So Dorinne and I packed a light bag and started out on the first mini trip within our vacation. We had planned on arriving in Amsterdam in style but since it was the holidays or just too short notice the trains where crazy expensive. So instead we headed by bus and my first experience on the infamous Eurolines. The amazing thing was how similar the bus was to all my Greyhound experiences. Instead of what I imagined, a roomy, full reclining, nicely decorated comfy bus, Dorinne and I stepped onto a damp, cold rigid bus. That wasn't even the worse part! Since the buses only leave at night we had a full day to waste waiting. We decided to spend the time wondering Antwerp the second biggest city in Flanders and full of medieval charm. Our troubles started when we realized we only had an hour to get to the train station where we stored our bags and then find the bus stop a few blocks away all in the pouring rain. So to say the least we barely made it and when we got on we couldn't even sit together. So overall the bus was not worth it but it didn't matter because we were heading to Amsterdam for a Nicaragua Reunion!!
When we made it off the bus and into the city, another half hour trek, we immediately talked to Mara who lives in the city. We got instructions and headed towards her house which was very close to Amsterdam Centraal. We stepped off the tram and there she was. It was great to see her. As we walked to her place I was taken by the charm of the residential area she lived in. It felt much different from the tourist areas I had been to. When we got to her place Charley another volunteer was cooking Papas, a street food speciality in Nicaragua. Soon Silvia arrived, the last to make it to our small gathering, and we started to feast. Meat balls, Greek salad along with the Papas were on the menu. Mara also surprised us and opened up some Flor de Cana Rum. The best in Nicaragua!!! It was a great night. We headed to a Cuban club and danced all night to Salsa, Marangue, Bachata and Reggaeton.
The next day we went out and explored for ourselves. Mara was still recovering from an operation so we had to figure it out ourselves. We made it to the Red light district which I have to say was kind of a let down. It was much smaller then I thought and nobody seemed to be out. The best part was seeing the outside of the Banana Bar. We met Mara for lunch at a bagel place because I have been missing them and Mara loves them too. The rest of the day was relaxed since we were still recovering from the night before. We went to a cafe not far from Mara's place and played a few games there soaking in the atmosphere of this local place. Afterwards Dorinne and I, the only ones able to make it out of the house, went and bought food for dinner. We made a feast and it was nice to just catch up chatting the rest of the night. Unfortunately Dorinne and I had to leave the next day as we were off on another trip.
When we made it back, almost a full day wasted from the bus ride, we barely unloaded because we were headed to Brugges the next day. Dorinnes brother and his girlfriend offered to take us so we couldn't refuse. It was a beautiful place even with the foggy weather. I enjoyed the medieval castle feeling of the town. Dorinne and I were just exhausted from all our traveling though so it was a bit rushed. After a night we had a busy day planned with WWI ruins. Philip being the history buff took us all over for my benefit. By that point we just wanted to be finished traveling and it didn't help that it was the coldest day yet. It never felt so good to get home. The ruins and museum in Ieper were cool to see though.
The next day was New Years Eve and we had plans to meet her brother, Philip in Lueven for the big party. I had no idea what to expect. We had decided to skip our big dinner reservation so we could make it to Lueven on time. We got on the train and slowly as we made our way there the train filled up with drunk people mostly our age. It was starting to seem like a wild night. We got to Philips friends house we barely had a couple hours before the ball dropped. We played an a drinking game I thought was American but apparently it has its versions all over the world. The game was kings cup and luckily we didn't get to finish because it was looking like a dreadful. Next Dorinne and I followed her friend Roxanna to the center of town to meet more people but that is where it got to crazy. We ended up losing Roxanna and making our way to the center square. It was my first outside New Years and it was not looking to disappoint. There were hundreds of people, a giant disco ball hanging in the center and even a dorky guy in shiny spandex pumping up the crowd. We randomly met up with her brother who was very drunk and I managed to get a bottle of champagne in my hands. The countdown started and I realized I had to pop the cork at the same time. Trying not to injure anyone I managed to pop the cork albeit a little late. The champagne was flowing all over with even a drunk idiot spraying the crowd with a bottle of 7up! It was actually really fun even though it was freezing. I later found out that we were on a famous street in Lueven litterly wall to wall with bars. We started to make the circuit running into people and losing others. We finally managed to track down the guy whose house we were staying at. We had been dying to get back and sleep it was somewhere near 4am!! However after splendid hours tracking people down half our group slipped into a bar on the way home. We managed to get a few hours of sleep on a small couch but the next morning was rough!
The next day did not get better either because Dorinnes grandma held a annual New Years day brunch. Needless to say I did not want to be there and Philip who we didn't even see until the gathering was even more pissed about it.
The rest of the time I spent with Dorinne we relished our time alone since we had been so busy. There was such beautiful times together. We just made food together and watched some movies. I reluctantly stepped on the airplane on the third of January thinking my vacation was over. This was not to be the case..
My flight was once again delayed. As I paced the Belgian airport looking for my escape. I knew I wasn't going to make my transfer but the receptionist said they might hold my plane. So I boarded the plane anyway. And of course halfway thru the short flight to Rome i was notified that my connection had taken off and I was stuck in Rome for a night.
As was the first layover in Rome I couldn't get my bag so i had no clothes a few things. This was actually nice because by this time I was sick of traveling. I checked into my familiar airport hotel, this time with no problems and realized it was 1pm. I immediately tried to call Dorinne and tell her what happened. I was really lonely and sad after just saying goodbye but I decided to venture out anyway. The prospect of spending all say cooped up in my drafty hotel room was to horrid. I went to the reception and ordered a taxi having no idea where I was in Rome and what there was to do. I got into the cab and somehow managed to hold a conversation speaking Spanish and listening to Italian. At least enough to get dropped off in more central Rome. We drove past the afternoon commuters on a two-lane highway, it was reckless crazy driving and I feared for my life at a couple moments. The driver seemed used to it though so i tried to distract myself from the road with the beautiful scenery. I saw ruined villas, ancient farms and decaying temples only visible from a view columns. I was shocked at how much there was. I thought if all of Rome was like this where did the people live? I finally made it to the center of town a hour later. I it was approaching dusk and I had just enough light to walk around snapping pictures every second. As the sun set and night approached they turned a beautiful pinkish red and I was blown away by the antiquity and aliveness that both inhabited this place symbiotically. This was all i needed to see so i spent the rest of the night figuring out how to cheaply get home. I found out that the train went right by my hotel and I got back for only a euro.
Well that is all my trip. I hope to write more about life here in japan but for the time being I am weathering out this dead of winter. I hope you are getting through the hard winter. Enjoy the snow for some of you. I actually might get snow tonight! Which I guess is pretty rare. Keep in touch.
