Ghent Reunion!

The train station's ceiling

We felt truly honored when Grace and Eleanor called to invite us to join them in Ghent on Monday. They had arrived Sunday night and wanted to share its incredible cuteness with us!

Starting to feel expert at this, we hopped on the tram, Florence got the train tickets (in French!) at the station, and we took the express to Ghent. The fellow at the station was lovely and helped us with our language and got us the most economical tram tickets to the center, where we were greeted with churches! And Gothic fritty buildings! And piazzas of people milling around! And canals! And much, much charm.

Another view of the train station

We met the girls at the castle. This confection is to a large extent the invention of 19th-century renovators, who took a building that was mostly ruined and due for demolition, removed the clutches of houses and other buildings that had been grafted like cancerous growths onto its walls, extended the walls back to their (imagined) "original" height and look, and created all sorts of exhibits inside.

Inside the castle

Now, I have to say that it is absolutely fabulous. A rambling, crazy collection of rooms. High ceilings. Authentic weapons and other lovely items. Seeing the before-and-after photos, though, the renovators had to rely on imagination as much as anything. Think Disney meets 11th-century (done with high-quality workmanship and materials, mind you), and you'll be about right.

After conferring with the ticket seller, we ended up at the grocery store for lunch! They had a delightful lunch on the first floor (second floor for Americans) for about a third of other places, cafeteria style, with a glass wall overlooking a Place and pretty views! Score! Double score: they sold Dutch licorice!

We LOVED this wooden bike!

Stomachs consoled, we were off again to explore churches and belfries and the other offerings of the city. Grace, Florence, and I were treated to an a cappella performance in one of the churches...just lovely! We wandered around, found Ghent's inside mall (HUGE) because I saw yarn! Wool! Heaven! Having bought my souvenirs (some yummy cottons), we were off again.

Thought this facade was wonderful

Funny story: we were ready for a little snack, and decided it was time for tea and waffles or something. Having checked the menu for prices at a little tea room, we had just decided to sit down, when it turned out that the fellows running it were...Italian! I have a secret for you: I love many, many things about Italy and the Italians. But if I may make a gross generalization, Italians do not know how to make waffles or tea. They brought me (I kid you not) hot water with a bag of Lipton's. Those who know me know also that I don't hate Lipton's, I truly loathe it. Bleah. I palmed it off onto Jeremy.

Our Italian tea room...nifty architecture, too!

On a brighter note, we were able to sit outside, they did a lovely job on the pancakes (think crepes), and we had a gay old time swapping notes about Italy: it turns out that they're from Foligno! Remember Foligno? That's where I had the rally just a few weeks ago!

Time for us to leave the girls again. Distributing hugs and kisses freely, we were back in the tram to get to the train to get to the tram to walk home!

Love,


Alexandra