Oh the places I've seen....so far

So I'm really bad at this blog business. Mostly cause I've never kept one and therefore am really really bad at making sure I update at timely intervals. Anyway, so for the past several days I've been busy with school starting, getting my interview locations (more on how that went later this week) and beginning my studies. As quickly as the semester started, so have our adventures in the city of Bruxelles and the greater Belgium area.



On Saturday, we took our first official field trip with the enclave to Brugge located in the Flemish section of Belgium. This ancient city was originally a harbor town but eventually was filled with slit and by the 1500s it no longer could serve its original purpose. Instead, lace began its major export, and to this day, Brugge lace is a very big commodity (according to Professor Sheridan) with some apprenticeships lasting up to 10 years! Anyway, Brugge is a BEAUTIFUL city, filled is typical 15th century Flemish style buildings and overall atmosphere....almost as if time stood still. It's a great day trip with plenty of amazing sites for those lovers of history or beautiful things in general. Also, FUN FACT,one of the only Michelangelo pieces found outside of Italy can be found in Brugge; it is a Pietra (sculpture of Virgin Mary and Child Jesus). If I recall correctly the church is called Church of our Lady and it's really magnificent. Also in Brugge for beer lovers is a beer brewery tour and for those of a more religious or spiritual nature, you can visit the convent of the Benedictine nuns. Brugge was really beautiful and I hope to be able to visit it again!


On Sunday I went adventuring by myself in the morning to scope out where in the world my interview locations were and at noon went to the Grand Palace for lunch. I sat down to have a sandwich when a young man asked me "is this seat being used?" I replied it wasn't expecting him to take it but he promptly sat down and starting eating. It was slightly awkward....as I was covered in crumbs :( Anyway after this fellow left and I finished eating, I met up with Victoria, Autumn and Adrienne and the Parc metro stop and we walked to the Royal Palace! We took a free tour (as part of the week when certain important Belgian sites are open to the public) and tested our newly learned history of the Belgian monarchy as we saw portraits of Leopald I and the various royal family. Afterward, we met up with Flo and after chatting for a few minutes I took the tour again with her! Flo and I later had a cappuccino a the Sablon (a very boho-chic neighborhood in Brussels) and found ourselves wondering about the streets of Brussels for several hours, coming upon a vintage clothes store, an antiques furniture store, a skateboard park and finally the Porte du Hal which was apparently an old fortress and point of entry several centuries ago. It was a fun day and I'm glad the girls came out with me!!!