Bruxelles, Belgium

Tuesday I met Chris at the train station and we went to Brussells.





The trip was three hours (but didn’t feel that long) and we were worried we wouldn’t have enough time to see everything! At the tourist info, a lady gave us a map and pointed out the chocolate museum and Delirium (a pub with 2004 beers). Everything was in very close proximity of the main square where there was a giant Christmas tree and lots of chocolatiers.




So first off, we got lunch. After pointing my way through a French menu (thank god risotto is the same in every language), we went to the chocolate museum.

There were free tastings,

Old chocolate containers,

Waxing strips that somehow used chocolate,

And even people's heads made out of chocolate!

Then we went to Delirium where I had the pinkest beer in the place, cherry beer. It was very good and very feminine. We spoke to an American guy, who was in the navy and now works for NATO! His beer was normal man colour and he had a meeting at the EU Headquarters the next day! Very cool bananas.

On the way back to the train station, we hit up four chocolatiers where we were treated to free tastings of freshly made Belgium chocolates. I was in chocolate heaven. Freshly made people!!!

When we got to the train station, the train back to Amsterdam was delayed by an hour! So we went to another chocolatier! I bought chocolate coconut spread here and can’t wait to try it. It is currently on a two month journey by ship to Australia with another 20 kgs of stuff I sent home. I should be seeing it in March. Can’t wait!

Amsterdam Part 3

On Monday, Chris and I planned to go to Brussells for the day. After missing our first train at 0954, we tried for the 1054 train. We ran all the way through the train station  to the second last platform, up the stairs, along the platform, saw our train! And saw it pull away. Defeated and speechless, we decided to go the next day. It was really disheartening.

Anyway, I took this chance to go see the Van Gogh museum. I wasn’t sure how to approach this blog. Tell the truth, Anna’s real thoughts, (her book after all) or dance around what I actually thought and write what everyone expects to read. Today truth has won out.

I’m not into art. But whenever I mentioned Amsterdam everyone went on about the Van Gogh Museum and how I just MUST go.  I spoke to a guy at the hostel about it my first night and he said that I’ll need a good three hours to get through it all. Well wow, three hours!? That’s a whole day activity, fantastic. 

I did not rush through, I read everything and I looked at every painting. One hour. No more time necessary for me. I spent the most time on the ‘Sunflowers’ which I only know because we have it at our house and Mum really likes it. As with most of the places I have been, you’re not allowed to take pictures. So I took some photos outside to prove I was there, bought Mum the ‘Sunflowers’ postcard and was out of there.

I planned to go to the Anne Frank house but I got lost and spent a couple of hours walking around the city. I love getting lost in new cities because it means you see things you wouldn’t normally see and you find things you weren’t looking for. For me, this was the flower market (a lot of tulips), the fashion district and the Christmas markets again. 

That night when I got in, the boys were going to watch the football (soccer) so I tagged along and watched Liverpool defeat Aston Villa 3-1 or something like that. Of course no where near as good as proper footy, but a fun way to pass the time.

Then at the hostel, I killed at a game of pool and some guy got his nose broken. Good night. No, just kidding, I can’t leave with that kind of cliffhanger. So apparently, some guy punched a guy that worked at the hostel and they got into a scuffle and then two paramedics came and then lots of cops came and the cops came in as partners until there were eight of them! Then they treated the guy with the nose and took the other guy away in handcuffs! Not normal hostel activity but exciting nonetheless.

Icy canal

What snow looks like after it's been pushed from the road and onto the footpath

Amsterdam 2

  

What a range of cheeses, one might say. Indeed. There was a cheese store across the street from my hostel but I am not a fan of cheese so didn't go there. These photos are from the local supermarket. The local supermarket carries this many cheeses.

On Sunday I met Chris, Hamish and George at breakfast. We went to the Rijksmuseum where we marvelled at Rembrandts and then we headed to the Christmas markets were I got a banana coated in chocolate, it was delicious.

Back at the hostel, I convinced the guys that the Japanese place I had found the day before was fantastic and not too expensive. We went there for dinner and they went there everyday after that for lunch. You’re welcome.

So that night I met Kash and Sean, both Americans and Sean even was from Vegas! So after being grandmas and playing Rummy and Bridge, we went out to a dubstep gig. It was really fun but very Amsterdam. The djs were rolling and smoking joints between their sets. And it’s all perfectly legal!

Afterwards we went to Wok and Walk, which is Wokinabox but a lot better, and when it’s open it says “Wok On’, on the front door!

At the hostel, I played the longest game of Checkers in my life and then I went to bed. All in all, an eventful and fun night.

Amsterdam!

Coffee shops, bicycles, the red light district, windmills and chips with mayo! We’re in Amsterdam people! I am loving this city! And so does practically everyone who comes here I think! Everyone working at the hostel was a backpacker who didn’t want to leave so they got a job and have now been here for years! It’s just the kind of city where you can do nothing all day and still feel like you had a really good day!

So my first day at the hostel I was down in time for breakfast where I met Leo from Italy and Kelsey from San Francisco. We went on a canal cruise where they showed us the sights and Leo read our palms. Apparently I need to find a job not in business, but one where I use my creativity and imagination, and I also have too many feelings! And I will have three children.

     

An important Church

 

An important tower



Heaps of houseboats on the canals



The canals were frozen!

Back at the hostel was a wierd guy that showered everyday in his clothes to not have to wash them and the nice Spanish/English guy that suggested I not be alone in the same room with the wierd guy. The Spanish/English guy also suggested I look for work in Gibralta, which is the English part of Spain. Good tip, hopefully when I re-read this it will remind me to do some googling!

On Saturday, Kelsey and I decided to try and find a marketplace and also a blizzard decided to hit. I don’t think it was actually a blizzard but you were white within seconds of stepping outside and the snow actually hurt when it hit you. Snow does not normally hurt! In the end, the markets weren’t open and we went back to the hostel to watch movies while armageddon hit outside. I over-exagerate but it was really bad!

Just started - small layer of snow on the road

Ten minutes and the roads are white!

Crazy people braving it

Looking up at the sky

Getting to Amsterdam

The first of December (yes I am behind in my blog) was the day I began my long journey to Amsterdam! I was up at 7am and took a taxi to the PKS (Poland bus system) where a nice young man helped me with my suitcase up some stairs. I took a five hour bus ride to Poznan, thank god Ciocia made me biscuits! Then I chilled at Poznan train station for eight or so hours. It was a long evening. I got there after 1400 and sat in KFC reading and waiting for my 2133 train.

My train was delayed and finally came at 2245 but for a good three or so hours I made friends with a nice old man in KFC. He had just come from the dentist, lived in Siberia during the war, has a daughter in Italy and is seventy years old.

My first European train experience!

The train pulls in. As well as there being snow and ice all over the platform, it’s still snowing and also windy. I walk the wrong way, then have to backtrack to find my wagon along this slippery death trap. A train conductor sticks his head out and asks what wagon I’m looking for, then tells me to go down one more. Then a whistle. The whistle means the train is about to leave. Not good news for people still looking for their wagon. I finally get to my wagon, climb up with my suitcase and as I’m looking for my seat, the train is already moving off. I made it!

      

I could tell when we were passing German train stations because people were working away clearing the snow and throwing salt on the platforms. Polish train stations – not so much.



Look how thick the snow is!



Our train was broken so we stopped a lot, once even for ninety minutes at a German train station! I, of course, had no idea what was going on as the train conductors swap at the borders so everyone was speaking German.

I was meant to get into Amsterdam at 1030 but got in at 1400. At the beginning of the journey, I was starting to regret my decision to train around Europe but by the end, I was loving it! All the main train stations are very organised and (especially in Germany) the trains run to the minute! And we're all aware I don't like tardiness.

Jelenia Gora 2

On Monday we drove up to Szklarska Poreba, which is a mountain tourist hot spot very close to Jelenia Gora (where we live). It had been snowing really hard that night and when we got up there, the roads hadn’t been plowed and there was snow absolutely everywhere! We tried stopping but there was no where to park the car in the town! My cousin wanted to show me a waterfall though so we “parked” the car and went for a short walk.



Let's go for a drive



Great, oncoming traffic



There was a sign which said you weren’t allowed to go through, and we thought it was because of the snow and bad weather. After walking for ages, we got to the bridge and realised it was because a tree had fallen and broken the bridge. Back we trudged.

Walking through fresh snow is like walking through sand. If the temperature goes above zero, the snow melts and then at night time (when the temperature usually goes below zero again), the water freezes and turns into ice. Then you have slippery roads and footpaths because you are literally walking on ice! I have decided that I rather below zero because everything stays the same whereas above zero and it turns into mud and puddles everywhere.

Anyway, I met my Dad’s half brother who is called Andrew Werchowiecki! Just like my brother! Exciting for me because there just aren’t that many Werchowiecki’s around. I also went to aerobics with my cousin which was an hour of situps and leg presses etc and I wouldn’t be surprised if the instructor got her matieral from the latest Cosmo magazine. Still fun though!

PS. I forgot to tell this funny story from my travels around Poland at an Auntie’s house in the morning –

Me: “I will have yoghurt for breakfast.”

Auntie (said with pure horror): “But we only have cold yoghurt, it’s been in the fridge all night!!!”

Me: “That will be okay…”