Many Faces of Belgium [11]

As promised a good picture of Ralph and Ria.
see all photos »

[Issue 11]

I haven't been online but we've been pretty busy all the same. And yes, Andrea, I do have pictures of Ria in this issue. I wouldn't dare publish without them.

You want a piece of me?

The big news is that the heat broke -the worst heat wave in Europe for over 100 years - and we were here. Tell that to somebody that don't care. But with the break in the heat came rain and we've been traipsing around the countryside and along city streets in everything from sprinkles to downpours. Don't you love travel?

This is strictly for Ann. Our old haunt, the Mechelen train station.
see all photos »

We spent a day in Brussels wandering the city and dodging Japanese tourists. When they catch up to REB, he stands head-and-shoulders above them and its as if he doesn't even know they were there.  Then, yesterday we went to Brugge and I took several of the attached pictures there. We went to the Kantcentraal which is the lacemaking center. Here they have classes and exhibits and do all they can to keep this ancient craft alive.

Now I have to take a moment to tell a story of something that happened in St Petersburg, so take shift backward a week.  In Russia, the guides will tell you to be very wary of pickpockets. It's good to be careful everywhere you go but the Russians have it down to an art. We were crossing the large bridge from the Winter Palace to the island where our homestay was located. Three large men (I'd say in their 30's) tried to surround us. The one in front was "selling" guidebooks of St Petersburg and blocked our way to keep us from moving forward. We waived him off once, "Niet!" But he came right back and REB pushed me forward. "Keep moving," he said.  I moved to the street just off the curb to get out of the circle; I knew there was at least one more behind me and I was wearing a backpack purse. I took it off, ready to swing it if I had to. Now, REB is surrounded and they are closing in. At first he told them "go away," but then he changed and said, "Okay, come on," and waived them in. You want a piece of me?  There was a busy street on one side and a long fall off the bridge into the Neva River on the other. When REB got aggressive with them, they backed away and began saying (in English), "Go away, American."  I was shaking a bit and REB was a little winded, but we came out okay and continued on our way back to our lodging.

The Maison Roi - the old king's house. It's a museum now and REB and I waltzed up it's wide red-carpeted staircases to the top floors.
see all photos »

Back to the present week: Today it rains again and I decided on a day of rest to catch up with this log and take a nap. Ralph and Ralph are out doing errands (connected with food and beer, I think) and Ria is at work. Tomorrow we may go to Antwerp which is only a half hour away by train. Monday morning we leave here for Amsterdam where we'll meet Bonnie and Barbi on Tuesday morning.

-30-