In Dublin's Fair City

Wow! It's been a whole month since I have written a blog post! I guess we have been quite busy with travels and visitors :o) I cannot complain. 

In reference to the previous blog post...we are still waiting for the next move...again, it's been a month!

Just two weeks ago Tonico and I made the maiden voyage to Ireland for a little work and vacation! Tonico has one person that directly reports to him, and she is located in their Dublin office. In an effort to be a good boss, and get to know more of the people he works with on a daily basis, he was able to plan a quick trip to their office, and I got to tag along :o) Hang on...I really loved this city so I have LOTS to share!

Wednesday morning we arrived in Malahide - just north of Dublin, right on the water. Tonico went straight to work and I went straight to the pub :o) Fish and chips with some of the most amazing cider I have ever had! They had free wi-fi too so I jumped on to let the family know I had arrived safe and sound and of course, share some pictures!

I've never been a big cider fan, but when the Irish bartender suggested it, I couldn't say no. It is like drinking a Jolly Rancher, but ten times better! Later, when I told Tonico's co-worker that I had tried it, I believe she said "Oh, that stuff will make your head explode!" Good thing I only had one!

Of course, my brother's comment to this picture was "looks the same as the KC fish fries"...but to me, there's something magical about eating 'fish n' chips' in Ireland 

Wednesday night we had dinner with Caroline, Tonico's direct report, and Mary another of this coworkers. They were so nice and SO much fun to talk with! Caroline was born and raised in Dublin. I just loved listening to her accent and hearing all the funny Irish sayings! Tonico and I, I am sure, missed a lot of the punch lines!

Thursday I took a DART into the city. Once I got there, I was a little bit overwhelmed! So, since there is SO much to do and I had not done any of it, I decided to make like a tourist and jump on the "Dublin City Tour" bus. It started out as a beautiful day so I went to the top level and got my camera ready. It is so nice to have someone drive you around and point out all of the important points of interest and share different cultural stories. Dublin has such a unique character, both the city and the people, so it was very interesting and entertaining. You can jump off the bus at several different points along the tour and then once you have finished visiting the sites, within minutes another one will come along that you can jump back on to. I chose to just stay on all the way through, which ended up being about a 2 hour tour of the city! 

Just a shot of the famous "Dublin Doors"

A little Irish humor

One of the most photographed "Dublin Doors"

St. Patrick's Church

Just one shot of the many Guinness buildings...they own 64 hectares (158 acres) of land

The building with the green at the top...that's Bono's (U2) penthouse!

The Ha'Penny bridge - The first bridge built to cross the River Liffey which of course cost you a half penny to cross back in the day. Another note of the Irish humor, they have nicknames the River Liffey the "Floozy in the Jacuzzi" or the "Bride in the Tide"...who the heck knows why!?

Friday I spent the day at the beach...because this was the view from outside our hotel window!

It wasn't a particularly nice day to be able to lay out, but I have really missed being around the ocean!

And this just brought a smile to my face :o)

Tonico and I went in to Dublin Friday night to see a play called "Major Barbara" by Bernard Shaw. It was shown at the Abbey Theater which is quite historic in Dublin. It has been a while since we had gone to the theater so it was a nice treat. While I did enjoy it, I had a hard time understanding some of the British politics and humor, but Tonico really loved it. He's still talking about it!

Saturday morning Caroline took us to see the Newgrange Passage Tomb just north of the city. This site was built more than 5000 years ago! That's before the pyramids in Egypt! I call it a 'site' because no one really knows what it is. When it was excavated, they found human bones which would leave them to believe it was a tomb of some kind. It is also very interested because the way it is situated, during the summer and winter solstices, the sun aligns directly inside of the opening passage. It is very clear that this was done on purpose. We were able to go inside, though it is quite a small and narrow passage. There is a beauty about this place and not knowing what exactly it is, because you get to make up your own story. Definitely worth while and something we probably wouldn't have know about if she would not have suggested it!

That afternoon we had the fortunate luck of meeting up with a good family friend that Tonico has not seen in years. Miles and his girlfriend Aoife (Pronounced Eefa, the Irish version of Eva) are both PhD students at Trinity College, the major university in Dublin. They gave us an insiders look at the campus and got us in to see the Book of Kells in the main library. Apparently as students we could have jumped the line, but decided it was a nice day and we had lots of catching up to do! The building itself was so gorgeous! We couldn't take pictures of the Book of Kells but the upstairs library was almost more impressive!

Then of course we had Miles and Aoife take us around to some of their favorite pubs to do some much needed tasting :o) And before we left, of course we needed a group shot!

Sunday was our last day in Dublin so we headed out early the next morning and straight for the Guinness factory! Let me tell you, if you are ever in Dublin, it is 100% worth your while and your money! We were there all morning and even ended up having lunch there because there was so much to see and do! 

I like how he blends in :o)

This might have been one of the most interesting parts. They have video's showing how they used to make the old oak barrels. They only employed the most skilled at making the casks. It was so competitive that once you were hired, you went through an initiation...one of them being they would put you in a barrel and roll you around town!

I did not realize how cool the marketing for Guinness was. They had a whole floor dedicated to it!

And I tried my best to get this just right! Uhg, I have a ways to go!

In the tasting room, where you learn the proper way to taste a Guinness. I have only had one other Guinness in my life, when we were in Chicago for St. Patty's, and I remember I hated it. This, I'm happy to say, was not so bad!

Tonico went through the Guinness Academy to learn how to pour the perfect pint!

And passed!

And here we are enjoying our Guinness from the 360 degree gravity bar at the top! The views were amazing and the day was so clear!

After lunch we headed back into the city to the Gaiety Theater for a Riverdance performance. I definitely enjoyed the performance but was a bit bummed that it was such a small scale performance. When you see it on TV there are so many dancers and the stage is huge! This was only about 20 dancers and sometimes it looked almost like they all did not fit on the stage at the same time! It was so cool though and the music was fabulous! Tonico struggled to stay awake after his Guinness and some of mine, so I don't think he cared for it as much as I did!

All in all, it was a great trip! We have already said though, there is so much more we want to see and do, so another trip will definitely need to be planned! Until then, I leave you with an Irish folk song that I just cannot get out of my head!

Tonico and the infamous Molly Malone

In Dublin's fair city, 
Where the girls are so pretty,
I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone.
As she wheeled her wheel-barrow, 
Through streets broad and narrow, 
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh!"

The Town Hall Saga Continues

I'm realizing I'm not as good at this blogging thing as I had hoped! 

Things have begun to progress with our registration process. The police came to our apartment, as expected, but since we were not home they left a notice saying that we need to visit their station. (Now, explain this to me - the police make a visit to our apartment to make sure we are indeed living where we said we were and that we are not housing 20 illegal immigrants. But, if I am not home, rather than the police coming back to the apartment, we just have to go to the station. So my husband and I can go to the station and leave the other 20 individuals back at the apartment!?... I digress...) Upon arrival, we found out the town hall had only sent a form for Tonico's residency and not mine...so there may be another police visit coming in the near future! This was a pretty painless 30 minute venture and the man was strangely friendly! A positive note on this long journey!

Previously we made our second trip to the town hall. We live in the most disorganized section of Brussels! It's crazy because it is the capital of Belgium and they just cannot seem to get themselves together. There are security guards at the doors because things tend to get heated very often. We got to witness it first hand! Basically, when you visit the town hall you either have an appointment (by calling them and calling them for days or weeks!) or you can show up and take a number. Thankfully we had an appointment time, but the line for people just taking a number was super long! Well, we learned very quickly that just because you have an appointment for 11:30 am does not mean you will be seen at 11:30. We waited until about 12:30 before we were seen (to me, after seeing the number of people in that building, one hour was pretty good!). It was verrrry interesting though because as the clock inched closer to noon, one by one you could hear the individual windows slam shut. Once the first one closed the volume in the building soared! People were so upset and shouting at the woman behind the window who, in turn, shouted back! (we've really got to learn French!) All those people that were in line, who took numbers, were told they needed to leave because they were done seeing people for the day. They were going to lunch and would be back only to work on paper work and not to see any more people. Come back tomorrow! Things really started to heat up, lots of shouting and anger all around. Thankfully our person said she would stay until all of us with appointments were seen! VERY thankfully because Tonico's passport expired that day! You are only allowed to be in the country for 90 days before you need to leave. He had actually been in Belgium for 91 days. THANKFULLY they said they would backlog it seeing as the day before, they were on strike, so we wouldn't have even been able to visit the hall. 

SO, after that meeting, we've been running around getting copies of this and that and making sure all our ducks are in a row before our next visit. Our next visit, as I've been told, is when we will actually register and apply for our residency cards. This cannot happen until the police documents have been sent back to the town hall. So we are hopeful this process is nearing the end. We should have one final visit to the town hall then and that will simply be to pick up our residency cards. It seems to me, that if you go through all the trouble of sending the police to my apartment to make sure I live there, couldn't you just mail me the residency card!? :o) alas...there are many things here that just do not seem too logical...

On a lighter note, we have been rain-free for almost 3 weeks! However now it's getting dreadfully hot! Just like in the midwest, not many people have air conditioning because it is only hot a few days of each year. Well, living in basically the attic of this old building is getting a bit unbearable! But we are loving the freedom to go outside and enjoy the sights rather than being cooped up inside because of the constant rain. 

We are counting down the days until our next visitors! My best friend Jessica and her fiancee Matt will be joining us at the end of August! Hard to believe that's only about a month away! Tonico and I have been endlessly saying, "Oh we need to take Jessica & Matt here", "I think Jessica would love to do this", "Oh yea, Matt would love that"! So get ready you two because we are going to keep you busy the whole time you are here!!! We cannot wait to see you!!! (and Jessica I swear, we are taking a MILLION pictures together when you are here considering the last one we have is from my wedding almost 2 years ago!!!) 

The beautiful couple! So excited to spend some much needed time together before you two make the leap to say "I do" 

And last but not least, I must wish a slightly early birthday to my big sister Betsy! She's going to be the big 3-0 this year! I had this wonderful plan to send her a big box of Belgian chocolates, shipped directly from here to her front door. The chocolate shop proceeded to crush my dreams by saying I was crazy for wanting to send chocolate in the middle of summer. So I thought, I will call her house and talk to her husband and see if he had any suggestions. Instead I spoke to her 10 year old...which is never a boring conversation! Aydin said he'd probably just give his mom a big hug. Since I can't do that, he said "I don't know, maybe some wine?" He knows his mother too well :o) I'm still stumped, and only have a day to figure it out! In the mean time, I just wanted to let her know how much I love and miss her! We have had our ups and downs throughout life (what 2 sisters haven't!?) but these past few years, we have gotten older and realized the importance of having each other in our lives. Being so far away now has made it even more clear. So, happy birthday big sister! To 30+ more years! And I can only hope I look as good at 30 as you! Are you sure you're not turning 20!? Love you!!!

 (again, haven't had a photo together since my wedding!)

Our First Visitors!!!

This past weekend, Tonico and I were SO happy to be able to meet up with my Aunt Linda (my Dad's sister) and Uncle Bill. About a year or so ago, they planned a month long cruise up the Danube and Rhine/Rhone rivers throughout Europe. At the end of the trip, they elected to spend a few extra days in Brugge and Brussels - again, LONG before we knew we were moving here. Once we announced we were moving, they immediately insisted we join them while they were "in town"! 

Friday morning Tonico and I took the train to Brugge, Belgium. This is our first time taking the train outside of Brussels so we were excited to learn about a new mode of transportation! It was so easy! For 27 euro, you get a round trip ticket to Brugge, which is almost exactly 1 hour from Brussels. It was a smooth ride and quite comfortable, aside from the family with 5 small children next to us who did not seem to care about their children running up and down the isles and being quite loud. Oh well, we were on our way to see family! 

We met up with Linda & Bill for lunch and gosh, I cannot even begin to explain how wonderful it was to see them! For them as well, after being away from family for 30 days, they said it was equally refreshing! The weather was ABSOLUTELY gorgeous on Friday so we found a restaurant with outside seating and settled in to do some much needed catching up! They had so much to share with us about their travels and the trip sounded just amazing! Unfortunately, because of the bad rains that Europe has been getting, more specifically in Germany and below, they had to get off of the water and  take the rest of the trip by motor coach. As you can imagine, some people were very unhappy about not being on the water anymore, but we just really admired their positive outlook on the situation!

After lunch we walked around Brugge taking in all of it's beauty. The entire city center of Brugge is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to Wikipedia, A UNESCO World Heritage site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance. It is just breath-taking at every turn! 

We visited the Church of Our Lady which is currently under heavy construction. Even through all the dust, we were able to catch a glimpse of the "Madonna and Child", which I believe it one of the only Michelangelo statues outside of Italy.

This picture is so far away and blurry and does not due the statue justice, it was beautiful!

We stopped before dinner at a great little bar that showcases hundreds of Belgian beers with their corresponding glass on their "Beer Wall". We grabbed some drinks and found a table overlooking one of the canals. Bill was sporting his Wisconsin Badger's polo and of course, we met some people from Wisconsin! So, we all bonded over, naturally, beer and cheese!

At the bar that looks out on to the canal

Bill showcasing his favorite beer, Zot! (we're still deciding how to pronounce it!)

We took a carriage ride around Brugge, but forgot to get a picture inside the carriage, so we got this one, post carriage ride. Right in the center of Brugge. 

On Saturday morning, we made our way to Brussels! Tonico and I were so excited to share our city with Linda & Bill - show them our apartment, our favorite restaurants and all the sites in between. This would be our last full day with them, and we would head back to Brugge with them Saturday night. They would leave early Sunday morning for the airport and we would spend Sunday touring around Brugge some more. Unfortunately, Tonico and I were so excited about the day, we forgot our apartment keys back at the hotel in Brugge! We were so bummed that we were not able to show them our new home, but I guess that's life! We continued to show them around our neighborhood and then took them down to the main city center of Brussels where all of the historical and beautiful buildings are. We went to the Chocolate Museum, showed them the Manneken Pis, and walked around to several different churches. It seems Tonico and I did not take any pictures of our day in Brussels, but I know Linda has some!

Two days just with them was just not enough! We could have spent 10 more days with them catching up, learning about their travels, and just bonding. Coming from large families, Tonico and I really miss sharing strong connections with our Aunt's and Uncle's. It was so nice to learn so much about Linda and Bill - their adventurous and positive spirits have really inspired us and we are hopeful that when we return to the US, we can join them on some of their wonderful trips! Thanks for a great visit, we miss you already! 

Now we look forward to a visit from my very best friend and her fiancée in August!!! 

The Madness!

I guess it's been quite a while since I last posted but it seems that life in Brussels ends up just as mundane as life anywhere else in the world. The newness starts to wear off, things become familiar and your routine is set. And just when it seems that life is starting to mellow out, life throws another curve ball your way. My curve ball comes in the form of the commune/town hall. 

Yesterday I got an email from our relocation agent saying she had finally gotten an 'invitation' from the commune for us to visit....uh, tomorrow (as in TODAY). Could we be there at 11:30!? Well of course we could any other week, but Tonico is in France for work until Thursday night. So, I ask if it's possible for just me to attend. She was unsure but said it was better than nothing to just arrive at the time, meet another of the relocation agents, Elfie, at the commune and hope for the best! 

The meeting was so stressful and I am not really even sure what happened! Elfie asked if it was possible that I begin the registration process given that my husband is out of town. He says no, then later maybe, then no and by the time we left he said he would work with his boss to get Tonico's paperwork moving as he only has a week and a half left before his passport runs out. (You are only allowed to be in Brussels for 3 months without being registered. If he does not get registered in 3 months he will have to go back to the US and then return). Elfie assured me that as long as the paperwork gets started before the three month mark, we would be fine. 

So now Tonico and I both need to go back to the commune on Monday. They gave me another list of documents I need to provide them with and Tonico has a few things to sign. I need to go to another office this week to get our lease 'registered'....they sure like having you 'register/apostille/verify' every document you've ever been given! Now, this may not seem like that stressful of a situation, but when everyone is speaking French, and you are just being told bits and pieces, it's stressful! And our Monday appointment, at this point, is not guaranteed. Hopefully Monday will prove to be just a 'successful' (again, Elfie's words) as today was!

Here's a little glimpse at the amount of paperwork involved

In other news:

I have been taking French classes every Monday/Wednesday evening for 2 hours. I only have 3 classes left and feel like I have SO far to go! The language is tough! I cannot decide if knowing Spanish is helping or hurting my progress in the class. A lot of words are spelt the same or are similar but are pronounced COMPLETELY different! I find myself speaking Franish (French/Spanish) often in class! But, for starting at zero, I am starting to recognize a lot of phrases and words when I hear people talking around me, and that is a success in my book!

Tonico and I had the luck of being able to do some traveling last weekend to the Alsace wine region of France. It was about a 4 hour drive from Brussels and truthfully, for all my NC peeps, it felt like driving up I-77 with rolling hills and lush, beautiful foliage all around us. It was a very nostalgic drive for us and really made me miss our other home! 

We decided to stay in Strasbourg, France and then do day trips up and down the "Rue du Vin" or "Wine Route". But sometimes the best laid plans....you know...do not always go as planned! Friday night we checked in to our 'no frills hostel' (as we were trying to do our trip on a budget). The place was a mess! I am not one that needs to stay in a 5 star hotel but when you walk in to a building that smells and a room that makes you start to itch uncontrollably as soon as you walk in, you know it won't be good! We somehow toughed it out Friday night, but decided to cut our losses and change to another hotel for Saturday night. Also, Friday night we went to a restaurant and wouldn't you know, our waitress was from Minnesota! She said she studied abroad in Strausbourg in college and loved it so much she came back to stay! Well, Tonico and I are not sure what she loved so much, it's just a sleepy little town, but it sure was nice to share something in common! 

Saturday we hit the road to find some wine! We drove to the end of the "Rue du Vin" to a little village called Colmar. We parked and walked in to what I can only describe as a little dream village. All the houses and buildings were the same style and it just seemed like something out of a movie, not a real life place where people lived and worked! 

It was an absolutely beautiful day (which does not happen EVER in Brussels) so we took advantage by pulling up a chair outside at the local restaurant, got a couple glasses of wine, and just enjoyed our surroundings!

 Well, I thought we were getting glasses, until Tonico said he ordered half liters instead!

Just a picture in front of a canal in Colmar

After Colmar, we drove to a cute little town called Riquewihr. This town was even more picturesque with beautiful flowers everywhere! Even the drive to the town was beautiful with vineyards all around!

Tonico got a lot of good pictures on our big camera, but I haven't downloaded those yet! Here we stopped in to several different shops that offer wine tastings from their local vineyards. This wine region is known for their white grapes that make Riesling, Gewurtztraminer and Pinot Gris. The first place we went to was Hugel & Fils. We got to taste as much as we wanted and even got to taste some verrry expensive bottles! It's amazing the difference in taste! I certainly would not say that the more expensive the bottle, the better the wine, but there is just a very different taste after the grapes have aged. After the first tasting they all started to blend together...so we had to buy some bottles so we could really remember and enjoy!

We are ready for our visitors!

Memorial Day Tribute

It's crazy how we can get caught up in the shuffle of daily life and just like that, the years have flown by. This afternoon, as I read the Facebook and Twitter updates of people thanking their troops, I couldn't help but think of my own family and friends who have fought for our freedom.

It has been almost 3 1/2 years since the day my brother returned from his 12 month tour in Iraq. The longest 12 months I can ever remember. I think about how fortunate we were to be able to communicate, almost daily, thanks to the wonderful world wide web. I often stop and think about how families did it during times of war before the internet...I always say I could never do it, it would be too hard not knowing if they are safe...alive...I just cannot imagine. The strength you must need to trust that everything will be ok is something I cannot fathom.

I remember the day like it was yesterday. I was riding my bike to school one morning, my head in a cloud because my Aunt Sue - my other mother - was admitted into the hospital the night before for some pretty serious health issues. All I wanted was to be home with her, not in La Crosse finishing up with finals and my undergraduate career. All I could think about was her, hoping she would get better soon and that her daughter, my best friend and cousin's wedding was only about a week and a half away.

My phone was in my front pocket that morning, because it was easy to reach while pedaling, just in case there was more news about Sue. My phone rang, but it wasn't Sue, it was Brian. He only had just a minute, but just wanted to say he was officially leaving (he had been in Texas as the first part of his tour). I will never fully be able to describe that feeling - I just sat at the stop sign wondering what to do next. The world seemed to continue on while I couldn't seem to move. Somehow I made it to campus that day but not for very long...my heart and my head needed to be at home - or the hospital rather - with family.

The days, weeks and months that B was gone were hard. Many a night my sister and I would call each other when the tears just wouldn't go away - somehow we were always able to calm the other down, pretty much laughing at each other by the end.

The last weeks before he came home were the WORST! He was somewhere in Kuwait, just waiting....he said he would watch other groups come in and leave, while his group still sat and waited. We finally got word that his plane would be coming in to Volk Field - I think it was supposed to be Saturday...then it was Sunday...and finally, the official Monday, January 18th 2010 - MLK Day, at around 5am. The night before, a much healthier version of my Aunt Sue (yay!) and cousin Hanna, stayed up making, in our opinion, the BEST signs. Laughing and sharing memories of B and talking about how much we just couldn't wait to see him!

I'm pretty sure I didn't sleep a wink that night. We left the house at about 3am to make sure we were there when the plane landed - apparently for security reasons they really can't say exactly when they would arrive. It was a cold, January morning, but the best January morning! When we saw that plane in the distance, the screams and cheers from family and friends was deafening and yet, extremely calming. He was finally home!

Hanna showcasing one of the signs

Aunt Sue Sue

So proud of my little brother - who teaches me every day to not take life too seriously

 Not the greatest family photo - but we were happy all the same :o)

So happy Memorial Day to all those who serve and have served our country - and to the families who love and support their soldiers!!! Especially to you, B. I am so proud of the person you are today - a loving brother, son, uncle, boyfriend and now Daddy. :o)

Now I'm off to my first French class of the summer! I'm nervous and excited all at the same time! 

Ciao!

And the Process has Begun!

In order to live and work in Brussels, we must become residents of the city. To do that, we must register ourselves with the town hall. Brussels is a very large city, so there are several different postal codes that section off the city. We were warned from the beginning to stay away from code 1000 - just do it they said. Well wouldn't ya know, here we are in postal code 1000 because we found such a great place!

Map Relocations, the company we have been working with on all things related to - imagine this - our relocation has finally begun helping us get this process started. Yesterday I had to venture outside of the city to meet the agent, Cindy, at her office. I followed the directions given to me by Google Maps as far as utilizing public transportation, thought I was going to lose it when I couldn't find the correct place to get on the bus, but I made it!

The first step in the process is to get all of our documents "apostilled". I am really not sure what this exactly means, but basically they need to have the Belgian consulate in the US verify that the documents we provide them are certified from the US government. Both our marriage certificate and our FBI background checks (it was awesome, we got fingerprinted down at the police station in Charlotte one morning) need to have this certification. Because our relocation happened so quickly, we were unaware of these things and thus were not able to have them "apostilled" before we left the US. Thankfully the woman I met with yesterday at Map is going to send them back to the US for us!

She said she will send copies, for now, to the town hall so that they know we have begun the process. Technically you are supposed to be fully registered with the town hall within 3 months of your arrival. Well Tonico is coming up on that date, so it's time to get things going!

Tonico is finishing up a week of work in Italy, so this afternoon we had a 3 way conversation with Cindy about what the next steps are. She sent over the documents to the Town Hall. Now, we wait for them to email her back with an appointment date. This will be our first visit, they call it "declaration of arrival" and should only take about 30 minutes or less. Then, in the next week or two, the police will make a stop at our apartment to ensure that we indeed live where we said we did and that we are not living with 20 other people - seems absurd but apparently that happens more than you'd think in Belgium!

Once the police have verified our living situation, they relay that message back to the town hall. Then we will wait for our second "invitation" from the hall to visit and do the actual registration which can take up to an hour and a half. Thankfully, Cindy or another representative will accompany us on our visits to the town hall to help with translation and such!

Now, this all seems relatively simple, but Cindy reiterated with us several times that at 1000 Brussels, you never know! They apparently have security all over the town hall because things can get very heated. They change their policies, or have little things they require from us that they didn't from someone else, etc (another reason the agent will come with us). She also said it is likely this process can take at least a month but more than likely about 3 months! So we are in for a long one!

Keep your fingers crossed that things go as smoothly as possible!

Frequently Asked Questions

This post is dedicated to my Favorite Aunt Pat (and to all the aunt's saying "What!?" I say, you are my Favorite Aunt fill in your name here) and loving god-mother :o) She had suggested I do a blog post of the most frequently asked questions since I have been here and gave me a few to start out!

1. How are you liking it in Brussels?
Brussels has been pretty great so far! I am not going to lie, I was and am still very homesick for family and friends - but I cannot waste my time being sad and lonely or this whole experience is going to be ruined! Tonico and I have spent a little bit of time exploring the different areas of Brussels but we still have so much to see and do! 

The second week I was here, there was a national holiday on a Wednesday so Tonico did not have to work. His boss had lent us his company car while he was away on vacation, so we decided on a whim to leave town and head to Amsterdam. Tonico had been a few times before so it would be a great place for him to show me around. They also just welcomed a new King so the whole city was decked out in Orange - their national color - and people were everywhere!

We were only there for the day but we were able to walk around much of the city and take in the uniqueness of it all. I am not sure how many of you have been to Amsterdam but it is a very interesting city - they love their pot and their sex! Tonico and I have started a tradition of buying magnets from all the different cities we visit and it was quite the culture shock to walk in to the tourist shops to see most magnets covered in XXX, topless women, joints or a combination of the three! 

While their culture is much different than anything I have ever been exposed to, the city is absolutely beautiful and one I would definitely like to visit again! (Mainly b/c they have my favorite restaurant from Charlotte, it's called Vapiano and it's amazing!!!!)

2. How easy is it to get around in Europe?
Our trip to Amsterdam took us about 2 hours by car - probably only 1 hour by train but since we had the car, and the gas was paid for by the company, we took advantage!

Belgium, I have heard said, is only about the size of Maryland. With it being located between Germany, France and the Netherlands, it's only about an hour to each of the boarders if not less. The public transportation system makes it super easy to hop on a train to most any destination. 

We ventured to Germany last weekend stopping in Liege, Belgium for breakfast and a walk around the city square, then Aachen, Germany for an early afternoon beer. Here's a fast fact that I love: Every beer here in Belgium/Germany has their own special glass - always. Not like in the US where you get your first Stella in a challis and each subsequent one in a plain pint glass!

Tonico does a great job of showcasing the glass for the Franzikaner beer - my favorite so far

After our beers in Aachen, we headed to Cologne to see the Cathedral - we decided not to do a guided tour of the cathedral but you can go inside and walk around the main floors. I read online you can walk up to the top of the steeple, 509 steps, but I guess we were not up for it after our beers!

We are really bad at getting pictures while we are out and about! The top picture was taken from a little cafe that had some of the best desserts - which of course I had to eat before I even thought to take a picture!

 We ended the night in Dusseldorf - thanks to Tonico's frequent stays at the Marriott, we were able to book a hotel for free for the night. We walked around Dusseldorf that evening with our jaws dropped probably 95% of the time. Having done little to no research on Dusseldorf before arriving, we were stunned as we walked up and down Königsallee which means "Kings Avenue". We saw countless Astin Martin's, Rolex, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, etc.  Another culture shock but very cool to people watch in such a busy and affluent place!

3. What is the weather like there?
To preface this question, I have to say that Tonico warned "It's just like Seattle" - rain, rain, rain. Normally I hate rain, but if that's what it is going to be like all the time, I better make the most of it = new rain coat and rain boots!

Once I got here, and for many days after, the weather was b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l! Sunny skies, warmish temperatures, not a drop of rain in sight! But the landlord warned, you never want to leave the apartment with the windows open because in one day, there could be 4 seasons. I just could not believe it!

And then....last Wednesday evening that all changed! Since then, it has rained at least 4 times a day - sometimes a soft, light rain and then later in the day a thunderstorm. The temperatures have dropped to the 40's and it's been super windy. 

Here's the future cast for the rest of the week....and if you were able to keep scrolling, that keeps going until at least next Monday!

4. What was your first impression of your new home?
I still do not believe that I live here. This city is so beautiful but European life is so different. I feel like I am on an extended vacation while my husband works his butt off! He has been so wonderful in helping get me acclimated to this new life - though there is still a long way to go. I certainly could not have made this move without his constant encouragement and support that indeed I can make a new life in Brussels!

And now, the job search begins....stay tuned!