, etc. There is even kosher breakfast buffet with all food being with a heksher! I don't know how, but I ended up booking a hotel right in the middle of the main diamond district. The street I'm on has no through traffic and is ALL diamond shops. I saw a tiny synagogue on that street and meandering about are orthodox Jews from all spectrums of Jewish life.

I dropped my luggage off and headed to find a phone card and phone. Finally I got in touch with the rabbi's wife where I'll be having Shabbos dinner. She was very kind and luckily they live very close to my hotel. I hope they don't mind wrinkled clothes. No free iron at the hotel and there is no way I am paying over 10US to have ironing done.

One of the most frustrating thing during my travels has been figuring out phone cards, phone numbers, ring tones and busy signals; it is all different here.

As for my plans in Antwerp; so far there is nothing really planned. I went to Ruben's House today. Although I appreciate the fine arts, I wasn't wowed by seeing how this very famous painter lived his life. Nevertheless, it was a lovely home. My only real plan is to make it to the Breendonk concentration camp. The woman at the tourist booth is trying to find out how I can get there. I'll go on Saturday if the bus can get me there. Other than that, another Chabad rabbi here invited me to shul and lunch on Saturday. I'll look through the book I got for 1€ at the info center; if there is nothing I'm dying to do, I'll take him up on the kind offer. I think it's a great experience to spend time with a family in another country.

Sunday I leave for Brussels. I was supposed to meet a fellow blogger while there; however, the person had something come up so I'm on my own there. I am only there for a day and a half really. Then back to Amsterdam for one last night in a super cheap hotel --the kind where the bathroom is shared. I figure I'll get there in the evening, go eat, sleep, then get up and go to the airport--which reminds me, I need to look into having my seat changed so I don't have to sit next to former travel partner. For those of you wondering, no, haven't seen him again.

More photos coming soon.