Citadelpark

Month: April 2017

Citadelpark

Citadelpark

My footfalls beat on the gravely asphalt. I’ve escaped my three children for a bit, leaving them in our temporary apartment with my husband. Running was a habit I picked back up after moving to Texas. In Leiden, I exhausted myself daily just biking or walking my kids around town. Once I moved back to Texas, I was determined to continue biking my kids to school. (Despite the rolling-down-of-windows-wave “Hey? Do you need a ride?” questions from other well-meaning Moms in mini-vans.) I eventually gave up once the temperatures headed into the 90s. We still played outside or went to

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Speelgoed (Toy) Museum

Speelgoed (Toy) Museum

“Ah, did you have the Fisher Price tape recorder, too?” I ask my husband, my fingers pointing at the ‘relic’ behind the glass. “Of course!” he grins back at me. The childhood memory floods my brain – “Yes, I had one of those Cozy Coupes – you know, the red car with the yellow top? The tape player fit perfectly in the slot in the back. I always listened to Michael Jackson’s Thriller tape.” and he just laughs.                   We’re at the Toy Museum in Mechelen, Belgium. Our daughter’s Belgian school had

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Train World

Train World

Years ago, my family and I visited the Transportation Museum in London. Together we traced the progression of movement in the city from horse and carriages to red double-decker buses. We climbed aboard Downton Abby-like trains and into shiny taxi cabs. It was an experience enjoyed by the entire family.      Perusing through the local guidebooks from Belgium, we came across the Train World museum in Schaerbeek, just outside of Brussels. On a chilly afternoon during the kids’ Christmas break, we thought we’d go and check it out.      Nestled in the art deco neighborhood, we found the museum parking

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Gravensteen Castle

Gravensteen Castle

Torture chambers, spears, swords, and authentic suits of armor. Enormous wooden doors laden with ancient metal hardware. Gray stone walls – impossible to penetrate, the place where prisoners met their deaths, and fantastic views of the city. It’s Gent’s own Gravensteen Castle. Our first week in Gent, we set out to explore the city. The grand castle in the middle of the city was a no-brainer on the “must visit” list. We walked up to the grand structure, flags on the top of the towers flapping in the wind. The rates for the museum were 10 Euros for adults and

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Mussels

Mussels

Confession: Belgians eat a lot of mussels. Like, steamed in a pot with a sauce. And there’s about 100 different sauces to choose from. Additional confession: After living here eight months, I still haven’t tried them

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