European pictures.

My visit to Belgium, France, and Holland was made great by the hospitality of some dear friends.

My friend Gilbert picked me up in Brussels and took me to his home and family in Mons.  He drove me all around Belgium and into France.  I stayed several days longer than I had originally planned because of their amazing hospitality.

Gilbert and his family

Gilbert and me in his background


A brass guardhouse monkey in the Mons on the Grand Place.  Rubbing with left hand for good luck.



There is beer in Belgium.  My surprise was when we visited family and friends I would be served beer in the appropriate glass designed for the beer.

Bar in Mons made from old copper brewing equipment

Selection of some beers available

There are also waffles in Belgium.

Different options for waffles


This picture does not give justice to the shale hill that my friend and I climbed in his attempt to kill me or something on my first full day in Europe.  We did a lot of hiking during our visit.



Vincent van Gogh had two houses around Mons.




I met Emily, the daughter of a friend, in Lille France.  We spent the day there with Emily serving as tour guide.

Emily and Gilbert in Lille, France


One of the many statues to prove I was there.


Gilbert and I visited Bruges and Ostend.  We also visited Waterloo.

Training ship in Ostend

Lion at Waterloo - 225 steps to the top
No surprise, 225 steps down as well


I spent a few days on my own in Brussels.  There are a peeing boy, a peeing girl, and a peeing dog statues in Brussels.  I did not look for the dog.    

Required photo for Brussels

Equal opportunity statue in Brussels



The Atomium is designed to represent on atom of iron, built for the 1958 Expo.

Atomium

One of the long escalators down the Atomium - this one with moving lights to heighten the experience down


At some point I might try a next step of the Camino de Santiago - but I doubt I will start at this Church in Brussels unless I have a lot of time an a bicycle.





There is a lot of comic art in Brussels.  This one is of an artist painting a scene of the background.



I traveled to the Netherlands / Holland, to visit my friend Carmen on the last part of my trip.  I met Carmen during one of her volunteer trips to Ghana.  She is a nurse and works part time in Holland and then spends her time helping others in the Upper West
. 

Waiting in a train station with Carmen


We visited the area around her town Breda and Amsterdam.



I made it on the last weekend of the tulips at the Keukenhof

Carmen shopping for flowers

Amsterdam

View of 7 bridges from the canal boat tour Amsterdam


Rembrandt's Amsterdam home is lost, but art remains

Next Step


The next step that I'm focused on is of course - Eastern Caribbean.  I'm in the middle of packing and getting ready to leave on Sunday for staging in Miami and then leaving on Tuesday to start training on St. Lucia  .  I'll try to complete a post on packing before I go and then there will likely be limited time to blog during training - so it might be a few months before I get to site and start blogging again (presuming internet at site).  Thanks for your patience.

Love always,
John

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