Kouter Flower Market
A concrete slab. Construction lining the concrete slab. An ornate pavilion overlooking the concrete slab. That’s what I knew of the Kouter Square. We’d been to Gent a handful of times when we lived in the Netherlands, and had always parked in the garage below. We took the elevator with the stroller and wandered into the city from this central location. We lived in Gent for a month before settling in Antwerp. We packed up the kids one Sunday morning and headed into town via tram to explore the many markets the Gent guidebooks and websites listed. We stepped off
Naturalis
A robot Tyrannosaurus Rex howls, his thick neck stretching towards the imaginary night sky. Red blood covers his pointed teeth and jaws. He finishes the terrifying growl then ducks his head back into his dinner. Red guts are spilling from the body of the Triceratops as it lies limp on it’s side. “Geez man, way to get graphic, Europe,” I whisper to my husband, between the disgusted groans and giggles from my children. The Naturalis in Leiden was one of our favorite museums to visit when we lived in the Netherlands. It’s a short walk from the Leiden train station
Choco-Story
Bruges is a city that never disappoints – it’s beautiful and quaint. It’s full of chocolate shops, museums, and cute pubs to grab a Belgian beer. Or two. It is touristy, but with three kids, sometimes it’s nice to play the American tourist card (as opposed to the local-who’s-supposed-to-know-what-they’re-doing card. Just sayin’) Plus, the city has a french fry AND chocolate museum. In short, it’s perfect for the whole fam. We ventured off to Bruges just a few weeks after landing in Belgium. We’d visited the city many times before, during our previous expat experience when living in the Netherlands,
ChocAlicious
The rickety tram dings a tiny bell, and pedestrians scurry from its path. Sunlight gleams between buildings and dances off windows. People of all ages climb the ancient stairs of this number four tram, cast glimmers of smiles at each other as they pass. The sun seems to have energized the entire city, despite frozen kisses the wind pecks on our cheeks. I glance between the beauty of Antwerp, with its art deco and art nouveau architecture fanning both sides of the tram tracks, and my WhatsApp messages on my phone. I have a group of old girlfriends in the
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
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
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
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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