The End of Amsterdam - Beginning Belgium

May 27: Today the weather changed from mid 60's to the high 50's and a little bit of rain too. Today was our free day to spend anyway we like. So we slept in late and went to the Irish Pub down the street from our apartment. Eric wanted to watch the Formula 1 race held in Monaco. It was fun chilling at the pub with the locals. Then we went out walking through the Jordan area of Amsterdam. Eric had a guide book that mapped out a nice walk and interesting little facts about the area along the way. We ate some dinner, packed up our stuff in the evening and went to bed.

May 28: Today was walked to Eric Hespenheide's office building to drop off the keys. Then we hiked it back to the train station to catch a train to Brugge. We had a transfer during this trip in which we missed one of our trains. No problem, we just caught the next one that came an hour later. Once we got into Brugge we made our way along Market Square to our Bed and Breakfast. The Bed and Breakfast was in a very old mansion about a 5 minute walk from Market Square (the center of the city). Our room was very large with our own bathroom that over looked the garden. It was a bargain because it was only 65 Euro per night and it included a huge European style breakfast!

There was just a little bit of time left for some of the things we wanted to do here, so we went straight to the Bell Tower for a tour. The tour was straight up to the top over 300 very small,and narrow stairs!

We went to dinner at a little Italian joint down the road. The food was so good.... it was prepared by the husband and the wife was serving the whole restaurant! There were only the two of them that ran the whole place! It was a good recommendation that we read from our Rick Steve's book, as was the Bed and Breakfast!

May 29: There was coffee, freshly squeezed orange juice, yogurt, croissants, rolls, bread, homemade jam/jellies, cheese, and meat! I am sure I missed somethings, but wow.... it was very good. We met a couple our first morning there at breakfast who had been traveling on their vacation through France and Belgium. They were very helpful and full of information on Paris and Normandy. They gave us a name of a man who gives great D-Day tours etc. Then we were off for our first and only full day of Brugge. We went first (of course) to the Half Maan (moon) brewery and did the beer tour. This tour included a glass of their blond beer. It was great! The tour guide was very good, humorous and entertaining, but very knowledgeable in the Belgium Beer arena. Eric bought a logo glass from the bar and then it was time for lunch and waffles. The Belgium's eat waffles only in the afternoon, not for breakfast! I think Eric and I might just go back to Belgium for a waffle one day! They were sooooooo good.... I got mine with powdered sugar and Eric's had whipped cream all over it (Audra, you would not like this very much!) with strawberries on top! Once we were done eating our waffles (in like 2 seconds) we went to get a little bit of Belgium Chocolate at a little recommended shop called Dumon! Here a woman, with her two daughters, make all kinds of chocolates in there shop. I have never tasted chocolate like this..... It just might ruin it for me when I am no longer in Belgium. Then we went to the house for a little rest. The little rest lasted for a few hours of sleep!

Pictures at last...