Muscles in Brussels

Welcome back. This past weekend we spent the 2-day break in Belgium, exploring yet another country. Jeff decided last minute, after the field trip, that he wanted to take the weekend to visit the infamous beach of Normandy, so it was only two of us along for the ride to Brussels and Brugge. My travel partner was Ryan Gleber, one of the Sigma Chi guys that we have been travelling with.

Friday, June 18: 
I finished up a busy school day, conquering 3 tests, and jetted to the computer lab to make some maps of our rough itinerary. Back at the dorm, I packed my bag and said bon voyage to Jeff as I set out to catch my 8:00 train to Brussels. I met Gleber at the train station; we boarded the regional line to Luxembourg, making our connection just in time and arrived in Brussels at around 10:30. We wandered the station for a bit, trying to make sense of which public transport to use. My brief research had indicated that we could take the metro or a tram line. Once we found an automated ticket kiosk, we bought a round trip ticket (a one way trip for each of us), and slid down the escalator into the under bellies of the city. We hopped on a line 2 subway and cruised for a few minutes until we arrived at our stop on the North side of town. Thanks to Google Street View, we were easily able to find Belmont Hotel, where we planned to set up camp for the weekend. As we walked in the door, we found it to be much nicer than the other discount hostels we had been staying in. Especially since it was a private two person room for the same price we paid in Barcelona for the eight bed dorm. Once we got our key and shuffled up the stairs, we found our room on the second floor. We opened the door to find two older men asleep in our beds. Just kidding. The room was quite nice, probably not much better than a Holiday Inn, but it felt 5 star compared to some of the places we've been. We had our own shower, air conditioning, and a TV! We folded down our beds and sat and watched some recap of that evening's Euro Cup matches, but quickly fell asleep.

Saturday, June 19:
I set my alarm for around 8:30, so that we could get up and get moving in time to catch a 10:05 a.m. train to Brugge, Belgium for the afternoon. We took a bit longer than expected and after fumbling around the Metro again, we made it to the train station at 10:07. Figuring that we had missed our train, we went to the departures board to check out what plan B was going to be. But, we were in luck! The 10:05 train was 5 minutes late, so we sprinted to platform 10 and hopped on just in time. All the seats were full so we made do standing at the front of the car for the 45 minute ride into Brugge. After we arrived, we oriented ourselves and made for the town center where we were going to do a brewery tour. We arrived at De Halve Maan Brewery, at 11:45 just in time for the noon tour.  We wandered the innards of one of Belgium's oldest breweries and learned lots about the extensive process that goes into creating beer. After the tour, we exchanged our ticket for a glass of Brussel Zot, the lightest beer on the menu which happens to carry a hearty 6% alcohol. After that, we decided to try another one of the brews that we had just learned about. I ordered the tripel and Gleber got the quadrupel. Oh so tasty.

(Outside the brewery.)

(View from the top of the Brewery.)

(Looking out onto Brugge.)

(A different glass for every beer.)

(We arrive at the bar, for the grand finale.)

After polishing off the last drop of what I think was one of the best beers I've ever had, we exited the brewery and set out to find lunch. We wandered into a tiny sandwich shop, where we each got a grilled ham and cheese wrapped in wax paper to take on the go. With lunch in hand, we meandered through the streets of the picturesque European town. Lots of pictures coming...

(Gleber eating over one of the many canals that runs through the city.)

(Tiny little bed and breakfast.)

(View of the cathedral in the distance.)

(The Chocolate River.)

(Cool park we stumbled upon.)

After our legs were tired enough, we headed back in the direction of the station and hopped a train back to Brussels. Worn out from our all day self guided walking tour, we took a quick rest before heading back out into the city. We got a chance to watch some Fresh Prince in English and an episode of Fairly Odd Parents in Dutch. Once our batteries were recharged, we set out to satisfy our deep craving for Chinese food. We planned our route towards the world famous bar, Delirium. Along the way, we stopped in the first Chinese place we saw. We were surprised to be greeted by a nice looking older Belgian man, wearing a sweater vest and a glasses chain. However out of place, his service and food were wonderful. We slurped down our Lo Mein and continued our mission for the famous 3 story bar. We found it tucked in an alley way just in time as it started to rain. The legend, as told by our friends who went a couple weeks ago, was that you could get a 2 liter glass boot of beer. We grabbed a menu and sure enough you could get any beer that was on tap in a 2  liter. I flagged down a bartender and asked for 2 L of a beer called Hopus. Unfortunately you have to ask for a boot and I got a giant fish bowl glass, but I guess the novelty is still the same. Gleber ordered correctly and got the boot. It took a while to finish those guys, but once we did, we quickly turned in our glasses to get back the 40 EURO deposit you had to put down for the glass. We hung around for a little while, and then headed back to Belmont Hotel to catch up on some sleep. 

(Glorious.)

(The boot.)

(So much flare.)

Sunday, June 18:

After our incredible Belgian beer tour the previous day, it was time to see some real sights. I signed us up for a bike tour of Brussels before our train left at 2:33. We checked out of the hotel and walked over to Grand Place, the most famous area of the Belgian capital. We had to run to the nearest train station to lock up our bags, with just enough time to make it back to the square to meet the tour guide at 10. His name was Tish, and he was by far the best guide we've had for any sort of tour yet. Our group was the perfect conglomeration of English speaking tourists: A know-it-all Dad, Scatterbrained Mom, and recent college graduate Daughter, a do-good middle aged couple en route to Uganda and Rwanda, and us, two college kids. I think I'm forgetting someone... Ah yes, Mr. Ching, a very curious Chinese businessman dressed both for success and a bicycle tour. Mr. Ching had a lot questions, which started to get on Tish's nerves pretty much right after we started. Gleber and I were cracking ourselves up, coming up with all sorts of shenanigans that Mr. Ching probably gets in to. He was a lead character in our adventure. Back to the tour. Tish explained all the building in Grand Place, each of which had a pretty neat story. After the brief lecture, we walked to a garage in a nearby alley and grabbed bikes to start the tour. Riding through the city was incredibly fun, not only for the biking aspect, but also for the fast paced absorption of a real European experience. We saw a ton of monuments, cruised through gorgeous parks, and learned the history of the city, which happens to be the capital of the whole European Union. We stopped for a quick lunch of Belgian Frites and a beer at noon, where we got a chance to chat with Tish and our fellow travelers. We lost track of time, entranced in conversation, and had to do some hardcore pedaling up hill to make up for lost time. The good thing about biking up hill is the downhill that follows. After we finished the main part of the tour, we cruised back to Grand Place through the streets of Brussels, the wind rushing past our faces. We deposited our bikes back in the garage and wished our new friends safe travels. 

(The Guild Houses in Grand Place.)

(Hotel de Ville in Grand Place, which contains a very odd asymmetrical architecture. You can notice the offset door at the bottom.)

(The Peeing Boy statue. There are many legends to its significance. None of which really explain why this is such an important attraction.)

(Flea market in the middle of town.)

(Cruising the streets behind Mr. Ching.)

(The rest of the group as we waited at a traffic light.)

(Overlook of the city at the Courthouse.)

(European Parliament.)

(Got pretty good and taking pictures while riding.)

(Palace of Brussels.)

After a short series of trains, we were finally back in Metz. It was a great weekend with great company. Gleber and I had a blast and covered a lot of ground in only 2 days. Now it's back to school, but only for a few days. We head out on our Eastern European adventure on Wednesday night, which should be the highlight of the summer if all goes according to plan. Thanks for reading!

Field trip to Fort Hackenberg and Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial

Bienvenue! I thought I'd put up a post about the field trip we took last Wednesday to the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial in St. Avold and the Hackenberg fortress on the Maginot Line.

Wednesday, June 13:
Classes were on hold for the day, as it was reserved for one of our two big GTL field trips. We split up into 2 groups based on a survey sent earlier in the week, and proceeded to load up on the buses at around 9 am. Our first destination was the largest American cemetery in Europe, the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial. We filed off the buses into the park where the cemetery rested and were immediately struck with a gut wrenching gloom, as the reality and gravity of World War II hung in the air. The 120 students were led to be seated on the stairs in front of the large memorial building. We were greeted by a French woman, who gave us some background information about the cemetery and shared some truly inspiring stories about some of the soldiers that were buried there. After her presentation, she asked for a male volunteer to read a letter written by 22 year old American to his father shortly before he was killed in combat. Jeff and I were sitting in the front row, so she immediately looked at the two of us. I knew it was going to be a tear-jerker and didn't feel like getting choked up in front of over a hundred of my peers. After a few seconds of cricket chirping, Jeff broke the awkward silence with a courageous, "I'll do it." He took the piece of paper from her and began to read, with over 10,000 crosses marking graves as the backdrop behind him. The letter spoke of all the things that this particular soldier missed from home; things that are all too often taken for granted in our own day to day lives. Jeff got a bit choked up towards the end, but held it together for what was a truly a powerful moment. Afterwards, the curator explained that we would notice gravestones that said "Here rests in honored glory a comrade in arms, known but to God." There are 151 of these unknown graves. On two large walls, adjacent to the monument, there is a list of names that were never accounted for in the burial process. Each name rests in one of those graves, somewhere on that 113 acre plot. Walking the grounds of cemetery was beyond surreal. You learn WWII facts in school your whole life, but are never faced with the hard truth of how devastating it was. It's hard to describe the weight of emotion standing there in that field on a cloudy morning, smelling the rain looming in the air, surrounded by bodies of men who were once my age, standing in that field, looking onward in honor to what was their certain demise. It's not ancient history. The shadow of this war still hangs with a great presence in this continent and there are still men alive that held first hand witness of this horrific point in time, and once they are gone, we can know nothing more than what our history books tell us.

(Medal of Honor recipient, Staff Sergeant Andrew Miller)

At around 11:30, after wandering the whole property, it was time to regroup at the monument and load up the buses. We drove about and hour or so to small French town, where we stopped for lunch. This is the part of the trip I was really dreading. On the last GTL field trip to downtown Metz, the organized meal was a  nightmare of line waiting and flimsy plastic tableware. It didn't help that we arrived at 'Le Petite Bistro' (yes, the small bistro was actually the name) with 120 or more college students. We filed inside to find that 'Le Petite Bistro' was actually quite big. "And, Oh! What's this? There are table settings! We get to sit down, eat, and be served?" Oh, were we served. We were presented with full 3 course meal! 1st course: quich and salad. 2nd: A sort of chicken pot pie biscuit and fries. 3rd course: a very delicate chocolate mousse. It was definitely a highlight meal of the trip so far. 

(I was too busy eating the 2nd and 3rd course to get a picture before it was gone.)

We then sauntered out of the restaurant, our bellies full and our expectations GREATLY exceeded. After a short bus ride out of the town and into the surrounding hills, we arrived at our destination. Hackenberg was the largest fortification on the Maginot line. This network of underground fortresses was used by the French as a heavy duty border against Germany. Hackenberg in particular housed a barracks, kitchen, infirmary, heavy defense weaponry, ammunition storage, and even a club! We herded our way into the main entrance dug into the hill and were greeted by our tour guide. He was a younger Frenchman with a very thick accent. He explained to us that he only took English in school for two years, and the rest he learned from video games. He was extremely knowledgeable and witty, making our visit much more than informational. Now, I could go through and try to explain each component of the fort, but that would be a lot of work and I'm looking to write a history paper. Plus, I'd probably be wrong somewhere along the way. Best just to leave you all with your books and interwebs. 

(Notice the train tracks. Old ammunition trains are now used for transporting visiters through the miles of tunnels that comprise Hackenberg.) 

(Kitchen.)

(Ship engines used to run the workings of the fort.)

(Original Nazi propaganda.)

(Ladder up into a turret.)

(The turret has a nice view.)

(Damage on the outer walls. After Germans had taken Hackenberg from the French, it was up to the USA to reclaim the great defense resource for the Allies. On our second attempt into the fort, this time from the North(?), the outer concrete walls took a beating from mortar shells and grenades.)

We made it out of the fort, blinded by the sun light, and boarded the bus back to home sweet Metz after an incredible and quite enriching day. 

Check back tomorrow for  a post on our trip to Belgium!

Lost Photo

Another girl from GTL posted a picture of Jeff and I from Hofbrauhaus in Munich. Had to share...

Nice was Nice

Bonjour! I'm going to finally try and get up to date before we leave again this weekend. Hopefully you enjoyed the Barcelona post as much as I did writing it. I found myself laughing out loud as I tried to retell the stories of our Spanish adventure. Last weekend we traveled to the French Riviera, or Cote d'Azur. Our homebase: Nice, France, a touristy town lined with rocky beaches and bright blue waters. 

Friday, June 8: 

After we finished up a rigorous week of classes, homeworks, and tests in true Georgia Tech fashion, we packed our bags and made haste to the train station. We composted our tickets, boarded the train, and found our couchettes in car number 27. The sun finally went down and Jeff and I, tucked away in our top bunks, got a long night's sleep. 

Saturday, June 9:

We were awoken in the morning by fussy children, as the little family staying in our room prepared to get off. Jeff and I packed up our stuff and peered out of the train window as we cruised along the French coastline lit by a bright sunny sky. We arrived in Nice at about 9 a.m. and gathered with the rest of our group at the platform. The Sigma Chi group along with two other girls, Jen and Lindsey, were travelling with us again, only this time we were all staying together. We made our way to the hostel, which was located a stones throw away from the beach. We climbed the stairs and were greeted by the friendly young girl at the front desk. We paid for the night, tossed our bags in the luggage locker, and set out for the town until our room was ready. We walked along a road parallel with the coast, through a book fair, town squares, an art fair, and a flower market, accompanied by the sweet smell of the sea. After taking in all in, we finally crossed through the line of buildings onto the ocean front. 

(Flower market, smelled amazing.)

(Danal, Hayden, and Jeff making their way to the beach front.)

We cruised along the beach, taking in the hustle and bustle of the French beach vacationers. Bikes whizzed by us as we stared out at the blue water. We then returned to the hostel around 12:30 to claim our room and get ready to head to the beach. Once we had loaded our lockers with valuable and changed into our suits, we grabbed towels from the front desk and headed to the beach. We stopped along the way at a convenience store to get some cheap wine, of course. We set up camp on the pebbly beach and commenced in drinking and conversation. 

After a while, Jeff, Hayden and I decided to walk down the beach where there was, what looked like, a place to rent kayaks. We forked over 6 euro a piece, and waited on the shore for another group to come back in with the boats. While we waited, we kicked around a soccer ball with a little Australian boy and his dad, who were waiting to go para sailing. Once the kayaks came back, we loaded up and paddled furiously to break out of the surf into the calm blue waters of the Mediterranean. We pushed our boats against the current, parallel with shoreline, back to where we had set up our beach camp. We waved at our friends as they looked on in jealously. We took Jeff's water proof camera and took a ton of pictures of us paddling and swimming with the beautiful French coast in the background. However, you will not be able to see any of these pictures... In events that would soon follow that night, Jeff's camera, phone, and wallet were stolen. Nothing irreplaceable (passport etc.) was stolen except for our awesome photos. Oh well... We paddled back in after our 45 minutes was up. Hayden came in on a wave a little sideways and flipped his kayak, dumping out onto the rocky shore. Couldn't have felt good. But his misfortune was trumped by a girl we saw earlier that day, who got drug down the rocky beach on her knees after tripping on her para sail ascent. It looked so painful. We thanked the guys at the rental place and shuffled back down along the boardwalk to rejoin our friends. We sat for a little bit longer and enjoyed the sunshine and good company, but eventually dinner was calling. We picked up our trash, shook the sand out of our towels and headed back towards the hostel. Jen, Lindsey, Jeff, and Mike split off to go parasailing, while the rest of us took a rest in the lounge at the hostel, where we played FIFA and I finally got my hands on a guitar. Once the adventurers made it back, (now with no pictures), we all showered (not at the same time) and got dressed to head out for the night. Danal insisted that all the guys go get 2 for 1 margaritas at the Mexican place down the street before dinner, so while we had delicious and way out of context margaritas, the girls got ready and met up with us afterwards.

(Gleber had a little too much wine on the beach.)

As we had been walking around, the signs for "All you can eat mussels and fries!" had caught our eye. On a mission for seafood, Jeff, Danal, Hayden, Andrew, and I set out to find the mythical unlimited dinner. I've never even had mussels, oysters, or really any slimy little shell guys. But, I figured I'd had enough to drink that if they were unlimited, I could probably stuff my fat face. We wandered down the main road, and got stopped by a really funny, what I like to call, restaurant recruiter. Jeff and Chris Travel Tip #21: "Steer clear of restaurants with recruiters. If they're food was that good, they wouldn't need to pull you in off the street." But he was good at recruiting, and they had the deal we were looking for so we went for the bait. The recruiter kept calling Jeff, "the Boss", which pumped his chest full of pride. When we sat down the recruiter yelled, "Garcon! A round of champagne for the Boss and his friends!" 

I was hesitant, but it did in fact end up being free. Our waitress came quickly, and offered us menus, which we rejected. Our destiny was clear. ALL YOU CAN EAT MUSSELS AND FRIES. We communicated that to her somewhat effectively and she proceeded to offer us various sauces. Sauces? Sweet! About an hour and 4 buckets per person of those little chewy bastards later, there were shells everywhere and we had sampled all the flavors. Mission Success. As the sun started to set, our stomachs were full and we decided we'd head back to the hostel to watch the Portugal vs. Germany soccer game. We rejoined the rest of our group, and all nine of us piled on the couch and watched the Germans take down Portugal 1-0. After the game, we set out for the town yet again, this time in search of some Nice nightlife. Danal had done some research and wanted us to check some bar on the North side of town. When we got there, they were over capacity and wouldn't let us come in. So we walked next door, where there was a band playing, got a round of beers and grabbed a table. We sat for a while, clanked our glasses a few times, and listened to the band play Franz Ferdinand songs in half English, half French. We stayed there all night and socialized in the bar, with what I remember being quite a multicultural group: a Spanish bachelorette party, a group of Australian guys and Swedish girls, and quite a few sunburned Frenchmen. The party moved onto the streets later in the night,  we all got beers to go, and joined the crowd mingling on the Riviera boulevard. We went from group to group, captured in the conversations of what felt like a UN summit. Once we broke through the mass of people filling the streets, Gleber and I went in search of a McDonalds. We had no luck, and went to bed. Jeff's evening ended with a late night swim, where his shorts, containing the camera, iPhone, and wallet, were lifted from the beach as he looked on helplessly from the breaking surf.

Sunday, June 10:

We all woke up just in time to have breakfast at the hostel and make our 10 o' clock train. The 8 hour ride was easy. I had some new music to listen to and Jeff shared his Kindle with me while he took a nap. We changed trains in Paris, to board another TGV, non-stop to Metz. I played some iPod solitaire and reflected on the relaxing and eventful weekend in Nice.

We've got another busy school week coming up, but we've got a nice break in the middle for a school field trip to the Maginot Line. I'll post some pictures from that sometime tomorrow. Bon Nuit!