Antwerp!!!!

Groeten!!!!!

Today my roommates and I FINALLY made it to Antwerp! After a long week of class, a miserable rainy day yesterday, and PARIS coming up this weekend we decided that a day of shopping was definitely needed. So we ventured off on our own for the first time... acting like old pro's figuring out the train situation and navigating ourselves around a new city. (Well, they did. I can't read a map to save my life so I'm not exactly any help!!!)

Antwerp (or Antwerpen in Dutch) is yet another wonderful city found here in Belgium! The visit started out great in a BEAUTIFUL train station... followed by shops and stores lining the streets... amazing architecture found throughout... and last but not least a ZOO!!! (unfortunately it started to rain as we were finishing up shopping so we never made it to the zoo). Antwerp had a lot of stores and restaurants that you would find in the US... including Starbucks (which we definitely made a stop at), McDonalds, Chi-Chi's (none of us even knew those were still around!), H&M, Nike, Urban Outfitters, the list goes on and on. Needless to say, we felt right at home.

((We must admit though, Chicago and our beloved Michigan Avenue STILL has better shopping... however, this was a nice day trip and it gave us something to do. And OF COURSE we all still managed to buy a new outfit -- just what we needed to start our weekend in Paris!))

*Another funny side note* Apparently.... they don't like when you put your feet up on the seats on the train. There were three of us.... and the way the seats are situated on the train are two per bench/seat type thing... and then the 2 benches are facing each other with a table between them --- so for us...two on one side and the third person sitting across from us. I didn't have anyone sitting in front of me so I propped my feet up on the seat. I didn't think anything of it. The guy came around checking tickets.. and I sat up and started digging through my purse to find the ticket. I looked up and the guy was giving me a nasty look, I just smiled and said "hi"... he then said "english"... I was confused but getting used to people trying to figure out how to talk to us, so I said "yes". He then proceeded to yell "feet" at me... and point at the seat in front of me. I quickly said sorry... but that wasn't enough. He followed it up with "clean it off" and another dirty look before moving on to the next group. Ooops. ((Lesson Learned - haha))


Aghhh!!! Paris!!!! I can't believe I am finally going to get there! This really is something I have only dreamed about... I'm sure I will be in awe when I see the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, The Arc De Triomphe, etc, etc. And I know I will have millions of pictures to show all of you! Although, I am a little worried how my lack of knowledge of the FRENCH language is going to work out while I'm in Paris... but I 'm sure it's nothing I can't figure out using my handy-dandy French Translation Book. (But cross your fingers that we don't end up offending tooooo many French people while we are there this weekend)

I probably won't be able to update until Sunday night when I get home --- but I'll be sure to tell you all about it! I can't waitttt!!!!!!


Tootsies!