Antwerp was the last leg on our tour of Belgium before heading to Amsterdam. It’s a short train ride from Ghent, and it’s possible to see almost everything in a day. Antwerp is home to one of the biggest ports in the world, renown for its shipping; it’s the second largest in Europe. It’s also got quite an interesting backstory to its name.
Train travel is really cheap in Belgium; only €8 per trip. We decided to take a day trip to Bruge, or Brugge (Flemish name), which is a 30 minute train ride from Ghent. Bruges is like a city stuck in medieval times, with a lot of the same architectural vibes as Ghent, but with more of a small town feel.
Of the four Belgian cities we visited, Ghent was my favorite. It’s not too big that you don’t feel like you get a feel of the city. It’s not too small where you find yourself bored after a few hours. There is beautiful architecture everywhere and such rich history. Belgium is a hidden gem in Europe, and Ghent is a must-see.
One of my favorite things about Europe is the ease and cost of high-speed train travel. After our rainy experience in Luxembourg, we boarded a train to Brussels, Belgium. The train tickets only cost €21 because we are under 26. Yay youth discounts! Two hours later, we were walking the streets of sunny Brussels.
I was nervous to fly and didn’t sleep much. There was a plane crash the week before, so I was freaked out. Luckily, our flight took off and landed safely. The only problems I had were the turbulence and the guys jabbing his elbows into me throughout the flight. We arrived to a rainy, cold Luxembourg. Being typical Erika, I left my umbrella in Spain.
Tip: If you are going to visit Luxembourg, do it when it’s sunny. And don’t go on a Sunday.
I made my way to the train station to catch a train to the airport. Drunken young adults were coming back from their Thursday night out. Meanwhile, I was searching for McDonald’s for a quick breakfast and some caffeine. I met up with my travel partners at the airport and in less than an hour and a half, we landed in Lyon, France.
If you ever find yourself in western Germany, I highly recommend a trip to Cologne, or Köln, in German. Hometown of Heidi Klum and the Köln Dom, it’s a great day trip! From Dusseldorf it’s about a 30 to 45 minute drive. We parked on the outside of town and took a train into the city.
During my junior year of high school, we had a German exchange student in our school. I was lucky to have sat next to her on the first day of class. I always loved asking her about how things are different in Germany. Since I was over in Europe, I thought it would be cool to see if I could visit her for a few days. She agreed and so it was off to explore a new country!
After a short night’s sleep from New Year’s, I hopped on a train and a plane and headed for Dusseldorf, Germany.
We’re kind of spoiled in the US. Theaters and grocery stores are still often open on major holidays. Even public transportation still operates. That is not the case for much of Europe. Stores and museums begin closing early on Christmas Eve and hardly anything is open on Christmas Day. We still managed to make the most of our time, preferring to get out and explore instead of staying in the apartment doing nothing.
If you know me, I’m a pretty big Real Madrid fan. I get a lot of flack from my Barça friends, but I don’t care. Hala Madrid! After settling into our apartment and grabbing some food, we jumped into a cab and headed toward the Santiago Bernabéu. A smile came to my face just by saying those words.
We stepped out of the cab and WOW. There it was. It was massive and grand and wonderful. I can’t even begin to imagine what the atmosphere is like on game days. I was finally getting to live out a dream.