Day 1 (December 17) Itinerary

Our journey begins. (Dates) The trip spans from December 17-28.
Belgium Trip Itinerary
We all woke up at 1:00 A.M and got our stuff together. The night before we agreed to meet at RDU international to hop onto a flight to Antwerp, Belgium. By the time we arrive all arrive at the airport, it's already 2:05 A.M. We got through security and waited for the call to board the flight at 4:00 A.M.

RDU International

While we waited, we finalized our plans, and play some games. Like Trevor brought a mini football, so we tossed it around for a bit. Yuval told us a funny story about how he walked around school with toilet paper streaming down his pants the whole day. We enjoyed each other company and got ready for our amazing twelve day trip.
By the time it was 4:00 A.M, we were all ready to board the flight. Once we were in the air, it was 4:15. We had sixteen hours ahead of us. Over the flight we all watched The Millers and The Matrix. We played a mobile game called Soccer Physics, taking turns since only two players can play at a time. By the time we were done with all those activities, we had eleven more hours until we landed. We decided it was best to sleep.

De Keyser Hotel

When we woke up after our naps, we have arrived in Antwerp, Belgium. (Average Weather) The average temperature in Belgium this time of year is 40F. It rains a lot and they usually get around 70mm in December. It was 10:00 P.M, when we got out of Antwerp International Airport we were all shivering. Our bodies weren't used to such a cold environment. We called two cabs to drive us to the De Keyser Hotel. Once we got checked in and settled into our five bedroom space and put away all our belongings, we decided to get a meal at Bourla. It's located at Graanmarkt, and was around seven miles outside the place.

Bourla's Chicken Fricassee With Fries

We called two cabs once again. When we got to the restaurant at 11:00 P.M, we all were seated in a booth. We all browsed to menu for a while, and ordered different meals. Pierce got Chicken fricassee with fries. Trevor got Beef Casserole with a chicory salad and fries. Max got Ox tongue in Madeira sauce. Will got Steak tartare with fries. Yuval got Sautéed Belgian rib steak with a salad and fries. Our entrees were delicious. The meal made up for the long flight. We decided to walk seven miles back to the hotel to experience the scenery of the city. It was beautiful, and there weren't many people on the street. Once we arrived back at the hotel, it was 12:00 A.M. We brushed our teeth, watched Season 5 of Family Guy (Yuval brought the disk and a PS3), and we all went to bed. We all wanted to get enough sleep for the next big day.

Day 2 (December 18)

FC Westerlo VS Sporting Lokeren

When we had all woken up and gotten ready for the day, we headed out. We decided to go to a soccer match between FC Westerlo and Sporting Lokeren (Sports). We called two taxis to head over there. The match kicked off at 9:00 AM in the pouring rain. It was intense and the home fans at Het Kuipje Stadium went wild including Us. We were rooting for the home team FC Westerlo and we slowly lost our excitement when Sporting Lokeren scored an equalizing goal in the 43rd minute. During half time we bought five hotdogs and a water for each of us. We filled our stomachs and prepared for the intense second half.
In the second half Sporting Lokeren scored a heartbreaking goal in the 70th minute. Our hope of victory was crushed until FC Westerlo's Striker scored a 30 yard distance screamer in the last minute of the game. The game came to a draw of 2-2. After the game Yuval was ecstatic and he brought around three rolls of toilet paper from our hotel room. He covered the fields and stands with all he had. We ran out of the stadium.

Antwerp City Hall

In the end, the game ended at 10:30 A.M. It was the most intense sporting event we have ever seen. After the match, we called another two taxis to take us to Antwerp City Hall (History). The place has a pretty interesting history behind it and a very unique architecture. It was constructed in 1564. The Spanish came and burnt down the building in 1576, and then it was restored three years later. The amazing thing is the building is still used today. When we arrived at Antwerp City Hall, it was 1:00 P.M. We spent most of the day wandering in and out of the buildings/shops and exploring Antwerp. In this one area in city hall, we went into this big grand hall and saw paintings/ flags scattered down each wall. In another place, we wandered down the streets looking at the houses and common places scattered everywhere. We could tell the area was because of the building's condition. Once we were done looking around, it was around 4:00 P.M. We all decided to go to dinner.

Zaowang Sushi

We chose to go to Zaowang, so we called another two taxis. When we were seated, it was 4:30 P.M. We all decided to get individual sushi trays  The food was delicious. It was some of the best sushi we had ever eaten in our life. When we exited the restaurant at 5:30 P.M, we called the taxis back to take us to the hotel.

When we were back in the hotel room, we all sat on our beds exhausted. It was 6:00 P.M. We threw a ball around the room for a while and watched a little South Park on TV. Max told us a personal story about how he broke his leg by tripping over a pothole. We all got ready for bed and fell asleep at around 8:00 P.M, getting ready for our adventure tomorrow.

Day 3 (December 19)

We were all ready at 8:00 A.M, so we headed out. Today we are going to Antwerp Zoo (Ecosystem). It's described as a beautiful place with an amazing range of animals/exhibits to see. We called two taxis. When we arrived at 9:00 A.M, we were jumping in joy to get inside.

Antwerp Zoo

Once we were inside, we learned that the zoo has housed over 7,500 animals and 950 species with its sister park Planckendael. Also, that it's one of the oldest zoos in the world. It was initially established by The Antwerp Royal Society for Zoology to encourage zoological and botanical sciences. Over the years, it has changed and started to encourage wildlife preservation through the activities and exhibits present.
It use to hold normal/symphonic concerts in the garden. Later, the museum building was demolished to build a concert hall. Finally, after World War II, the animal park was turned into a model zoo and conformed to the new scientific, educational, cultural, and aesthetic standards of the world. Now more than 1,000,000 people come in annually.

Sea Lion Theatre

Our first exhibit was the "Sea Lion Theatre", which features California Sea Lions. They were magnificent. They did flips and turns and high fived us on the glass separating us. Our second exhibit was the "Egyptian Temple", which features the Asian Elephants and Baringo Giraffes. The giraffes were our favorite, since they were so active and playing around with one another. The funny thing was that one of the Asian Elephants decided to poop and pee in the middle of all this happening. This made us all really laugh. The third exhibit we visited was the "Cat Enclosures", which features the Amur Leopard, Lion, Siberian Tiger, and Jaguar. They were separated between glass panes. We loved the Jaguar, since it was jumping and playing in its enclosure. All the animals were very active, which surprised us. We saw many other animals including Congo Peacocks, Zebras, African Buffalos, Two-Toes Sloths, Night Monkeys, Armadillos, and many more. Before we left the zoo, Trevor stopped in at the gift shop and got a California Sea Lion plush stuff animal. After that, we left at 5:30 P.M. We decided to go to dinner at Paul's Boutique. We called two taxis. Once we arrived at the restaurant at 6:15 P.M, and were seated we ordered water and looked on the menu. Pierce, Trevor, and Max ordered the Angus Beef Burger. Yuval and Max ordered the Chewbacca Beef Burger. When the food arrived, we devoured it. It was so good, the spice and beef in the burgers were a great mix. Its combination created a great taste.
After we left the restaurant at 7:00 P.M, we called two taxis to take us back to the De Keyser Hotel. When we got settled in our hotel, we started packing, since we were driving to another city/hotel the next day. After this was all done it was 7:30 P.M. We brushed our teeth, said our goodnights, and fell asleep.

Day 4 (December 20)

Hotel Dukes' Palace

Today we woke up at 8:00 A.M, and checked out of the De Keyser Hotel. We took two cabs all the way to the Hotel Dukes' Palace in Bruges. Once we arrived at the new hotel at 9:00 P.M, we went down to the mini breakfast buffet. We all decided to get scrambled eggs, sausage, and blueberry pancakes. It was very delicious and filling. After breakfast, we checked into our room.

Family Guy Season Five

We all settled down and put our stuff away at 11:00 P.M. We watched some Family Guy on the disk Yuval brought. The funniest episode was Barely Legal. In this episode, Meg falls in love with Brian after he takes her as her date to the Junior Prom. Also, Peter and his friends join the Quahog Police Department to help Joe with his work. At around 1:00 P.M, we all decided to call two cabs to go to the Historic Centre of Brugge (Culture).
We arrived at 1:45 P.M. It's a beautiful place that really showed us the beauty of Belgium. Roughly encircled by the Ring Canal, it's described as an outstanding example of a medieval settlement, which has maintained been well maintained over the centuries. When we started to explore, the canals and cobblestone paths looked aged. We learned that the buildings once housed merchants who sold leather, fish, and more. The buildings are used now as cafes, boutiques, and art galleries. Since, it's almost Christmas, lights, ice rinks, and markets were scattered everywhere. This prepared us for tomorrow. The horse carriages passing by made the place look majestic and peaceful.

Historic Centre of Brugge

We all took a skate at one of the rinks, and Trevor fell every minute we were there. It really made us all laugh. Once we exited, all of us started circulating throughout the stores. Max decided to buy a little plush snowman from one of the stores and Will bought a small box of chocolates from a stand. Once we got our fill of the place, it was 7:00 P.M. We called two taxis and drove back to the hotel. We were all exhausted from our long day. Everyone said their goodnights and went to sleep.


Day 5 (December 21)

We all woke up at around 8:00 A.M and began getting ready for the big day ahead of us. Before we left our hotel, Yuval and Trevor got into a heated match of FIFA 16 on Yuval's PS3. They were both tied for 2-2, and then Trevor scored a goal from half across the field. Yuval lost and got so mad that he threw his controller at the wall. A big dent was left in the wall! We were all laughing so hard. After that, we called two taxis to travel to the Church of Our Lady (History). 

Madonna And Child

When we arrived at 11:00 A.M, we learned a little history about the place. It dates mainly from the 13th to 15th century, and is the second tallest brickwork tower in the world. The altarpiece of the large chapel showed off the astounding sculpture of the Madonna and Child created by Michelangelo in 1504. It was recovered twice after being looted by foreign occupiers, French revolutionaries in 1794 and Nazi Germans in 1944. Close to the sculpture are important Brugeans such as Francoise de Haveskercke buried next to her husband in the black tomb of Haveskercke family. The place was more about the scenery, so there wasn't much to do. Once we walked around looked at the architecture and sculpture, it was 2:00 P.M.

Skating At The Rinks

After, we were headed off to our big event of the day, the Bruges Christmas Markets (Holiday). During this time of season in Bruges, Belgium Christmas markets are everywhere. We went to the one in Market Square connecting with Simon Stevinplein (the ice rink). When we arrived at 2:30 P.M, we went skating on the rink, and it was a funny experience. None of us are experienced skaters, so we were slipped and falling a lot. For example, Will slipped on the ice one time and it caused Pierce to fall over. We also walked around and looked at the huge Christmas tree in the middle of the market. The lights lit up the area and made the atmosphere very cozy even though it was cold. Max got hungry while we were there, so we all got some warm Belgian waffles. They warmed us up while we were out there. We also went for a horse carriage ride, and it was really entertaining to see the entire area.
(Purpose/History) Christmas is an annual holiday celebrating/remembering the birth of Jesus Christ. It happens on December 25, and it's a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people. Today it has moved away from these principles and turned into a season of giving/prosperity. People have parties, put up huge lights, and give presents to each other. Its a way to transition into the next year.

The Olive Tree

After we were done at the festival, we were all starving. It was around 6:00 P.M and everyone decided to eat at The Olive Tree. It's a Greek restaurant with a variety of foods. When we were seated, everyone ordered Parmesan chicken with tossed salad and garlic rolls. It was so delicious, and it was a great way to end the day. Once we were out of the restaurant, we called two taxis to go back to our hotel.  It was 7:30 P.M, and we were all exhausted after our huge day. We said our goodnights and went to bed, getting ready for the next day.  



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.

Day 7 (December 23)



The Royal Snail

Today, we woke up at 9:00 A.M and packed up our stuff. We checked out of our room at The Hotel Dukes' Palace, and called two taxis to take us over to our new hotel, The Royal Snail. Once we arrived at 10:00 A.M, we all headed down to the hotel's breakfast bar and got some food. Yuval got some scrambled eggs and sausage, Trevor got chocolate pancakes and bacons, Pierce got a honey glazed croissant and sausage. Max and Will got French toast and eggs. Once we ate our fulfilling breakfast, it was 10:30 A.M. We settled in our room and then called two taxis and drove over to The Grotte La Merveilleuse (Natural Environment).

Grotte La Merveilleuse

We arrived at around 11:00 A.M. When we descended into the cave, it was a breathtaking sight. There were white stalactites and stalagmites scattered everywhere. Surprisingly, there weren't many people in our tour group so we were able to take our time and explore. We saw huge rock curtains and beautiful waterfalls. We learned that this cave was used as refugee during WWII. It was discovered during road construction. Adolphe Sax was presumably born in the cave. Also, jazz concerts used to be held in the place. It was a beautiful environment, but the only thing that stumped us was that there wasn't much to do when we reached the end of the cave.  

FIFA 16

We left at around 3:00 P.M, and headed back to our hotel. We all decided to play FIFA 16 on Yuval's PS3. We made a little tournament system in our room. We all took turns playing against each other. The best match was when Max and Will were 2-1 and in the last minute Will scored a goal from across the field. It tied the game and Max was so angry. He was yelling so loud that the people next to us had to knock on our door and tell us to keep it down. By the time we were all burned out of FIFA, it was 5:00 P.M. It was time for our biggest dinner of the trip at Le Pre Sale.

Moules & Frites

Once we called the two taxis and drove over, it was 5:30 P.M. When we were seated everyone decided to get a unique food to Belgium.  Its called Moules & Frites (Indigenous Meal). The meal consists of Mussels and French Fries. It unique to the country because it originated in Belgium and they claim to be the birthplace of French Fries. This meal is served around the world, and is mostly popular in France and northern Europe. We all thought the meal was very delicious and filling. After dinner at 7:00 P.M, we called two taxis and went back to the hotel. We all got ready for bed and watched some more Family Guy Season Five. We said our goodnights and went to bed. 

Day 8 (December 24)



Today, all of us woke up at around 9:30 A.M. We were ready to start our big day. No one was hungry, so we decided to skip breakfast. At 9:45 A.M, we called two taxis to drive over to The Citadel Of Namur (History).

The Citadel Of Namur

We arrived at 10:25 A.M, and learned a little about the place. Nicknamed the Castle of Namur, it's a fortress that was built during the Roman Ages for war reasons. Specifically built in 937 AD. We learned about its role in the many wars it was involved in. The fortress was improved upon after the siege of 1692. we all took notice towards how extravagant the landscape was. It was somewhat like a mountain but at the same time it overlooked the ocean and gave the area a very relaxing/calm feeling. At the same time, it felt old due to the architecture. However, it was preserved very well for how old it actually was. We had a tour of The Citadel, it was magnificent to go through room to room and looked at the aged buildings. After we were done walking along the sidewalks and looking around The citadel, it was 1:30 P.M. We called two taxis to drive over to The University Of Namur (Technology).

University Of Namur

When we arrived at 2:15 P.M, the staff was kind enough to give us a tour of the place. A lot of the building consisted of dorm rooms, but there were some parts of the campus that really stood out. For example the laboratory of cellular Biochemistry. The lab had very fancy and expensive microscopes and many DNA testing stands. We got to meet some of the scientists who work there. They tried to explain to us how they research/experiment with molecules and cells, but their vocabulary was very complex and hard to understand.
We learned about the rich history on Namur University. The University of Namur was founded in 1831 by the society of Jesus. Originally it had only six faculties including Law, Philosophy and Lettres, Computer Science, etc. From that time, it has been expanded on a lot of times. It now includes more complex educational degrees/paths.    

Maestro's Pizza

After we left the University at 4:00 P.M, we were all starving. Everyone decided to go to an Italian restaurant called Maestro's Pizza. When we arrived at 4:45 P.M, we were seated in a booth. Together, we ordered all ordered a 16" pepperoni pizza. It was delicious, not too greasy, and filled us up for the rest of the night. After dinner at 6:00 P.M, we called two taxis to drive us back to the hotel. We were all exhausted and ready for bed. When everyone settled down, we watched American Dad on TV, and gradually fell asleep.

Day 9 (December 25)

We woke up at 9:30 A.M, ready to get out of our hotel room. Everyone decided to skip breakfast today and just get a start on the day. We called two taxis to drive us over to the Blegny Mines (History). When we arrived it was 10:00 A.M, and we learned some history on the place.

Blegny Mines

Blegny Mines use to be an underground coal mine, but is now preserved as a museum on the European Route of Industrial Heritage. It was established by monks in the sixteenth century and soon became an important asset to Belgium's industrial revolution. The mine eventually closed in 1973 due to an oil crisis. While there, we were taken down in a mining cage to various underground galleries. They also taught us about how coal was extracted. After that we learned more on the lives of the miners and their working conditions. There were also display cases showing off technical equipment underground, the coal, and noisy machinery. 

Bocow Restaurant

After we got our fill of the place, it was 3:30 P.M. We were all starving and decided to go to a local restaurant called Bocow. We called two taxis and drove over. By the time we arrived it was 4:30 P.M. Once we were seated everyone ordered a meal called the "Refuge". It's a plate of foie gras or smoked salmon and raclette. The meal was delicious and our favorite part was the drizzling smoke salmon. 
When we were out of the restaurant, it was 5:30 P.M. We called two taxis to drive back to the hotel. Everyone was settled in our room by 6:00 P.M. Yuval and Trevor rematched in FIFA 16. Trevor crushed Yuval 4-0 and it gave everyone a good laugh. After everyone packed up their stuff, so we could transition between hotels easily. We all said our goodnights, watched some more Family Guy Season 5, and fell asleep.

Day 10 (December 26)

The Dominican

We woke up at 6:30 A.M today, and checked out of our room at The Royal Snail. We were all ready to transition between hotels. We called two taxis to bring us to our last hotel, The Dominican. We arrived at around 7:30 A.M, and our first priority was to put our stuff away in our room. After this was done, everyone was starving. We went down to the breakfast buffet and we all decided to get chocolate pancakes and sausage.  They were very delicious and would hold us over until dinner. After breakfast, it was 8:15 A.M. We called two taxis to drive over to The Belgian Comic Strip Center For Art (History). Yuval was the most excited to go to the museum because he loves comics, especially Batman: the Killing Joke. 

The Smurfs

When we arrived at 9:00 A.M, we were astonished at how much art was present. There were three floors in the building! On one floor, we saw famous pieces like Tintin and The Smurfs. On another, we learned the history of comic strip art. Alongside this, it holds some of the most well known comics around Europe. While there, we got to learn a little history about the place. 
The building was designed by the world-famous architect Victor Horta in 1905, at that time it served as a textile department store. After the owner's death in 1920, the building began to deteriorate. Famous comic artists like Bob de Moor and Alain Baran planned to restore the building as a museum dedicated to the history of Belgian Comics. Once the building was restored, it was inaugurated in the presence of king Baudouin of Belgium and queen Fabiola of Belgium in 1989. Now every so often the museum redecorates and rearranges the exhibits.
It was a very exciting experience because we had an amazing experience and we saw how famous European comics originated/gained their popularity.  Before we left, we headed into "Slumberland" a comic store. There was comic strip albums, children books, and comics. Nothing interested us, so we left the museum at around 12:00 A.M. We called two taxis once again to drive us to Royal Palace Of Brussels (History).

Royal Palace Of Brussels

This is the official royal palace of the king and queen of the Belgians, however it's not their official royal residence. It was constructed by King Leopold II in the 1900's. It once was apart of the Coudenberg Palace in the middle ages. After the Belgian revolution the palace was offered to Leopold of Saxe-Coburg, and he planned to expand it. The plans were executed by Henri Maquet, and the design included a formal garden in the front that separated the building from the 'Place des Palais'.

When we arrived at 1:00 P.M, we all sought to look at the garden. It was beautiful, and the bushes/flowers were neatly trimmed and kept. This was an astonishing sight. After the garden, we went inside the building and explored. While walking around, we stumbled into this banquet hall that had beautiful crystal chandeliers. We also walked through this long hall with designs scattered around the ceiling. It made us feel like we were royalty. 

Toukoul

We left at around 5:00 P.M, and called two taxis to drive to an exotic restaurant called Toukoul. Once we were seated at 5:45 P.M, Yuval ordered the Kitfo, Pierce ordered the Bere Tibs, Max and Will ordered the Beg Tibs, and Trevor ordered the Gomen Toro Tibs. The meal was very filling and delicious. It was a great way to end our long day. After we left the restaurant at 7:00 P.M, we called another two taxis and drove back to the hotel. When we were in the room it was 7:30 P.M and everyone was exhausted. We said our goodnights, watched a little South Park on TV, and went to bed.

Day 11 (December 27)

Today we woke up at around 8:00 AM and began to drag our groggy bodies out of bed and got ready for our day. For breakfast today, we went to a local waffle stand at 8:45 A.M. We all got a plain waffle with butter smeared all over it, it was one of the best things we had ever tasted. Once, we were done with breakfast at 9:30 A.M, we called two taxis to drive us over to The Royal Institute Of Natural Sciences (History). 

The Royal Institute Of Natural Sciences

We arrived at our destination at 10:00 A.M. We began looking at all of the exhibits. First, we looked at the section of the museum called the gallery of humankind. This section included things like 3D super realistic moldings of the human body that came thousands of year before us. The moldings were life sized making it very cool to compare it to our body today. Another exhibit that really stood out was the mineral hall. The exhibit had a ton of cool minerals including Pyrite meteorites and even a piece of the moon. This exhibit has a cool history behind it. The Crown Prince William II donated 808 Russian minerals to the museum. Another exhibit had a bunch of old dinosaur bones and bird bones. Personally, we all loved the T-Rex bones structure the best. We learned that the museum was founded in 1845 as a descendant of the Musee de Bruxelles of 1802, and that the first director was Bernard Du Bus De Gisignies in 1846. Before, we left Pierce got a little The Royal Institute Of Natural Sciences key chain. After that, we left around 2:00 P.M, and we called two taxis to go to the Parc Du Cinquantenaire (History).



Parc Du Cinquantenaire

We arrived at around 2:30 P.M, and learned a little history about the place. Originally the part was a military exercise ground. In 1880, the area was developed as an exhibition center. An arch was constructed to commemorate 50 years of Belgian independence. Later it was reiterated as a park. When exploring, we thought the architecture was really cool and that it has a gothic vibe. For example the old fountain in the middle of the area. We brought a picnic lunch with PB & J sandwiches for everybody. We ate it at 3:30 P.M. The food was delicious, and after we ate Yuval had brought a soccer ball, so we could pass the ball around in a circle. We did this for a little while, and enjoyed each others company. After lunch at 5:00 P.M, we walked around the archways and park a little more. We all decided to leave at 5:45 P.M, so we called two taxis and went back to the hotel. 

South Park

When we got back to the hotel at 6:30 P.M. we decided to relax and enjoy our final day of our wonderful trip to Belgium. We layed down and watch a little South Park on TV. Everyone decided it was best to pack our luggage now and go to sleep early, since we had to wake up early for our first flight. We did this, said goodnight, and were sleeping by 7:15 P.M.

Day 12 (December 28) Budget Analysis

Brussels Airport

Today was our flight home and everyone was excited! We woke up at 2:30 A.M ready to catch our flight at 4:10 A.M. We had a flight heading from Brussels Airport to JFK Airport. Everyone decided it was best to have lunch at the airport just to be safe. We packed our stuff up and called two taxis to head over. When we arrived at the airport's food court, it was 3:15 A.M, and everyone wanted something different. Yuval, Will, and Max got a large pepperoni pizza with mushrooms. Trevor and Pierce each got a turkey sandwich was mayo and white bread. The food was mediocre, the pizza was too greasy and the sandwiches were too soggy. By the time everyone was done it was 4:00 A:M. We sat around and waited for the flight.

Central Intelligence

When our flight was called, we piled onto the plane. We were the first ones on. The flight attendants came out and gave their safety briefing. We were all laughing because we thought of a funny bit by Jerry Seinfeld about the safety briefing. We decided that for the ride we were going to watch Central Intelligence. The movie was so hilarious and we were laughing so hard that the people next to us asked if we could be quieter.  By the time the movie was over, it was 5:15 A.M, so everyone decided to go to sleep. By the time we woke up, it was 1:00 P.M, and we had arrived at JFK airport. Our next flight to RDU airport was at 7:40 P.M, so we had a lot of time to burn.

JFK Airport

During this time we took a few hours to reflect on the great trip we had. This was a trip that none of us would forget. We went around in a circle and said our favorite location. Yuval said he loved the Belgian Comic Strip Center For Art because the displays and history of the place was astonishing. He enjoyed seeing The Smurfs scattered around the museum. Trevor said he loved the Soccer match the most because he had always want to see a real soccer match and he was a big fan of FC Westerlo. Pierce said he loved the Christmas Market because the ice rink experience was so hilarious and the big Christmas tree full of festive lights made him never want to leave. Max loved the Blegny Mines because he had always dreamed of learning more about mineshafts and he had wanted to explore and strike a piece of gold. Will loved Antwerp Zoo because he has always been fascinated by animals, and he wants to pursue a veterinarian position someday.

RDU Airport "Welcome Home"

After we were done sharing, it was 4:00 P.M. Everyone decided to get a quick three hour naps. Once we had all woken up it was 7:15 P.M, and we were waiting for the call. When they finally asked for passengers to board the plane, we were all ready. Everyone took there seat and we were off. We would arrive at our destination at 9:37 P.M. We were all still tired, so we took another two hour nap.
Everyone woke up when we arrived and we were all still exhausted. We grabbed our luggage and walked outside of RDU. We all said our goodbyes, hugged, and enjoyed each others company while each of our separate taxis arrived. We were going back to our normal lives, but we still wanted to be visiting interesting places in Belgium. We had a great time and we hope to visit this country again.

Budget Analysis

Persuasive Post

We all had a wonderful time on our Belgium trip. We went to a lot of amazing and interesting places like Blegny Mines and Antwerp Zoo. We also went during the Christmas season, which made us enjoy the area even more. If anyone out there wants to have an amazing experience in a foreign place, we highly recommend this country. You will create amazing memories, and an experience that you will never forget.
(Ethos) Before we went on this trip, we were just average American citizens who knew nothing about Belgium. However, we now have gained an extensive knowledge on the place. The research conducted on our locations/restaurants have also given us a thorough explanation of their culture. The arrival to the country is easy to transition into. The routine of Belgian people are basically the same as any American. Make sure to keep on schedule, because you will want to experience everything this country has to hold.
(Pathos) If you want a break from work or need a place to take the family, go to Belgium. Preferably during the Christmas season, because the atmosphere is calmer and more enjoyable. Go to historical places/events and learn the culture of this amazing country. You will have an enjoyable time. Just take a trip to this place, and you will thank us!


Group Photo At Parc Du Cinquantenaire