Bruged and Broken

This past weekend's travels took me to the rustic little town of Bruges, Belgium (For those of you who are wondering, the "g" in "Bruges" is like the second "g" in "garage," making my title awesome and perfect.)

My Europe guide book described Bruges this way: "Suspended in time centuries ago when its lifeline - the Zwin estuary - silted up, it is now one of Europe's best-preserved medieval cities and it's also Belgium's most visited town." This sounded enticing, so I decided to see for myself.

One of the things that has struck me most about seeing Europe is its age. No matter where I go, ancient structures and statues dot the cities and countrysides. It's quite amazing to walk through churches, palaces, and castles that existed before our country was even "discovered." However, the case in most cities is that they have been highly renovated and remodeled throughout the centuries. As the guide book suggests, this wasn't the case so much with Bruges. Walking through the quiet streets and alleys, you could really get a sense of what life was like in centuries past. Other than the presence of cars and a few fresh layers of paint, the town truly does appear to be suspended in time. With several horse-drawn carriages and serene little parks, Bruges was not your typical European tourist destination.

This characterstic alone set Bruges apart from the other European cities I have visited thus far, but it was also distinct in its atmosphere. There was no loud, "party" vibe which so often dominates European capitals. There were no clubs or discotechs, just history and natural beauty. It had an astonishing city square (by day and by night), but was not near as crowded as those of other major cities. Because of this, the city is much safer than its competition. Because pickpocketing and theft is such a huge problem in highly-visited European cities, I am usually too busy clutching onto my possessions to enjoy the scenery. This was not the case in Bruges. No suspicious bystanders, no large crowds, no sketchy alleys. That feeling of safety made my time there all the more enjoyable.

Now back to another strenuous week of preparation for next weekend's travels...errr homework...

Caught Huge-Handed

It appears I have been apart from Cooper for too long. While doing some investigative work on the internet as to his whereabouts, I came across a rather incriminating photo.

A/S/L?

Czeching In

After a wonderful week-long vacation to Eastern Europe, I'm back in full force.

This past week our entire group trekked across Germany to the oft-forgotten Czech Republic. We stayed in the capital city of Prague (really the only place worth visiting in the country) and went on a variety of excursions.

First off, let me say that Eastern Europe is noticeably different from Western Europe. Even in a rather "westernized" city like Prague, the differences were there. With hints of communism still scattered throughout the country, the city is much colder than the West. Store owners, hotel clerks, and waitresses were much less friendly, and I felt like I was constantly looking over my shoulder.

But that aside, the city of Prague is probably the most beautiful that I have seen to date. It contains a fascinating history and an endless line of ancient architecture. Even after four days there, we were still seeing new and exciting things.

The first day consisted of a city walk accompanied an experienced tour guide. She didn't have a whole lot to say, but one thing struck me as being very interesting. With all the extravagant and prominent churches in Prague, you would think it was somewhat of a religious center. But despite all the churches, nobody goes inside. In fact, I just read an article yesterday about "faith in Europe." On average, 90% of Europeans "believe in God." Czech Republic returned the worst results, with only 34% saying that they belived in God. Possibly a reason why the city seemed so "heartless."

On day two we headed outside town and visited Melnik Castle. Although it wasn't what I had in mind when I was picturing a castle, it was intersting to tour. The castle originally housed a wine cellar and a large vineyard outside, and surpisingly it is still functioning. So, we received a tour of the wine cellar and participated in tasting some homemade wine.

Day three was the highlight for me. We took our chartered bus about an hour outside of Prague to the small village of Terezin. Terezin is most famous for its "Small Fortress" established in the 1700's as a national prison. However, when the Germans took control of Czech during WWII, it became a concentration camp which housed more than 30,000 Jews. As far as concentration camps go, it's not particularly popular. Only some 2500 Jews were killed there. It served more as a holding place for Jews to be shipped to places like Auschwitz or Buchenwald. Its residents included several prominent anti-communist scholars, artists, philosophers, scientists, and even the young assassin of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. But the fact that it wasn't a main concentration camp actually made it better, I think. Nearly everything was left unrestored after the war, making it very authentic and real. Second, it wasn't very crowded. It's kind of out in the middle of nowhere, so it wasn't swarming with tourists. Finally, everything was wide open. You could touch anything, walk on anything, go anywhere - nothing was off limits. That made for quite a real experience. All in all, it was shocking, real, scary, and fascinating.

Day four was spent browsing and wandering on our own. Shopping was popular, because things in the Czech Republic are very cheap. They still use "crowns" as their currency (1 US dollar = 25 crowns). Let's just say it became apparent that this story is true. The highlight of the day was probably our visit to the Museum of Communism. It documented exactly how awful the influence of communism was and is on the Czech Republic. It's quite amazing to learn that the communist party was still so prominent in the Czech Republic up until the late 1980's.


Well, in other news, President Bush is heading my this week - he is visiting, among other places, the EU headquarters in Brussels. As my good friend Pol de Vos puts it, "He is coming to persuade and influence the European leaders. We are afraid the European leaders will distance themselves from their people." So I look forward to what my other European friends have to say about W. And for some reason I think the citizens of the Czech Republic aren't such a big fan of Bush, either. A popular souvenir in the shops in Prague was peaceful, sympathetic portayal of Osama bin Laden in the form of a wooden doll.

So it goes.

Sweet Sundays

I'm beginning to like Sundays here in Zwolle more and more each week. Sunday is probably the most planned out day of the week for my host family, and I love it.

Here's the Sunday schedule:

Wake up and eat a light breakfast of coffee, tea, and bread with Hagel.

Go to church.

Return from church and talk about the sermon, current events, etc. with the family over coffee and cake.

At about noon, we take a drive out to the countryside and park alongside the road somewhere. We get out and continue to take a 1-1 1/2 hour walk around the rivers, dams, country homes, and pastures.

Come back to the house and have a small meal of hot soup and fresh bread.

One hour of freetime/naptime/blogtime.

"Night" (4:30 p.m.) church.

Return for the larger evening meal consisting of meat, potatoes,vegetables, wine, and dessert.

Coffee, conversation, and "free time" until bed.

One of the best things about Sundays here is that all of the "moved out" children in the family are all home. They travel from across the country (not that far) to be home on the weekends, making Sundays, especially, a quality family time.

So I, for one, am a big fan. Maybe it's not too different from our Dutch communities in the U.S., but I prefer it.

Amsterdamned

This week I visited the capital of the Netherlands not once, but twice.

That's right, I just couldn't get enough of the den of iniquity the first time, so I went back for seconds.

On Wednesday, our entire class went on an "Excursion" to Amsterdam, in order to improve our understanding of Dutch art and culture. First we visited the Rijksmuseum, where famous Dutch painters such as Rembrandt and Steen are showcased. We saw a lot of impressive works of art, and the tour ended with the famous Nacht Wacht (Night Watch). Next, we made our way over to the Beurs van Berlage, a large exhibition hall that used to act as the trading floor for stocks. I wish it still served that purpose; I would have bought a stock or two. We rounded out the day with a walk through the Red Light District and a visit to an organization called "The Scarlet Chord." It is an organization in the heart of the Red Light District whose purpose is to talk with prostitutes and encourage them to change their lifestyle. We had a good talk with them, and the information they shared with us was quite eye-opening. Overall, the Red Light District was a grim look at the sex culture in Amsterdam and Western Europe. Prostitution became legal in the Netherlands in 2000, in an attempt to lower prostitution-related crimes and ultimately decrease the practice. So far it has been ineffective.

We didn't have a lot of free time to explore the city, so I decided to take advantage of this uneventful weekend by heading back for a second look.

Yesterday five of us went back, despite rainy weather that was not ideal for sight-seeing. So, we stayed inside as much as possible.

First we toured the Anne Frank House. It is a very familiar story, but becomes all the more powerful when you walk through the same hallways and climb the same stairs that they did. To refresh your memory, there was a total of eight people who lived in hiding on the top floor of a working warehouse. After 25 months, they were discovered by the Nazis and sent to concentration camps. Only the father, Otto Frank, survived. The rooms were completely unfurnished (the Nazis cleaned the place out upon its discovery), but the structure itself was, for the most part, orignial. Everything - from creaky floors to low ceilings - made for a compelling experience.

Next we visited the world-reknown Heineken factory. The tour included free samples and a free gift, making the experience all the more enjoyable. The 150-year old factory stopped functioning in 1998, but was very interesting to see nonetheless.

Finally, Jessica and I stayed a few hours longer than the rest of the group and did some more walking around. After we had had enough of the same shops, we took an evening canal cruise around the city. It was a great way to explore the entire city without having to walk or take public transportation everywhere.

So I think I've had my fill of the Amsterdam for a while. Unless Ajax moves into first place, I shan't be returning anytime soon.

Dutch Oven

It seems that my last post, including a picture of a scrumptous stroopwafel, has aroused curiosity about a comparison between the stroopwafels in the States and here in the Netherlands.

For starters, I should note that I am a bit shocked at the lack of baking that goes on here. I have yet to see a household that has baked cookies, cake, or muffins. In fact, they don't even own ovens. Their microwaves have a setting in which you can heat it like an oven, but most households don't have a separate oven.

But everyone's kitchen is stacked with pastries and baked goods galore. They're all store-bought, but they're also very good. My reasoning is this: there are no big supermarket chains or retail chains here. Small bakeries, delis, and produce markets are everywhere. Everyone wants to support their local baker (who is also vey good), so they buy cookies instead of making them at home.

Having dessert after meals is a must here, so it's always interesting to eat a store-bought pie or pastry after finishing a big, made-from-scratch, homemade meal. That's just how they roll, I guess.

So, long story short, I have yet to come across a homemade stroopwafel. But I'm fine with that, because I think the local, store-bought ones are just as good.

Roughing It

Just got back from class - my last one for two weeks.

It's rough out here, I tell ya: done with class on Tuesday; excursion to Amsterdam on Wednesday; Thursday and Friday off, and next week a class trip to Prague.

A well-deserved break, I say - today our first homework assignment was due: a two page paper.

I think I'll celebrate with a stroopwafel and something to drink.

Saved by the Belgium

Now that I have your attention, I’d like to tell you about my weekend in Belgium’s capital city – Brussels.

Being the first trip of the semester, the entire NSPICE group (all 18 of us) participated on this little weekend getaway. I hate traveling in large groups, so hopefully the group sizes will get smaller as we get deeper into the semester.

Our method of transportation for this trip was everything but a car. We biked to the train station, took a 40-minute train to the bus station in central Holland, then traveled the remaining three hours by bus.

We arrived Friday in the early evening. After dropping off our bags at the youth hostel, we quickly made our way to the city’s center to sample the nightlife. The city was very alive with bars, restaurants, chocolate shops, waffle stands, and specialty shops, all of which we partook of.

The most impressive feature of the city is by far the Grand Place. (Scroll over the picture for a description) With its impressive 17th century architecture encompassing you from all sides, standing in the center of the square is truly a breathtaking experience. Despite being scattered with modern restaurants and shops, it still has a very archaic feel to it. It has also been labeled by many as Europe’s most impressive square.

Naturally, the expedition the next morning was centered around the magnificent Grand Place. The city is littered with history, with a wide range of churches, town halls, palaces, and statues, which is evident from the pictures. One particularly interesting feature of the Catholic church architecture I noticed was the extravagant nature of the pulpits in nearly every church. It was usually the centerpiece of the building, reflecting the Catholics’ beliefs about the clergy and church hierarchy. As shown in the pictures, the pulpit often told the entire story of the Bible through art and architecture. I guess that was for the people who didn’t feel like listening to the sermon (or were too distracted) – they could get their spiritual nourishment by just looking at the pulpit.

Perhaps Brussels’ most famous attraction is the classic Mannekin Pis. You know, it’s the statue of the little naked boy peeing…it’s a fountain…Anyways, every single gift shop or store in Brussels is full of souvenirs of this thing. Miniature statues, t-shirts, stickers, you name it – they had it. So naturally, by the end of the day we were dying to see this little gem. What a disappointment. Anticlimactically located on the corner of a few dirty souvenir shops, it is no larger than two feet. The backdrop is a graffiti-covered store wall, and hose going into the statue’s backside is huge. So bad, I refused to take even one picture.

Interestingly enough, we finally attended a church service in English while in Brussels. Sunday morning we went to the International Baptist Church of Brussels for morning worship. It consisted mostly of American and British couples who work for their respective governments in Brussels. It was good to hear a familiar language again – especially the sermon.

The rest of the details are boring, so I will get to what everyone really wants to know about: the waffles, the chocolate, and the beer.

The waffles: Even for as much hype as they receive, I still think they are highly underrated. You can hardly call it a waffle. Made right before your eyes, they are an oasis of goodness. They are hot and gooey in the middle with a crisp, sweet coating. When topped with whipped cream or strawberries, they put a regular waffle to shame.

The chocolate: I didn’t try actually try any, but I would say that it is overrated. To me, chocolate is chocolate. So, all I had to do was glance in the shop windows, read the price per ounce, and keep walking. Unlike the waffles, it seems to be somewhat of a tourist trap.

The beer: Different. Their most popular beer, Stella Artois, was nothing special. But all of their other local brews were well worth sampling. They make a lot of sweet, nectar-like beers, ranging from strawberry to apricot to cedar. At only $1.50 a pop, it was fun trying all of the different “flavors.”

Finally, for those of you who think I have forgotten my roots, I searched, but never did find, the Belgic Confession.

Hindsight

I'd like to step back into the United States for just one post.

As you all know, a friend and I recently sold our beloved Apple stock, cashing in on well-deserved profits. We told ourselves we would never look back, but I'm afraid I'm pulling a "Lot's wife."

As Apple pushes $80 a share today, I confess: I looked back.

The Price is Wrong

Tomorrow night will mark the first time that Lawren and I will have to cook dinner for our host family. We told them that we were very capable of making dinner every now and then, so they put us on the schedule: every Wednesday night is our night.

So today we went to the grocery store to pick up the necessary items for Chicken Fajitas. Most of the prices were similar to the those in the U.S., with the exception of the chicken. We picked up a 2/3 lb. package of chicken, only to find out that it was priced at $5. Much more expensive than the States, but we decided to bite the bullet. But while standing in line at the cash register, I happened to notice a large display of beer. Bavaria, a relatively good beer, was priced at around $4 for a 24-pack (bottles). Interesting. After pushing moral dilemmas aside, it finally dawned on me why the Dutch consume so much beer. It's cheaper than buying basic food products. (And it is, in fact, quite cheaper than Coke).

So with that said, any meal suggestions for next Wednesday?