Category Archives: Travel

Dinant, Belgium May 2014

Posted on by

2

View of Dinant from the other side of the Meuse River

View of Dinant from the Meuse River

My parents have already seen a lot of the Netherlands and the Flemish part of Belgium, so this trip we ventured toward the south into Wallonia. Dinant, Belgium is located at the beginning of the Ardennes on the Meuse River. I searched for city trips within Wallonia and after seeing a photo of the beautiful cathedral, citadel, and river, I wanted to find out more information. Dinant is most famously known as being the home of Adolphe Sax, who invented the saxophone and would be 200 years old this year, and regional cuisine such as the couques de Dinant, Europe’s hardest cookie, and the flamiche, a type of quiche served with a glass of Burgundy, as well as Leffe beer. So we decided to check it out!

Continue reading →

Sofie’s Birthday Party

Posted on by

0

The birthday girl, me, and Barbara

The birthday girl, me, and Barbara

My parents happened to be in town for Sofie’s birthday. Also in the Netherlands was Koen’s cousin Andrea and her boyfriend Ethan from Canada – so my parents didn’t have to worry about people speaking English. I always love getting together for family birthdays because it gives me the chance to catch up and see everyone! We celebrated at Sofie’s apartment in Breda and enjoyed delicious cakes and frietjes!

Continue reading →

My Parents Visit Antwerp

Posted on by

0

Enjoying fresh fries in Antwerp with my parents!

Enjoying fresh fries in Antwerp with my parents!

My parents made their annual visit this May! We had an eventful start – I fractured my elbow when I fell off my bike on the way to pick them up in Brussels. But who better to have around than your parents? The first week I had to wear a cast to let my bone begin healing, and for the remaining 5 weeks I have to wear a compression sock – otherwise I won’t have any range of motion. So we were in and out of the hospital and doctor’s office a lot! For the rest of the trip we took it easy, taking walks around the city, eating fries, and enjoying Belgian beers.

Continue reading →

Tomate aux crevettes

Posted on by

0

Tomate aux crevettes with baguette and garlic butter

Tomate aux crevettes with baguette and garlic butter

Tomate aux crevettes is one of my favorite Belgian dishes! It is not difficult to make and the simplicity of the flavors is what makes it so great. Hollowed tomatoes are filled with a mixture of North Sea shrimp, mayonnaise, Worstershire sauce, lemon juice, and tabasco – or at least that’s how Koen and I make it. You can use store bought mayonnaise, but for last night’s dinner, Koen made it fresh from scratch and you can taste the difference! Traditionally tomate aux crevettes is paired with french fries, but we were in the mood for bread. To top the bread, I made a garlic butter made of butter, garlic, shallots, and parsley. Perfect combo!

Continue reading →

Longines Global Champions Tour 2014

Posted on by

0

Longines Global Champions Tour 2014

Longines Global Champions Tour 2014

A special thank you to Diana and David for the invitation to come see the Longines Global Champions Tour 2014, formally known as Jumping Antwerpen! Last year I went with Koen and really enjoyed it. This year I invited Hannah to join me, because she does some jumping herself. Such a good choice for a guest! I was able to learn a lot while we watched. Enthusiasm is also contagious, so being with someone who loves horses made the event that much more fun! The venue is beautiful and located on the dockside of Antwerp’s Scheldt River with a view of the cranes.

Continue reading →

Easter 2014 in Antwerp, Belgium

Posted on by

0

Brunch at our place!

Brunch at our place!

This year Koen and I volunteered to host Easter brunch at our apartment in Antwerp. It was a lot of fun coming up with a menu and plan for the afternoon. We knew we wanted to buy lots of different breads and spreads as well as pastries, both savory and sweet. Of course we placed our order at Lints, our favorite bakery. Because the weather was nice and sunny, we also were in the mood for fruit! So we served watermelon, mango, pineapple, raspberries, and passion fruit alongside homemade kiwi juice (we used the leftovers to make a delicious smoothie the next day). After our huge brunch we went for a walk around the city, walking along the Scheldt River and through the historic district, stopping for a drink in front of City Hall and the famous Brabo fountain.

Continue reading →

Zuid Café

Posted on by

0

Zuid Café

Zuid Café

Last week and this week we’re experiencing our first bout of Spring weather! Luckily the warmest day, 66 degrees, was yesterday when Koen and I were both off from work. I think all of Antwerp was outside, enjoying the warm sunny weather! We took the opportunity to take a long walk to the South of Antwerp and enjoyed our first terrasje, or outdoor café, of the year at the Zuid Café. Because we had already had lunch, we only ordered drinks. After seeing everyone else’s food we definitely want to go back to try the food – everything looked so delicious!

Continue reading →

Burgerij / Sunday Walk

Posted on by

0

Heading toward the Burgerij/MAS Museum

Heading toward the Burgerij/MAS Museum

Last Sunday Koen’s parents came to Antwerp for a visit. We had wonderful, sunny weather and took a nice stroll through the city. After a delicious lunch at Burgerij, we checked out an exhibit about royal luggage and then walked a different route back to our apartment. It’s always fun playing the tour guide!

Continue reading →

Red Star Line Museum

Posted on by

0

Red Star Line Museum

Red Star Line Museum

A few weeks ago, Koen and I visited Antwerp’s newest museum – the Red Star Line Museum. The Red Star Line was a company that transported European immigrants to America and Canada. The museum is located in the former warehouses and you are able to listen to and read the stories of immigrants who traveled via Antwerp. There are tales of excitement and disappointment and you’re surrounded by photos and artwork of the voyages. If you are interested in history and personal tales, you’ll love the museum (like Koen and I did)!

Continue reading →

Verloren Maandag (Lost Monday)

Posted on by

0

Appelbol en curryworst

An appelbol and a worstebroodje (a curryworst to be exact)

I’ve lived in Antwerp for over 3 years and never really understood Verloren Maandag. All I knew is that the Monday after Driekoningen, or Epiphany (Koen’s birthday) bakeries were open on Monday and closed on Tuesday (usually the opposite) and in every bakery there are mountains of appelbollen (apples wrapped in pastry dough and baked in the oven) and worstenbroodjes (sausage wrapped in pastry dough and baked in the oven). This year I decided to partake and learn more about the tradition.

Continue reading →