Tags: #Art, #belgiancoast, #Covid19, #kidfriendlyactivity, #Kids, #oostende, #openairmuseum, #ostend, #Wanderin'
Crystal Ship Street Art Walking Tour
We were on a mission. With three kids during COVID in semi-lockdown in Belgium, an extra week of Easter ‘vacation’, and the vaccine roll-out going painfully slow. . . what were we to do? How could we entertain the kids while still being wary of social distancing rules? We’ve made our library visits a weekly occurrence. We’ve scootered/biked/walked all over town. We’ve done the museum-reservation-thing which is okay but my museum-savvy kids become a little reckless when they can’t interact with the exhibits. While the whole of Belgium flocked to the coast last weekend, temperatures turned colder and yesterday we
Taste of Freedom
“I can’t even imagine. . .” my friend says to me as we weave our six children across the road – dodging bikes, buses, and cars. The De Valk windmill – the symbol of Leiden – towers above our chaos with indifference. My friend has just returned to the Netherlands after a five year stay in America. We met years ago when we both lived in the Netherlands and had only four kids between us. When she messaged me a few months ago announcing her family’s plans to return I did a little happy dance. I’ve found that American Moms
Puppy Love
The minutes tick by on the dash. “Where are we going? Where are we going?” our children chant from the back seats. “Nowhere, yet,” my husband mumbles. “And don’t say anything, in case we don’t make it on time,” the GPS estimated arrival time edges closer to our destination’s closing time. “You think I don’t know that?” I roll my eyes but release an anxious breath. The sun is blinding as it descends during rush hour traffic. “Don’t worry,” I whisper. “We’ll make it,” and I pat my husband’s hand. “And if we don’t, well. It just wasn’t meant to
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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