Day 6 (December 22)

Blackberry Belgian Waffles

We woke up at 8 A.M to get an early start on the day. We were all very excited for our activity today. We wanted a quick breakfast at the hotel, so we went down to the mini breakfast buffet. Pierce had a blackberry Belgian waffle with sausage, Max had chocolate pancakes with bacon, and Yuval, Trevor, and Will had had scrambled eggs with sausage patties. After our filling breakfast, we called two taxis at 9:30 A.M to go to Gravensteen Castle (History). It was a long drive, and on the way there Yuval and Trevor played FIFA Mobile. It usually resulted in Trevor having the upper hand of one goal and then Yuval would make one great play and beat Trevor. We also shared stories. The most notable one was Pierce's story. He told us that once he was a striker on a team named the Fireballs. To make the story short, the ball hit his hand in such a weird angle that it broke his index finger, middle finger, and thumb. He had to wear a cast for two months.

Gravensteen Castle

Once we arrived at the castle at 12:00 A.M, we were all astonished by how huge it was. It looked very aged and medieval because of the architecture and the mote partially surrounding it. Once we got inside, we learned a little about the place. Nicknamed Castle of the Counts, it was built in 1180 by Count Philip of Alsace and was modeled after a crusaders castle. Before it was constructed a wooden castle stood in its place. From 1346 to 1384, it was used as a place for torture. The castle served as a seat for the Counts of Flanders until it was abandoned in the 14th century. After this, it was used as a courthouse and prison before it eventually decayed. People built houses against the walls and at one time it served as a factory. At the end of the 19th century, the castle was renovated. 

Gravensteen's Torture Devices

Now it's a tourist attraction showing off the castle and inside a museum stands displaying historical torture devices used in Ghent. All the tools looked like brutal methods of killing and inflicting pain. Especially the menacing blade of the guillotine.  
By the time we were done exploring, it was 5 P.M. We called two taxis and drove back to the hotel. By the time we arrived back at the hotel, it was 8:30 P.M. We all reflected on the day, each taking a turn to say what our favorite thing was. Will said that he was fascinated by the middle ages after our little trip. He also said he wouldn't mind visiting again because it really immersed him into the time period. We all got ready for bed and watched more Family Guy before doing so. We said our goodnights to each other and went to bed.