Alright people, enough is enough. It's 39°C with the humidex today. I'm pretty sure the chickens are laying hard boiled eggs. That being said, I will head down to the kitchen where it's much colder. It was a bad thing in the winter when I'd have to wear sweaters and blankets to go for a coffee or a snack, but now it's more than welcome.
Apparently we're supposed to have a thunder storm soon. I sure hope that happens! It might cool down the air a bit.
Bye now!
Tuesday 28 June 2011
Wednesday 22 June 2011
Uhoh.
I just realized I have already used the title "Namur". Perhaps I should have reserved that title for this post, and my last one should have been "going to Namur" or something of that nature. Anyway, I went to Namur.
I started by going to the tourist information booth as usual, to get a map and plan out what I wanted to see. There was a large pedestrian section outlined on the map, and a small one too so I decided to visit those, and also there was a citadel in the city so I climbed up that, from which I had a really great view of the city.
The whole city (I found, and I don't mean to offend anyone) was rather unremarkable in comparison to other cities I've visited in Belgium. I think the Citadel of Namur is a good thing to see, but the city itself is not as visually attractive as others such as Bruges or Antwerp.
Speaking of the Citadel of Namur, it is accessible by foot, or vehicle (I'm not sure if buses go there, but I did see cars). Once you get almost to the top, there is a map that shows you about 6 walking tours you can take. I believe the shortest was 15 minutes, and the longest 2 hours. That includes the time it should take for you to read the signs that they have posted with historical information.
Of course, I took lots of pictures but I will have to wait until after July 6th to post them because of my current internet situation.
That's all for now!
Oh, one more thing! A small bird on the street told me that I have a new reader. For those of you who don't know (and my new reader!) you should check out my youtube channel! I have lots of videos!!
And as always, I encourage people to leave comments!!!
Bye now!
I started by going to the tourist information booth as usual, to get a map and plan out what I wanted to see. There was a large pedestrian section outlined on the map, and a small one too so I decided to visit those, and also there was a citadel in the city so I climbed up that, from which I had a really great view of the city.
The whole city (I found, and I don't mean to offend anyone) was rather unremarkable in comparison to other cities I've visited in Belgium. I think the Citadel of Namur is a good thing to see, but the city itself is not as visually attractive as others such as Bruges or Antwerp.
Speaking of the Citadel of Namur, it is accessible by foot, or vehicle (I'm not sure if buses go there, but I did see cars). Once you get almost to the top, there is a map that shows you about 6 walking tours you can take. I believe the shortest was 15 minutes, and the longest 2 hours. That includes the time it should take for you to read the signs that they have posted with historical information.
Of course, I took lots of pictures but I will have to wait until after July 6th to post them because of my current internet situation.
That's all for now!
Oh, one more thing! A small bird on the street told me that I have a new reader. For those of you who don't know (and my new reader!) you should check out my youtube channel! I have lots of videos!!
And as always, I encourage people to leave comments!!!
Bye now!
Monday 20 June 2011
Namur
Ok, even though my sights are always set on far away places, I haven't forgotten about my immediacy to certain places that I have not yet explored. I'm talking, in this case, about Namur. It is the 'capital of French speaking Belgium', and is home to just over 100,000 people. I'm going there today. I realize it's already noon, but better late than never right? (Blanche Devereaux might say "better late than pregnant").
Alright, It's just about an hour on the train, and as I plan to take the train which leaves at 1:07, that should land me there, out of the station and map-in-hand by 2:15. That leaves me lots of time to explore before the sun goes down (which happens almost an hour later here than it does in Toronto. Brussels, like I have already mentioned, is about 700km north of Toronto and even though you'd expect the weather to reflect that, it doesn't. The reason why the difference is so extreme at this time of year is that we're at the summer solstice and so the sun is as north as it ever gets right now. That being said, our days are exaggerated and nights shortened to their maximum and minimum lenghts. Actually, it will be at its peak tomorrow, but you get the idea. You can take the same example by comparing the poles. At the north pole now, there is constant sunlight. At the south, no sunlight. To a lesser extent, Brussels is getting more sunlight and Toronto less. Even though Toronto will have its longest day tomorrow also, ours will be longer because we're that much closer to the north pole [and the sun]).
Alright, that went on for longer than I thought it would.
Namur here I come!!!
Alright, It's just about an hour on the train, and as I plan to take the train which leaves at 1:07, that should land me there, out of the station and map-in-hand by 2:15. That leaves me lots of time to explore before the sun goes down (which happens almost an hour later here than it does in Toronto. Brussels, like I have already mentioned, is about 700km north of Toronto and even though you'd expect the weather to reflect that, it doesn't. The reason why the difference is so extreme at this time of year is that we're at the summer solstice and so the sun is as north as it ever gets right now. That being said, our days are exaggerated and nights shortened to their maximum and minimum lenghts. Actually, it will be at its peak tomorrow, but you get the idea. You can take the same example by comparing the poles. At the north pole now, there is constant sunlight. At the south, no sunlight. To a lesser extent, Brussels is getting more sunlight and Toronto less. Even though Toronto will have its longest day tomorrow also, ours will be longer because we're that much closer to the north pole [and the sun]).
Alright, that went on for longer than I thought it would.
Namur here I come!!!
Saturday 18 June 2011
Moscow itinerary!
Ok, well I finally figured out how to fix the problem of posting pictures up here but conveniently coinciding with that discovery is the fall of my internet. It works for small things (posting blog entries), but it is broken for big things like uploading pictures and stuff. It will be fixed by July the 6th - the day before I go to Moscow. Needless to say, I will be posting lots of pictures after I get back!
Speaking of Moscow, here's my itinerary! I am very excited for this trip. Last night I dreamt that I was turning the corner into the Red Square for the first time. I can't believe I'll actually be there in only 19 days! So, to pass the time and get even more ridiculously excited, I've planned out my first 3 days of being there and I've left day 4 open just in case I don't get around to doing everything the first 3 days.
MOSCOW. Day 1 - July 8th!
I arrive and check into my hostel.
Kremlin & Red Square -
"Moscow's historic centre is the obvious starting point for tours of this ancient city, which started life as a 12th-century citadel enclosed by wooden walls. Today the Kremlin, with its magnificent ensemble of palaces and cathedrals, is home to the Russian president. Despite limited public access, it leaves a powerful impression of the country's colourful past. Neighbouring Red Square, long used for public ceremonies and parades, continues to be a focal point of city life, adorned with the iconic domes of St. Basil's Cathedral."
St. Basil's Cathderal -
"With red-brick towers and swirling onion domes, this gloriously colourful cathedral is perhaps Russia's most emblematic building. Ivan the terrible ordered its construction to celebrate capturing the Tatar stronghold of Kazan, 800km east of Moscow in 1552. The cathderal was designed with eight chapels, each representing a successful assault made on Kazan. A ninth chapel was added later to cover the grave of Basil the Blessed, the pious ascetic to whom the cathedral owes its popular name."
Arbatskaya -
"Radiating west from the centre, Ulitsas Arbat and Prechistenka are two of Moscow's oldest streets. Both are lind with fine 19th-century mansions, built after the great fire that consumed most of the city's wooden architecture during Napoleon's invasion in 1812. The district became fasionable at this time, and wealthy aristocrats moved in along with a bohemian circle of artists, poets, musicians and writers who frequented Ulitsa Arbat's cafés and bars. After the six-lane Novyy Arbat was created in the 1960s, Ulitsa Arbat lost its importance and was neglected until the 1980s when pedestrianization brought a new lease of life. Today the district boasts major museums, galleries and churches as well as shops, restaurants, clubs and bars."
Boat tour -
There's not much information about this, other than that it's a boat tour. It goes through the historical centre of the city which will make for great pictures!
Day 2 - July 9th
Kitay-Gorod -
"Moscow's earliest residential and trading quarter, Kitay-Gorod continues to be a thriving commercial centre and is home to numerous bars and clubs. Its main shopping streets, Nikolskaya and Ilinka, are packed with malls and restaurants. Despite the demolition of large parts of the area during the Soviet era, it still has some notable historic buildings, many of which can be found along Ulitsa Varvarka. The area now stretches beyond its original boundaries to encompass the pleasant gardens and ponds of Chistye Prudy."
Polytechnical Museum -
"This is one of Moscow's most engaging museums, with a fascinating array of exhibits displayed over four vast floors in an imposing 19th-century building. The fascinating themed exhibits include a wonderful selection of Soviet-era electronic equipment, such as early televisions, sythesizers and gramophones."
Lilienthal Café -
I'm going here for lunch! "A very stylish bar, Lilienthal attracts an equally stylish crowd. The bottled Russian cider is highly recommended."
Museum of Modern History -
"Charting the country's history from the early 19th century to the present, the museum's collection fills the extravagant halls of a mansion once known as the English Club, a high-class meeting place for foreigners in pre-Revolution Moscow. Among the exhibits is military equipment dating back to the disastrous Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05, and weapons used in street fights during the 1905 Russian Revolution. The exhibition culminates with a proud display of the country's recent industrial successes."
GUM -
"One of Moscow's major landmarks, GUM (State Department Store) was built in the late 19th century on a site where market stalls had existed since the 15th century. It consists of three parallel halls faced with polished marble and covered with a glass roof designed by engineering genius Vladimir Shukhov (1853-1939). The mall is now privately owned and has around 200 high-end boutiques, cafés and food stores."... I should point out that I'm going there not to buy stuff, because it will be horribly expensive. I just want to go see the nice architecture!
Day 3 - July 10th
"Zamoskvoreche was settled in the 15th century by merchants and artisans, and many of its streets still bear the names of their trades. Prone to flooding, much of the land was given over to industry and farming. During the 19th century a canal was dug to prevent the floods and several large estates were established. These were built by wealthy merchants, such as the Tretyakov brothers and Aleksey Bakhrushin, who contributed enormously to the flourishing cultural scene for which Zamoskvoreche remains known today."
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour -
"Tsar Alexander I commissioned the construction of Russia's largest Orthodox cathedral to mark the defeat of Napoleon in 1812. It was designed by the Russian architect Konstantin Ton (1794-1881) and completed in 1860, but was demolished in 1931 to make way for the Palace of the Soviets. That plan was later abandoned and in 1960, the spot was filled by the world's largest outdoor swimming pool. A fundraising campaign to rebuild the original cathedral followed the fall of Communism in 1991 and the existing replica was finished by 2000."
Moscow Cats Theatre -
"The stars of this surreal theatre are 120 cats trained by clown Yuri Kuklachev to perform simple tricks alongside actors. The cats also feature in shows such as a rough adaptation of The Nutcracker." - They're playing a show called "Cat's House" when I'll be there. I'm going to try to go because I think it'd be cute!!
Novodevichiy Convent -
"This splendid UNESCO-listed convent was founded in 1525 to celebrate Grand Prince Basil III's recapture of Smolensk in 1514. Many aristocrats took their vows here and it became known as a nunnery of nobility. Tsarevna Sophia Alexeyevna (1657-1704), who served as a transitional ruler of Russia, ordered the reconstruction of many of the buildings in Moscow Baroque style, with fine ornamentation. The convent was occupied in 1812 by Napoleon's troops, and later used as a female prison before becoming a museum during Communism."
Day 4 - July 11th
Alright, well 19 days left people!
That's all for now!
Speaking of Moscow, here's my itinerary! I am very excited for this trip. Last night I dreamt that I was turning the corner into the Red Square for the first time. I can't believe I'll actually be there in only 19 days! So, to pass the time and get even more ridiculously excited, I've planned out my first 3 days of being there and I've left day 4 open just in case I don't get around to doing everything the first 3 days.
MOSCOW. Day 1 - July 8th!
I arrive and check into my hostel.
- Visit the Kremlin, Red Square and St. Basil's Cathedral, Arbatskaya, Boat Tour
Kremlin & Red Square -
"Moscow's historic centre is the obvious starting point for tours of this ancient city, which started life as a 12th-century citadel enclosed by wooden walls. Today the Kremlin, with its magnificent ensemble of palaces and cathedrals, is home to the Russian president. Despite limited public access, it leaves a powerful impression of the country's colourful past. Neighbouring Red Square, long used for public ceremonies and parades, continues to be a focal point of city life, adorned with the iconic domes of St. Basil's Cathedral."
St. Basil's Cathderal -
"With red-brick towers and swirling onion domes, this gloriously colourful cathedral is perhaps Russia's most emblematic building. Ivan the terrible ordered its construction to celebrate capturing the Tatar stronghold of Kazan, 800km east of Moscow in 1552. The cathderal was designed with eight chapels, each representing a successful assault made on Kazan. A ninth chapel was added later to cover the grave of Basil the Blessed, the pious ascetic to whom the cathedral owes its popular name."
Arbatskaya -
"Radiating west from the centre, Ulitsas Arbat and Prechistenka are two of Moscow's oldest streets. Both are lind with fine 19th-century mansions, built after the great fire that consumed most of the city's wooden architecture during Napoleon's invasion in 1812. The district became fasionable at this time, and wealthy aristocrats moved in along with a bohemian circle of artists, poets, musicians and writers who frequented Ulitsa Arbat's cafés and bars. After the six-lane Novyy Arbat was created in the 1960s, Ulitsa Arbat lost its importance and was neglected until the 1980s when pedestrianization brought a new lease of life. Today the district boasts major museums, galleries and churches as well as shops, restaurants, clubs and bars."
Boat tour -
There's not much information about this, other than that it's a boat tour. It goes through the historical centre of the city which will make for great pictures!
Day 2 - July 9th
- Visits to Kitay Gorod neighbourhood, Polytechnical Museum, Lilienthal Café, Museum of Modern History, GUM
Kitay-Gorod -
"Moscow's earliest residential and trading quarter, Kitay-Gorod continues to be a thriving commercial centre and is home to numerous bars and clubs. Its main shopping streets, Nikolskaya and Ilinka, are packed with malls and restaurants. Despite the demolition of large parts of the area during the Soviet era, it still has some notable historic buildings, many of which can be found along Ulitsa Varvarka. The area now stretches beyond its original boundaries to encompass the pleasant gardens and ponds of Chistye Prudy."
Polytechnical Museum -
"This is one of Moscow's most engaging museums, with a fascinating array of exhibits displayed over four vast floors in an imposing 19th-century building. The fascinating themed exhibits include a wonderful selection of Soviet-era electronic equipment, such as early televisions, sythesizers and gramophones."
Lilienthal Café -
I'm going here for lunch! "A very stylish bar, Lilienthal attracts an equally stylish crowd. The bottled Russian cider is highly recommended."
Museum of Modern History -
"Charting the country's history from the early 19th century to the present, the museum's collection fills the extravagant halls of a mansion once known as the English Club, a high-class meeting place for foreigners in pre-Revolution Moscow. Among the exhibits is military equipment dating back to the disastrous Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05, and weapons used in street fights during the 1905 Russian Revolution. The exhibition culminates with a proud display of the country's recent industrial successes."
GUM -
"One of Moscow's major landmarks, GUM (State Department Store) was built in the late 19th century on a site where market stalls had existed since the 15th century. It consists of three parallel halls faced with polished marble and covered with a glass roof designed by engineering genius Vladimir Shukhov (1853-1939). The mall is now privately owned and has around 200 high-end boutiques, cafés and food stores."... I should point out that I'm going there not to buy stuff, because it will be horribly expensive. I just want to go see the nice architecture!
Day 3 - July 10th
- Zamoskvoreche neighbourhood, Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Moscow Cats Theatre, Novodevichiy Convent
"Zamoskvoreche was settled in the 15th century by merchants and artisans, and many of its streets still bear the names of their trades. Prone to flooding, much of the land was given over to industry and farming. During the 19th century a canal was dug to prevent the floods and several large estates were established. These were built by wealthy merchants, such as the Tretyakov brothers and Aleksey Bakhrushin, who contributed enormously to the flourishing cultural scene for which Zamoskvoreche remains known today."
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour -
"Tsar Alexander I commissioned the construction of Russia's largest Orthodox cathedral to mark the defeat of Napoleon in 1812. It was designed by the Russian architect Konstantin Ton (1794-1881) and completed in 1860, but was demolished in 1931 to make way for the Palace of the Soviets. That plan was later abandoned and in 1960, the spot was filled by the world's largest outdoor swimming pool. A fundraising campaign to rebuild the original cathedral followed the fall of Communism in 1991 and the existing replica was finished by 2000."
Moscow Cats Theatre -
"The stars of this surreal theatre are 120 cats trained by clown Yuri Kuklachev to perform simple tricks alongside actors. The cats also feature in shows such as a rough adaptation of The Nutcracker." - They're playing a show called "Cat's House" when I'll be there. I'm going to try to go because I think it'd be cute!!
Novodevichiy Convent -
"This splendid UNESCO-listed convent was founded in 1525 to celebrate Grand Prince Basil III's recapture of Smolensk in 1514. Many aristocrats took their vows here and it became known as a nunnery of nobility. Tsarevna Sophia Alexeyevna (1657-1704), who served as a transitional ruler of Russia, ordered the reconstruction of many of the buildings in Moscow Baroque style, with fine ornamentation. The convent was occupied in 1812 by Napoleon's troops, and later used as a female prison before becoming a museum during Communism."
Day 4 - July 11th
- Catch up on stuff and do whatever I didn't get a chance to the preceding days. Return to Brussels.
Alright, well 19 days left people!
That's all for now!
Wednesday 15 June 2011
RUSSIA.
Well, as most of you know I'm no stranger to trips. Once I get enough money, my mind starts wondering "where could I go next..."
So I looked at a map and noticed Russia is (relatively) close to where I am now. I thought to myself "It would be cheaper and faster to go there from here rather than from Canada." So, I'm going! I didn't want to announce it until my visa got approved because if it didn't go through for whatever reason I'd've given everyone exciting news only to have to take it away. Well that didn't happen and I'm going!!!! I'm very excited and have planned the first 2 days of my itinerary and have 2 more days to plan. Here are some facts about Moscow:
It is the northern-most city in the world which has more than 10,000,000 people. It was under communist rule until about 20 years ago, maybe 25 (I can't seem to find an exact date, but I'm in a hurry and don't have time to look). There are more billionaires living in Moscow than any other place on earth (I'm not sure if that statistic is in dollars or rubles. Rubles would be less impressive considering there are 28 Russian rubles in 1 Canadian dollar)... It is the most populated city in Europe.
That's all. As always, I have a countdown: 22 days!!!!! It's very close and I'm very excited. As always, I will take loads and loads of pictures.
Alright, I have to go lesson plan. But I will leave you with a picture of the thing I'm most excited to see / possibly the most famous building in Moscow: St. Basil's Cathedral.
So I looked at a map and noticed Russia is (relatively) close to where I am now. I thought to myself "It would be cheaper and faster to go there from here rather than from Canada." So, I'm going! I didn't want to announce it until my visa got approved because if it didn't go through for whatever reason I'd've given everyone exciting news only to have to take it away. Well that didn't happen and I'm going!!!! I'm very excited and have planned the first 2 days of my itinerary and have 2 more days to plan. Here are some facts about Moscow:
It is the northern-most city in the world which has more than 10,000,000 people. It was under communist rule until about 20 years ago, maybe 25 (I can't seem to find an exact date, but I'm in a hurry and don't have time to look). There are more billionaires living in Moscow than any other place on earth (I'm not sure if that statistic is in dollars or rubles. Rubles would be less impressive considering there are 28 Russian rubles in 1 Canadian dollar)... It is the most populated city in Europe.
That's all. As always, I have a countdown: 22 days!!!!! It's very close and I'm very excited. As always, I will take loads and loads of pictures.
Alright, I have to go lesson plan. But I will leave you with a picture of the thing I'm most excited to see / possibly the most famous building in Moscow: St. Basil's Cathedral.
Saturday 11 June 2011
International Readers
So, whether they come on purpose or by mistake, I have several international hits daily. I just wanted to quickly say - thanks for checking out my blog everyone! Feel free to comment if you find something interesting or want to express any opinions. It's interesting to hear how other people around the world think! After all, if everyone was the same, the world would be a boring place!
Here is a list of the countries whose citizens I get most of my hits from:
Canada
United States of America
Belgium
Germany
United Kingdom
The Netherlands
France
Australia
Spain
Malaysia
South Korea
Greece
Israel
New Zealand
Hungary
Turkey
Iraq
India
Those are the most common. I should say - don't worry! I can't see who is reading my blog, just the number of hits from each country.
Once again. Thanks for stumbling upon my blog! I hope it captivates you enough to make you a regular reader!
Cheers,
Ian
Friday 10 June 2011
Mel's visit - Bruges
Well here we go with the last installment of my sister's visit. We went to Bruges! Since I had arrived in Belgium, people had been telling me that I had to see Bruges. I understand why now that I've been. It's such a quaint little city with a very nice system of rivers that flow through the old centre.
We went there equipped with the "Let's Go" travel book to Brussels & Amsterdam (which became our best friend throughout her entire visit). The Let's Go travel book is a student's guide but it shouldn't be cast aside by a person who isn't a student. It is a very useful book that gives you very real information and doesn't sugar coat things like other travel books do. I highly recommend it to everyone!
Anyway, that book directed us to 2 bars which were very well hidden. The first was called De Garre and it's hidden in an alleyway between 2 of the busiest squares in town.
De Garre Brasserie
The other hidden place we went to was under a church! The story was that the monks who used to live there would go through the passage way under the church (which is now the bar), change clothes, and go out on the town at night! This one was called "T' Poatersgat". I can't put a picture of the outside because blogger STILL hasn't fixed the problem of only being able to put one vertically-taken picture on my posts, so you will have to settle with this picture of the inside of the bar.
Right, the other exciting thing (actually the first thing) we did when we got there was the Fry Museum! Yes, that's right. Korea had a kimchi museum, and Belgium has a Fry Museum. It was in that Let's Go book, so we went. I have to say, though, that the fries at Place Flagey in Ixelles, Brussels are much better than even the fry museum!
There was more to it that this, but I took lots of my pictures vertically!
Alright, then we went on a very calming boat tour with lots of picture opportunities! Here are some of the best!
This one isn't from the boat tour, but I like the picture.
Now we're on the boat tour!
Well that was Bruges! It is one of the nicest looking cities in Belgium I think. I have been to Ypres, Liège, Leuven, Louvain la Neuve, Knokke, Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and Binche. I think that's it. Monday I plan to go to Tournai which is one of the oldest cities in Belgium.
That's all for now! Bye!
We went there equipped with the "Let's Go" travel book to Brussels & Amsterdam (which became our best friend throughout her entire visit). The Let's Go travel book is a student's guide but it shouldn't be cast aside by a person who isn't a student. It is a very useful book that gives you very real information and doesn't sugar coat things like other travel books do. I highly recommend it to everyone!
Anyway, that book directed us to 2 bars which were very well hidden. The first was called De Garre and it's hidden in an alleyway between 2 of the busiest squares in town.
The other hidden place we went to was under a church! The story was that the monks who used to live there would go through the passage way under the church (which is now the bar), change clothes, and go out on the town at night! This one was called "T' Poatersgat". I can't put a picture of the outside because blogger STILL hasn't fixed the problem of only being able to put one vertically-taken picture on my posts, so you will have to settle with this picture of the inside of the bar.
Right, the other exciting thing (actually the first thing) we did when we got there was the Fry Museum! Yes, that's right. Korea had a kimchi museum, and Belgium has a Fry Museum. It was in that Let's Go book, so we went. I have to say, though, that the fries at Place Flagey in Ixelles, Brussels are much better than even the fry museum!
Alright, then we went on a very calming boat tour with lots of picture opportunities! Here are some of the best!
That's all for now! Bye!
Tuesday 7 June 2011
Mel's visit - Brussels
Alright! Here we are back on track. Here's a quick summary of what I did with my sister whilst she was visiting me here in Brussels.
We visited the Delerium Café (the place with 2004 beers!) Mel had Cookie Beer which was really delicious!
The last 2 pictures are of a bookshop called "Cook & Book". It's a bookshop / restaurant! You can eat at any of the chairs you see there. They bring you a menu and you order and read! It's a great idea! They have good food too, albeit a touch expensive. I had lobster ravioli. Turns out lobster is significantly more expensive in Belguim than it is in Canada. Oh well, it was delicious!!
Then we went to see the Hangover 2, which in French they call "A Very Bad Trip 2" which I find hilarious. This is the movie theatre we were in. Very fancy.
Then of course it was her big birthday! She was in Korea for my 25th, she was in Belgium for her 30th. I wonder where we'll be for MY 30th!
She did a lot of other stuff while I was working and stuff. She went to the Atomium and visited downtown a few times. It was a very nice trip. I just love having visitors!!
Then of course it was her big birthday! She was in Korea for my 25th, she was in Belgium for her 30th. I wonder where we'll be for MY 30th!
She did a lot of other stuff while I was working and stuff. She went to the Atomium and visited downtown a few times. It was a very nice trip. I just love having visitors!!
Monday 6 June 2011
Amsterdam
Ok, well this post is a bit early. My sister was in Brussels first, then we went to Bruges, then we returned to Brussels and THEN we went to Amsterdam. Anyway, I have finished managing my pictures from Amsterdam so I'll do that post first.
Amsterdam:
Well like I mentioned in my last post, Amsterdam is one of my favourite cities in the world so far. I have been to a lot of places so that is saying something. Let's see if I can list the countries I've been to. A little game. Canada, U.S.A., Mexico, Bahamas, Spain, Morocco, Austria, Korea, Japan, China, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, France, England. Ok, so it's 16 countries. That's fun.
Anyway, Amsterdam is my favourite city so far. There are many reasons for it and one important one is the layout of the city. It's SO logical. It started off as a very small port city, but in the 17th century they added 4 canals which are layed out in semi-circular concentric rings around the original city. It's very very easy to find your way around. Here's a map of the city:
There are no streets labeled on this one, so it's easier to see the layout. To walk from one side of the map to the other would take between 20-30 minutes depending on your speed so it's a very easy city to navigate.
Another plus is that most locals speak English. In fact, I didn't meet anyone who couldn't.
Here's a little story about why they're allowed those famous "coffeeshops" and that red light district. It all started back in the 18th century (or something like that) when the city became Protestant. As such, the other religions were banned. This resulted in Catholicism, the main religion before, to become an underground affair. I use the term "underground" loosely, because what happened in the most famous case, the Catholics built a church in the attic of a house. The house is now a museum called Museum Amstelkring (Our Lord in the Attic). Click that link to see cool pictures!
Right, well the thing with Amsterdam is that money has always spoken louder than words or religion. The Catholics paid the police to look the other way on Sundays when they were having their services. The funny thing is that during their services, they'd play their organs loudly and the locals would say "Catholics! Go arrest them!" to the police. The police, in turn, would say "I don't work on Sundays" or "I'll go up in a second" and not really ever get around to doing it.
The same theory is in place today. The Amsterdam state of mind dictates 3 things:
1. If it's discreet, it's ok.
2. If it's not hurting anyone, it's ok.
3. If it's good for business, it's ok.
In those days, those 3 things applied to the churches so the police looked the other way.
Today, those things apply to the prostitution and coffeeshops, so they argue.
For the instance of coffeeshops they'll tell you:
1. It's discreet because they're called coffeeshops, not pot shops or marijuana shops so the people inside must be drinking coffee... nothing else.
2. It's not hurting anyone. Our tour guide thought it was funny that she sees people blowing each others faces off with guns on American T.V., but they have such strict regulations when it comes to showing people smoking up. The Amsterdamer's mindset is "violence = bad, sex & drugs = ok".
3. It's good for business. I don't think I have to explain how much money goes into that city annually because of that kind of tourism.
Alright, enough jibber jabber. Down to the pictures!
Amsterdam is the city of canals. Aside from Venice I suppose. There is an extensive network of said canals that run through the city and they're not just for show either! Lots of people have private boats that they take for a ride on a nice day. Here are some facts! There are 2500 houseboats in Amsterdam. The water in the canals is purified every 3 days and once a year they clean them out with giant scoops.
Here I'm continuing to play with my new colour accent feature! Here are some facts about the bicycles in Amsterdam! There are 750,000 people who live in Amsterdam, but there are 1,000,000 bicycles! Every year, 20,000 bicycles are cleaned up from inside the canals.
The red light district by night. You're not allowed to take pictures of the actual red light district up close because the prostitutes will either break your camera, send their pimp to beat you up, or throw a cup of urine in your face. I didn't want any of those things to happen to me, so I didn't take any pictures.
bikes bikes bikes!
The Anne Frank house
I took a picture of these very nice horses, then realized they were pulling a Heineken beer thing! How fun!
Amsterdam:
Well like I mentioned in my last post, Amsterdam is one of my favourite cities in the world so far. I have been to a lot of places so that is saying something. Let's see if I can list the countries I've been to. A little game. Canada, U.S.A., Mexico, Bahamas, Spain, Morocco, Austria, Korea, Japan, China, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, France, England. Ok, so it's 16 countries. That's fun.
Anyway, Amsterdam is my favourite city so far. There are many reasons for it and one important one is the layout of the city. It's SO logical. It started off as a very small port city, but in the 17th century they added 4 canals which are layed out in semi-circular concentric rings around the original city. It's very very easy to find your way around. Here's a map of the city:
Another plus is that most locals speak English. In fact, I didn't meet anyone who couldn't.
Here's a little story about why they're allowed those famous "coffeeshops" and that red light district. It all started back in the 18th century (or something like that) when the city became Protestant. As such, the other religions were banned. This resulted in Catholicism, the main religion before, to become an underground affair. I use the term "underground" loosely, because what happened in the most famous case, the Catholics built a church in the attic of a house. The house is now a museum called Museum Amstelkring (Our Lord in the Attic). Click that link to see cool pictures!
Right, well the thing with Amsterdam is that money has always spoken louder than words or religion. The Catholics paid the police to look the other way on Sundays when they were having their services. The funny thing is that during their services, they'd play their organs loudly and the locals would say "Catholics! Go arrest them!" to the police. The police, in turn, would say "I don't work on Sundays" or "I'll go up in a second" and not really ever get around to doing it.
The same theory is in place today. The Amsterdam state of mind dictates 3 things:
1. If it's discreet, it's ok.
2. If it's not hurting anyone, it's ok.
3. If it's good for business, it's ok.
In those days, those 3 things applied to the churches so the police looked the other way.
Today, those things apply to the prostitution and coffeeshops, so they argue.
For the instance of coffeeshops they'll tell you:
1. It's discreet because they're called coffeeshops, not pot shops or marijuana shops so the people inside must be drinking coffee... nothing else.
2. It's not hurting anyone. Our tour guide thought it was funny that she sees people blowing each others faces off with guns on American T.V., but they have such strict regulations when it comes to showing people smoking up. The Amsterdamer's mindset is "violence = bad, sex & drugs = ok".
3. It's good for business. I don't think I have to explain how much money goes into that city annually because of that kind of tourism.
Alright, enough jibber jabber. Down to the pictures!
This is one of my favourite pictures I've ever taken. It's at the floating flower market which is HUGE and very fun to visit!
Alright, that's Amsterdam in a nutshell. We did lots of things, but those are the nicest pictures of them all. We went to the wax museum, took 2 walking tours and a boat tour, visited several museums and had time to spare!
For now, I'm just getting a bit sick so I think I'll retire for the night. Maybe drink a tea and take it easy until bed time.
Hope you enjoyed my rant about amazing Amsterdam! I will go back one day! Actually, I will go back in 2 months. But after that, when I'll have left, I will think to myself, I will go back one day!
Friday 3 June 2011
Return from Amsterdam
Well, I remember having a very special feeling after going to Tokyo. I have the same feeling about Amsterdam. There are the surface things that make it beautiful, like the canals, the houses, the old buildings and monuments. Then there are things that make it such a wonderful city in my opinion. Everyone speaks English which is helpful, but should never be a reason why you like or don't like a place. For example, I've heard people say "I didn't like it in _______ because they didn't speak any English". Well obviously they're not going to speak English! That would be like someone from Brazil coming up to Canada and complaining because we don't speak enough Portuguese!!
Anyway, they did speak a lot of English, so it was helpful. Also, the city is laid out so logically. It's easy to memorize street names, and the map itself. It's great. The public transportation system seemed to be good, although I didn't take any trams - you can reach everywhere in Amsterdam within 20 - 30 minutes walking. It's quite convenient.
I liked the balance of every type of lifestyle there. You have a very heavy tourist presence, but that doesn't take away from the locals going about their daily business (often on very fast bikes!). In fact, when you're in Amsterdam, as a pedestrian, you do not have the right of way. It goes: bikes, trams, pedestrians, cars. They know this rule well, but if you don't you could get hurt. ALWAYS pay attention to a bicycle bell ringing because it's the only warning you'll get before you're side-swiped by a Amsterdamer!
The history of the city is great - we went on a few walking tours and discovered lots of great information. I would go on, but I will provide more information in my coming posts about Amsterdam. I will do posts separately, about a day or two apart from each other that talk about each day or each place that I went to with Melissa.
Well, I'm back in Brussels and just about to unpack. One more time - Amsterdam is a dynamic, modern city with an excellent state of mind - "Everything goes as long as it's discreet, doesn't hurt anyone and is good for business". Stay tuned for more!
Anyway, they did speak a lot of English, so it was helpful. Also, the city is laid out so logically. It's easy to memorize street names, and the map itself. It's great. The public transportation system seemed to be good, although I didn't take any trams - you can reach everywhere in Amsterdam within 20 - 30 minutes walking. It's quite convenient.
I liked the balance of every type of lifestyle there. You have a very heavy tourist presence, but that doesn't take away from the locals going about their daily business (often on very fast bikes!). In fact, when you're in Amsterdam, as a pedestrian, you do not have the right of way. It goes: bikes, trams, pedestrians, cars. They know this rule well, but if you don't you could get hurt. ALWAYS pay attention to a bicycle bell ringing because it's the only warning you'll get before you're side-swiped by a Amsterdamer!
The history of the city is great - we went on a few walking tours and discovered lots of great information. I would go on, but I will provide more information in my coming posts about Amsterdam. I will do posts separately, about a day or two apart from each other that talk about each day or each place that I went to with Melissa.
Well, I'm back in Brussels and just about to unpack. One more time - Amsterdam is a dynamic, modern city with an excellent state of mind - "Everything goes as long as it's discreet, doesn't hurt anyone and is good for business". Stay tuned for more!
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