Netherlands

When life's a mess, let me immerse myself in moments of joy from the distant past.

Crappy crappy photos from a visit that was rushed and hectic. But I was so happy to be there. So happy. This is the Dick Bruna House in Utrecht.









There is not a single shot of Amsterdam worthy of posting. But.. it should occupy some space on the Netherlands post nonetheless. These will suffice- a market in the city, and outskirts of the red light district where photography is still permitted. Red Light District was quite worth the trip. Call it crazy. Call it free. Call it Amsterdam.










Nemo of Amsterdam. Not a small cute fish, but the largest science center in the Netherlands.



My other highlight of the trip: visiting Zaansche Schans to see the original windmills. Thanks to Bjorn for the wonderful recommendation.





Moments that cracked me up in this rural town/park.. We got quite lost looking for the sign directing us to the ferry. No wonder we had a hard time looking for it when it's THIS small.



Other definitions of rural.




Sporadic weather hit us again. It was sunny during our entire trip until the end when it down-poured. But the sun came out again, rewarding us with a double rainbow.



So I guess life's not bad. Just need to walk through the downpour for the rainbow.

1991

A break from my crappy photos.
Found a birthday card dated back to 1991.
Unbelievably accurate.



面白い。

In Bruges

A small town in Belgium. A medieval town.. with 4 windmills at the outskirt of the town.

The Market in Bruges.

By day and by night. Crooked with no tripod.

Street pics of a town where one can close the tour guide and just enjoy the environment.

Canals run through the town. A certain tranquility comes with water.

A statue. Bruges Statue.

A more famous statue. Madonna by Michelangelo, inside Our Lady's Church.

In Bruges.. in Bruges. Transport me back to Bruges.

Brussels, Belgium

Seems so long ago but in reality it has just been a bit more than a month. This is Brussels.. the first stop of my first trip by myself, and certainly it won't be my last, if I can help it. It was painful to make my way from the north train station to the hostel.. Despite the google map printed, I still got lost for about 10 minutes, in hot weather (at least 28 degrees that day) and with somewhat heavy luggage. Anyone who knows me would know I am directionally challenged.

My first stop: The Grand'Place, or Grote Markt, or Market Square. Breath-taking!

Streets around the Market Square.. lots of chocolate shops and tourist traps.

The Saint Hubertus Gallery nearby.

Also close to the market is the Stock Exchange Centre.

Chinatown? An area with a lot of Asian shops and restaurants.. Felt right at home.

Some street pics.. a blend of modern and historical? A yellow streetcar.

Some bad pics of the Palace of Justice. It's HUGE.

Capital of €urope? =\ This is outside the parliament.

Random park..

Time for churches! The Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula.

Saint Catherine's Church.

Lastly, also my last stop in Brussels - the Atomium! It was the site of Expo '58.

What I liked best about Brussels: Grote Markt, chocolate, beer, waffles, mussels, and amazing street musicians.
What I liked least about Brussels: Random guys who'll just start talking to you on the streets. Lesson learned: avoid eye contact and keep walking!