Nathan's Insights

World Traveller: 7 Continents, 90 Countries, 871 Days Overseas

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  • World Trip 2006: Day 62 – Antwerp, Belgium

    Monday 29 May 2006
    Highlights: Relaxing

    A very easy relaxing day.  I met some local students in Antwerp and talking to them about their various lives.   Unfortunately it rained while walking to my hostel and then stopped the minute I got in the door 😦

  • World Trip 2006: Day 61 – Antwerp, Belgium

    Sunday 28 May 2006
    Highlights: Antwerp Diamond Museum, Fort Breendonk, Rubens House

    After staying at a very nice hostel Inge picked me up and we were off on another fun packed day.   Today we visited the Antwerp Diamond Museum (over 50% of diamonds come through Antwerp), the security was Very tight so unfortunately no samples or presents for anyone 😦

    We then visited the very famous Antwerp artist Rubin’s old house.   Rubin made over 2000 paintings and other art works mostly be instructing his students!

    The tour ended with a very sobering visit to Fort Breendonk, a Gestapo camp from 1940 to 1944.   Hearing the stories and seeing the photos can’t help but move you.   I found particularly interesting the stories about the Belgium citizens who joined the local SS.

    Also most SS or Gestapo personnel were either unemployment or accountants before the war, both people I dealt with at my last two jobs!

    I really need to mention Inge’s family; they made me dinners and a breakfast and let me into their home.   I was a very lucky traveller to have such great hosts and I loved Inge’s family including her Grandfather. Lastly I owe a huge debt to Inge who really looked after me and is such a wonderful person.   Really this is what travelling is all about.

  • World Trip 2006: Day 60 – Munich to Antwerp, Belgium

    Saturday 27 May 2006
    Highlights: Our Lady’s Cathedral, Grote Market, Steen Castle

    Somehow surviving the Munich-Antwerp overnight bus trip (after having to pay 70 euro  twice – a long story) my new angel picked me up and we were off on a great adventure.

    Inge, my new local friend who I meet earlier on this trip in South Africa, had organised a very full day which started with a nice shower at her place and a beautiful breakfast.   Inge has definitely set a standard for me if she ever visits Melbourne.  We went on two different walking tours.

    Highlights included; Our Lady’s Cathedral which took 170 years to build (1352-1521), in gothic style; City Hall which is located in Grote Market and was built between 1561-1565; and Steen Castle built in the 12th Century.

    We ended the night catching up with some of Inge’s friends (Steven, Philippe, Caroline and Steve) who wanted all the dirt on her from South Africa, sorry guys Inge is far too sweet a girl to give dirt out on.   I have to say that the beer is very strong in Antwerp.

  • World Trip 2006: Day 59 – Munich, Germany

    Friday 26 May 2006
    Highlights: Recovering from too much beer, scouting World Cup venue

    WARNING MUNICH BEER IS VERY STRONG.
    Well I have never ever got in such a bad state as I was last night.   The pub crawl motto is ‘the best night you won’t remember’ unfortunately I remember most of it.   The crawl starts with one hour of ‘free’ beer, as much as you can have.   That was the first mistake; the second one was drinking 1 litre beers as quickly as possible at each place we visited. After starting at 7.30 pm I decided to stop around midnight, unfortunately it was too late.

    The different beers didn’t agree with each other and after about 20 minutes of sweating with my head resting quietly on the table I was sick.   Not once, not twice, but three times.   Luckily the guy running it (Steve from memory) was cool and even got me back to my hostel. I’ve been drunk before, I’ve been high in Amsterdam and I’ve been sick with food poisoning however I have never ever thrown up because of beer.   I wrecked a top and I’ll need to wash my pants again.   I was really wasted.

    Waking up the next morning I had to check out otherwise I would have slept the whole day.   The good thing is the pure Munich beer meant no hangover, however i still could think straight and I suspect my walking was sight to behold for the first hour walking around.

    So I walked very slowly around Munich for about an hour trying not to be sick again, after getting something to eat and sitting in the light rain for another hour (the rain actually helped) I started to pull it together.   I suppose I said I wanted to do different things on this trip so I asked for this; it’s weird that I have done heaps of crawls before but never had this happen.

    I used the rest of the day to scout out Munich for the World Cup.   The Eurolines bus I’m catching tonight is right at the Soccer Stadium (which is already locked down).   I also went to the airport to time how long it takes.   I think I should be right for operation World Cup on 24 June.   Well I’m now off for an overnight bus from Munich to Brussels and then a short train ride to Antwerp to catch up with my new friend Inge, which is a change in my original plans.   Hopefully I’ll survive the overnight bus trip.

  • World Trip 2006: Day 58 – Munich, Germany

    Thursday 25 May 2006
    Highlights: Fruenkirche Church, Glockenspiel Clock

    I spent the day walking around Munich.   I managed to see people surfing in the middle of the city, yes surfing!  Munich has created a river that allows keen people to surf (it was cold and raining and they were still doing it!).   The surfing is in the English Gardens which also is supposed to have nude sunbathing, alas not on this day 😦

    I visited Fruenkirche (Church of Our Lady) which the current Pope was Cardinal of from 1977 to 1983.   Actually Munich is very proud of having a local being the Pope as you can see Pope Benedict’s face in a lot of places.

    I also visited the Glockenspiel (Carillon) were 3 times a day the clock comes alive and the German’s beat the France. As this was a public holiday here (Accession Day) most things were closed but I have a Pub Crawl planned for later tonight so that should make up for things not being open.