Monday, February 15, 2016

Day #4 Antwerp & Brussels, Belgium



Starting with Ashley Valentine's take on the day today:

This morning we boarded the bus a bit earlier than yesterday, so we could load our luggage. We knew this drive was going to be long because we were driving to Antwerp on our big pink bus, so Derek was nice enough to put on a romantic comedy. I almost cried but it was a good movie. 

When we arrived at Antwerp, we visited the Red Line Star Museum. It was all about immigrants who came over on these massive series of ships. There was a beautiful view at the top of the museum that we could see the entire bay from. There were around sixteen flights of stairs to get to the top though. 

We stopped for lunch and then went on a tour through the main square of Antwerp. We learned the legend behind the statue in the center and saw the most beautiful church there ever was. 

After that we drove to Brussels, the capital of not only Belgium, but also Europe. We stopped along the way to see a large replica of an atom of crystalline iron, 165 billions times its actual size. Everyone took pictures and it was loads of fun. We saw the main buildings in the town square of Brussels and were allowed to venture through the many looping streets for a few hours and get a snack. We also saw a few statues that meant a lot to the city and were also famous for its odd context. 

We met at the restaurant for dinner around five. Many people shared stories of how they bought chocolate or another waffle (honestly the waffles are to die for though). We had another satisfying dinner, with a salad, turkey, "frites", and ice cream. We drove for a half hour to our hotel rooms, and we are all so excited to see Paris tomorrow

Here's my less interesting and more long-winded take. Ha.

As Ashley mentioned we said good-bye to Amsterdam early this morning. A 2 hour bus ride to Antwerp in Belgium went quick with a movie playing. Our first stop in Antwerp was to the Red Star Line museum which is a beautiful and extremely modern museum which tells the story of the over 2 million passengers that left Antwerp for North America from 1873 to 1934.

Besides the pictures, exhibits, and first hand videos in the museum one of the best parts was being able to look up your own ancestry on the museum computers. Many students were able to trace their origins back to Europe and even Antwerp.

Here is Mrs. McCann's time lapse video of our tour of the Red Star Line museum 


                                       
                 Pictures of the Red Star Line Museum in Antwerp 

                  


                                           Jen & Georgia in front of the Red Star Museum 

                 

After the museum we headed out for lunch and some free time in Antwerp. A quaint and beautiful little town with an amazing landscape and town square. 



                                           Barry White and Ms. McGrath in Antwerp town square. 




                                                           More scenes from Antwerp. 


                           


               After leaving Antwerp we took a short ride to Brussels. Brussels is not only the capital and major city in Belgium but is also the capital of all of Europe.  


                  Our first stop in Brussels was at the Atomium Building. The Atomium is a building and museum made in the shape of an actual atom for the 1958 World's Fair.  The Atomium is 335 feet tall and has nine 60 foot in diameter stainless steel clad spheres connecting to its core. It is understood as an atom maginified 165 billion times! 

                       Here is Meghan Richardson on the be.welcome sign at Atomium Park. All the kids took hundreds of pictures on this sign. 

                                         



A great picture of the girls at the Atomium Building



We finally got to the center of Brussels for some free time and dinner. Another  beautiful city. 



                      


                                 And yes the waffles in Brussels, Belgium were incredible!!





We are off to Paris bright and early in the morning. A four hour bus ride so an early night afer dinner. 

Till tomorrrow.  Thanks for following! 





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