Antwerp - Day 9 of trip - 4 nights to go

Friday night, after relaxing in my room and vegging out for a couple of much needed hours of rest; I headed over to Rabbi Shabtai Slavaticki's home for Shabbos dinner. I got there early so that I could light candles. The rabbi and his sons did not get there until almost 9:30. Daylight savings already happened here so Shabbos is quite late. I helped Mrs. Slavaticki make some salads and then it was time for hagofen, chamotzi, and a wonderful meal of homemade gefilte fish, an amazing sized salmon, 4 or 5 different salads, chicken, rice, and of course challah. Dinner was great!

During dinner the rabbi, who speaks Dutch, Yiddish, Hebrew, French (I think), but very little English, asked his son to do the dvar Torah in English for me which was very kind. The dvar Torah was about a person who dies before correcting particular sins they had made. That person then comes back as an animal and goes to market. A person then chooses (the animal does not get to choose who it goes to) which animal it shall use for the sacrifice. In being sacrificed, the neshama or soul of that person has then repented and can now move on since the person's soul is now free of sins. Now, this was told to me in broken English so I can be way off here. The lesson in the story is that a person, even after death, can find forgiveness still.

Another interesting thing about the rabbi is that his son, who is in Yeshiva in New Jersey, was the chazan at my shul last year for the high holidays. It's such a small world that I ended up at his home less than a year later--totally unplanned. As a matter of fact, when I booked my hotel I thought I was in the tourist area and I ended up being far from it but close to the very large (30 shuls in the area) Jewish community.

SATURDAY
After I awoke, I made my way to Grote Market. Today was market day so the square was filled with myriads of vendors and people. Pics as soon as I find a USB connection. I was in need of breakfast, but of course, Europeans don't do breakfast like Americans. And so, I found a broodjes (sandwich/bakery) shop. It was a croissant and coffee for me. I need to go eat again soon.

After eating I walked and walked and walked. I made my way to the oldest building in Antwerp, the Castle Steen. I bought a cool old replica Red Star Line poster. I think I'll have it framed and hang at home. This castle is right at the port where many immigrants left for America. My grandma Hilda left from this very city, Antwerp. This is why I bought the old Antwerp tp America poster. Afterwards I went on a quest to find what is listed on the tourist map as The Grand Synagogue. It was nowhere to be found. And so I started walking towards a fountain since I had no clue where I was at this point.

And this is when I got absolutely soaked in a first rain then hail storm. I'm pretty sure my shoes are screwed up. As I sit here my legs and ankles are cold and wet. This is why I practically did back flips when I found this internet place. It was a gift from G-d!!

Now, I must be on my way in search of food and then my hotel so I can put dry clothes on. Tomorrow morning I will head to Brussels. I opted out of going to the concentration camp which is a 20 minute train ride and then a bus ride from here. With really only one day here, and the desire to have someone whose shoulder I can lean on at a place so sad and horrific, I will have to see one another time. And so, 2 nights in Brussels, then my final night in Amsterdam...and I will surely be ready to go home. I miss my bagels and breakfast places. I especially miss my kitties :(
The trip home will be long, 8hr20min to Newark, a layover, and then 5 hours to LA...and just think, I get home 2 hours later than I left Europe with the time difference :)

Stay tuned...hope my travel reports aren't snoozers.