Gent, Brussels, Antwerpen last few days in Belgium

Ok, it was time for me to venture out from Brugge, please forgive me if I have the pictures mixed up, it has been a while since my last update

I believe this is Gent, it was my first city outside of Brugge that I explored, out of all of Belgium, I liked Brugge & Gent the most, Gent had the most amazing looking girls it wasen't funny, was like they had a cute girl factory or something... perving was good!

Amazing Buildings, I believe this is the grand place in Brussels

I Believe this is Brussels and some off castle, I can't remember the name, did have some nasty stuff inside, for torturing people, and for executions damn one sword was over 2 metres long, was like WTF you would have to be giant to swing it.

Ok next is Antwepen, both Brussels & Antwepen, reminded me too much of Auckland, kinda getting over the city's... it is like ho hum, it's all the same... I am still really surprising myself at how cheap Europe is to travel, not what I was expecting, but I don't really buy any touristy stuff, as I can't fit it in my backpack, I walk around, take photos, go on the odd tour, buy vegie rolls, or go out to supermarkets for my food.. it's good, was stupid for me to be so worried about how much it

Antwepen, was totally different again, it was Kebab shop heaven, seriously, there were streets of nothing but Kebabs, one after another... was like WTF

More amazing Buildings

was almost too much to take in, so many amazing buildings

My ugly face, with the fountain in the background..

Special thanks to Tine, for putting up with me for a week :) thanks again... hopefully we will see each other again sometime in the future!

Brugge's another Day more Chocolate

The day, didn't look well, was raining, not hard, just light drizzle, Tine had dotted my map of where I had to go, Windmills first, then a couple of other places...gardens and chocolate shops :), at around 11, the weather cleared up, and it was another amazing day!

One of the first windmills

Along the canal 

Main centre, is very touristy, but some amazing buildings

Walking along one of the parks

Me @ a Church, yes, if you have noticed, I have changed shirts, kinda made a mess on this one! and was drying! duh! kinda sucks only washed it yesterday too!

This shop mad me kinda homesick, reminding me of some of the creatures created in Te Aroha, these were amazing

Another one

Yet another

Ok, a nice photo of Tine! but look at those crazy eyes of mine! damn

Mixed Chocolate box all wrapped up, I wonder what could be inside :-?

hmmm, Yummy, not totally what I was expecting, I was thinking they would be amazing, but I guess the chocolate in NZ must be ok, or I just lack taste (think it's me lacking taste)

Well thats it for the moment, going off to Heist on the coast tomorrow, I still haven't worked out where I am going to next, or if I should spend a few more days annoying poor Tine & enjoying her vegie cooking!

Hello Brugge! Hello Tine!

After a few hours via super fast train, from Paris, I arrived in Brugge's Tine, my friend that stayed with me in NZ, was waiting for me!!  After traveling on your own, it is soo nice to see a friend again.

Tine's home sweet home! :)

That night, we went out to Tines Parents place for dinner (was mothers day here) don't know if it is at home, otherwise happy mummys day mum! :), Tine's Parents were in Oostende by the coast,with an apartment on the 6th floor, overlooking the city, it was funny being on the other side for a change, Tine's parents harassing them for not producing any grandkids!, I'm sure Tine's mum could talk to mum and compare notes. Anyway, it was entertaining, Tine is vegie, so no worries, I didn't feel bad for being vegie, for the first time on my trip! thanks again Tine :)

Anyway, after dinner, rum, red wine, and beer, I was very content, surprised I was a little hung over the next day... Tine works insane hours, 50 min drive to work, so had to leave at 6:30am and will be home around 9pm so it was upto me to entertain myself in Brugge,  Weather is great. I went to do my laundry, brought a vegie roll, and to my surprise it was 2.70€ I was surpised. Normally everything has inflated prices, also people speak english! OMG, signs in stores are in english, is like NICE!


For the first time in Europe, I haven't seen anyone begging in the streets it is a nice change,

Boat Cruise in Brugge

Church tower in the distance

 Buildings are a totally different style to anywhere else in europe that I have seen so far

it is soo Pretty

:)

Another Tower

Chocolate Shops, they are EVERYWHERE! I haven't tasted any yet, I haven't seen any quite like the ones in Paris but the chocolate shops in Paris were like art shops.

Down one of the streets 

Last Few days of Paris, Next stop Brugge!

Ok, after walking 35km's around Paris with my host Guilamune, (Crazy French Guy), I had a day off to myself, while he picked up even some more guests to take on a tour of Paris. Thinking this would be an easy day, I went to the Lovue, ok, it's just a museum, I was wrong it is HUGE, but it's not what is inside that is impressive, but the building itself, grand old palace, it had an impressive Egyptian collection, not as good as the one in Cario, but still pretty good, when you think of all the stuff they "received as 'gifts' cough cough", next it was the art collection, honestly it is way too much for a simple person like myself. I know nothing about art, but I was impressed, but again, way too much volume, and I would hate to think what they still have in there vaults...

The Black Beast! the heavy breather at night, in a l1 bedroom appartment, we were staying in,6 people! and an amazing Doggie!

Ok, just a quick snap, it was like 5 metres deep of people looking at her, she was amazing, her Eyes followed you around the room.

Ceilings in the lovue, the buildings just as impressive as the artwork inside

Another inside the Lovue

Some Shop in Paris

OMG a Tesla, I honestly never though I would EVER see one of these, (is an all electric sports car)

My Couchsurfing buddies in Paris!, yep one of those girls SNORES! rofl!

That night, we had an amazing meal, cooked up by Guillaume, our host in Paris showed us his skills in the kitchen, Vegie pasta dish for me, some pork dish for everyone else, followed by cheeses, wine & rum or Rhum as they call it in French... :) Everyone got to sleep, at 2am, I had to get up at 8:30am to get ready to catch my train... yep, my ability to wake up on demard amazes me, with my little torch (apartment is in darkness if the blinds are down) shower/packed my pack and was off to the train station without waking anyone... (sorry for not saying good bye) you were all sleeping so well :)


Goodbye Paris!

Goodbye to the Barconator! Hello Paris!

Ok, I had to say goodbye for the moment to the Barconator! Fredo!, an amazing friend that has looked after me soo well in Nantes, Hopefully I will see him again on the 27th May

Anyway, I had to leave Nantes to go to Paris, I was almost tempted to avoid Paris, as I found it way to scary, it is the first really big city I have visited, (2 to 12 million people) Anyway, I tried Couchsurfing, sent out 2 requests, and within 30 minutes, a reply! Guilaume replyed! I was like damn! he appeared to be more addict to hosting people than me!

Last meal with the Baconator!! Thanks again Fredo! for an amazing few days! 

Ok Paris yeah yeah yeah

Ok Part of the 35km's of walking we did today... was pretty good...

Another Famous Spot

Yet another one, will visit tomorrow, but it sounds like I would need atleast a week to go though it. eep!

Another look! towards the end of the day.

Another Tower, this contains Napoleon 900 canons or something like that melted down to show the battle stuff, very simlar to the one in marble in Rome.... guess they copied the idea?

Last few days in Nantes

Now, the question is, do I return to Nantes on the 27th May, and annoy the baconator once again?, as the la troupe royal de luxe, is putting on a show, if you don't know what the hell I am talking about, have a look at

Hope after watching the video, you can understand why I want to come back to Nantes?

Nantes Passage Pommeraye

Inside

Some close ups of the metalwork

Looking up the stairs

Last night, yet another time I failed to bring my camera, Fredo, Aka "The Baconator" took me out to dinner with some of his friends, we had a traditional French meal, "Raclette" which is basically potatoes, (boiled), on a little hot plate? which you cooked onions/mushrooms and underneath, you heated your slice of cheese up (to melting point) to put on your Potato, (with ham/salami or in my case, mushrooms/onions :) joys of being Vegie)

I am not totally sure if this will work in NZ with our grand arrays of cheeses "Mild Tasty & Edam & Corby" cheddar cheeses... 

All and all it was a good night, several bottles of red wine were drunk, I managed to work out one word in atleast 50, with everyone speaking in French...

I went back into town, walked around some more, spending more time looking inside stores, than at outside of them, yes I have a interest in the outsides of the buildings, faces appear to be my new hobbie, I will upload in a later post... they are amazing :) anyway, here is another Church, no one was inside this one, so... free for all me taking pictures! ok, still dosen't compare to the Vatican

Yet another Church

Inside

more inside, the server seems to be rejecting the others, but most of the paintings appear to be dirty probably from the candles they are burn't