Aaron and I boarded a bus at 10am on a beautiful clear day in Amsterdam. There wasn’t an extra seat on the double-decker bus, and different languages echoed off the broad windows.
“When’s the last time you’ve been on a tour?” Aaron asked.
I remembered numerous trips in middle school and high school, but drew a blank after that. Aaron agreed that this was his first trip since his former school days. We didn’t know quite what to expect.
Immediately our guide, an older blond dutch women, began to commentate during the hour and a half ride to Antwerp, Belgium. She pointed out interesting landmarks as well as added her own opinion about culture. She first said everything in English and then repeated in Spanish. It was a welcomed and unexpected brush-up Spanish course for the both of us.
When we arrived in Antwerp, everyone broke off for an hour and a half of free time. Aaron and I had no map or much of an idea of where to go or what to do. Luckily, as we walked into the center square we ran into an annual parade to celebrate spring. There were giant puppets on wheels, and different styles of historic dress, as well as musicians. This was a most impressive first sight, especially against the Gothic architectural background.
After the short parade, we walked around a few blocks in the hopes of bumping into more treasures. I lit a candle for my mother in the oldest cathedral in Antwerp while Aaron went wild with the camera at a nearby castle. We bought local delights: handmade chocolates and french fries. We learned from the previous Van Gogh paintings that potatoes were and are a staple of this part of the world. We washed the fries down with a home brewed beer, also famous in this region and rightly so.
We jumped on the bus and headed to Brussels. Everyone was dropped off in the city square and enjoyed two hours of free time. I was immediately drawn to a market where I later went back to buy a cheap wool hat. Aaron and I sat down to a homemade Belgium waffle with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. We wandered around and browsed the shops. Finally we found our way in a small alley with numerous small restaurants boasting fresh seafood. We sat down and ordered a famous Belgium dish of steamed mussels.
After a little more photography, we settled in the bus for the three hour ride home. In the end, we thought it all a good deal for our money and a wonderful addition to our Amsterdam trip.
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