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Published: March 1st 2009
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We left for Ghent after breakfast at 8am. The lady was there talking to herself about something at breakfast. We got on the 9:45 am train to Ghent the same one we had caught the day before to Brugge. It took about 45 minutes and we got off at Dampoort station. From the station we walked through the city centre using the free map for young travellers from www.use-it.info a really good map I found for Antwerp, Brugge and Ghent.
So we first of all made our way through Vrijdag market, past St Jacobskerk cathedral. The market was lively and thriving as it usually is on a Saturday or a Sunday (which we were there on). I even saw some Levi's jeans for 15euros! How cheap is that. I had a nostalgic moment for my Levi's back at my pad in Amsterdam which were quite well worn for the 8 years Ive had them and dying. Dad had an espresso and I had a hot choclate with whipped cream - another one of my growing addictions here. It was at Anselle Plien where we sat at the cafe and watched the multitudes go by. Then we headed up to the
free exhibition at Caermerklooster, a small museum in an old monsatry. Its free with no guilt trip big donation box or someone standing near the donation box with big letters saying this musuem is only helped by the kind generosity of people like you or something. This time the exhibition was about Harold Clayton Lloyd which dad really liked! I really liked the glamour exhibition where you walked down the catwalk to check out some of the model photography (Glamour) and the Vietnamese photo rubbish exhibition (Glans en Duister) by Eric Standaert (Check out this web page if you want to know more http://www.oost-vlaanderen.be/public/cultuur_vrijetijd/cultuur/caermersklooster/eric_standaert/index.cfm). I felt that conjured a really powerful image.
After the museum we walked through the medieval neighbourhood or the patershol, which was a labyrinth of medieval streets (now filled with expensive restaurants and the touristy crowd). We hopped on a canal trip around Ghent for 5.50euro (plus the 25 cent tip we gave him). It was pretty boring compared to Brugge but informative - like they guide say at some point in history maybe the 16th hundreds the water was so polluted and scarcely available that everyone drank beer - even the kids as it
was cheap and there was lots of it. After the boat canal trip we had lunch.
We had lunch at De Gill? This seafood place. It was quite close to the Sint Michiels Church (which never really got finished). The food was pretty decent and me and dad had the grilled fish plate - it was maybe a bit pricey though for 19euros each for the dish. After this we headed over and checked out Sint Niklaas Church. There has been nothing but problems with the church. Cracks in the wall, water on the floor, a crumbling tower, a mayor who wanted to turn it into parking, you name it. Now the wall on the left side has been restored with a layer of plaster and paint (just like it looked in the 17th century) but locals don't like it because it looks too clean. we checked out the inside quickly then headed to Tram 1 to either catch the tram back to the station (Dad's choice) or to the outsider art - Guislain museum (Dasha's choice). Luckily I won and we rode the 15 minutes on the tram to the stop guislainstaat. The 'outside art' shows work by
St Jacobskerk 02/11/08
Dad goes shopping at the markets. the mentally disturbed. It was really interesting and informative from an art perspective, from a physcological, philosophical, religious and historical perspective. We pretty much went through this museum from 3pm until 5pm and I still felt like I could have stayed longer (unfortunately the museum was closing around then). The Museum is actually held in the Guislain mental hospital. I would definitely go back there. To get in it costs 5euros for adults and 1euro if your under 26.
Actually I would make a point to let every where in Belgium know your under 26 as it seemed in Brugge, Antwerp and Ghent alot of the galleries and museums were 1euro for under 26's (well the permanent ones anyway). After this we caught tram 1 back to the station - this time to Sint - Pieters Station. From there we were back on platform 2 again to catch the train back to Antwerp. Luckily we had 15 minutes waiting time were we got to buy some fresh waffles made at the station (1.80euro each). The dough just melted in your mouth yummmmmmmmy! When we got the train back to Antwerp we ran like crazy for the train that should
St Jacobskerk 02/11/08
And more market shoppers have been already there to go to Amsterdam Central station. I felt in the bottom of my stomach we wouldn't make it and I noticed another guy running like mad like we were. Fortunately for us all, the train was running 10 minutes late and we made it in time for the train. On the train, in between bursts of sleep, I gave some advice to some guy going to Amsterdam about hostels - well I had the flying pig business card with me so I gave him that. Then me and dad hopped on tram 17 and got it home! Home by 11pm whew!
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