My Most Excellent European Adventure, Day 1

April 6/7, 2011

Salt Lake/Brussels

Here's the aforementioned promise of my Europe adventure. I wrote in my journal each day and rather than try and remember all the details, I'll just transcribe.

I'm off again for my third trip to Europe. This time I'm with m y roommate Heidi VanNatter and two friends Angela Day and Betsy Ferguson. Betsy and Heidi met a family from Texas who live in Brussels (he works for the state department) last year on a cruise and they were nice enough to let us stay with them. We left at about 10:30 in the morning (happy birthday to me) and had a layover in New York and then landed in Brussels at 9:00 local time (1 am to us). What a long flight!! It was fine but poor Angela got a little sick. Dave Passey (whose house we are staying at) was kind enough to meet us at the airport and give us their GPS to use in our awesome Volvo rental. We went back to their house, unpacked a bit and walked to the bank to to get some euros (without Angela - she was still a little under the weather ). Poor Heidi, her bank had a little mix up and wouldn't let her withdraw any cash - she called them and apparently gave them what for because it's all straightened out now. Then we walked to the market (Heidi used a little French to get directions) to get some sprite for Angela's stomach. And of course a Diet Coke for me!!

We walked back to the house, dropped off the sprite to a sleeping Angela, and the three of us drove into the city to see a military museum Dave told us about and walked to the top of the Arch cinquantenaire, with the assistance of an elevator. It's always nicer to take an elevator to see a spectacular view. It was so amazing. The weather was beautiful, a perfect spring day.

View from the top of the arch

Cinquantenaire Arch

We then drove back to the Passey's and CRASHED! Not in a vehicular fashion, but we were exhausted! Dave made us a nice dinner and then we watched some America's Next Top Model (yeah!) with the kids and went to bed. Such a long day but it is so great to be here again. We have some fun things planned and I know we'll see some amazing and unforgettable sight we'll remember forever.

*some funny moments from the day:

PUSH, don't pull the door at the bank a (apparently we didn't understand the directions for the door in another language)

Betsy falling up the stairs at the museum

Getting a little lost on the way to the market and asking for directions in French

Killing a big, Belgian spider in our room