Amsterdam to Brussels

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Today was relatively quiet compared to the past few days. Alex and I slept in til 1000, packed, and made our way from Amsterdam to Brussels.

We continued to expertly navigate the train system, going from Sloterdijk to Schippol Airport to Brussels Midi without a hitch. The trip gave us a great view of the countryside - lush trees, farms, cattle, sheep, and the occasional windmill flying by as we sped south.

The major train stations in Europe are like shopping centers, with tons of stores and restaurants along with hundreds or thousands of travelers. We stopped at Midi for a salad and just watched people coming and going. The Belgian military had a strong presence - soldiers in full gear armed with automatic weapons monitored the entrance, and there were several military vehicles parked in the plaza outside. Makes sense given the number of terror attacks in Brussels over the past couple of years. Glad to see them...and sad they have to be there.

Don't know exactly how we manage to do it, but every major travel Alex and I undertake ends at rush hour. Today was no different. The subway was empty when we got on, and it was packed by the time we reached Botanique station 20 minutes later. Just amazing.

We checked into the NH Hotel Bloom, a super arty and funky place that has really great accommodations. Andrew and I stayed here in 2015, and very little has changed. Still really cool art and decor, although they no longer have the room frescoes. Although we really enjoyed living with the locals in London and Amsterdam, we were really looking forward to modern hotel rooms with all conveniences - most of all, air conditioning!

We dropped our stuff and had dinner at Hanedan Kebap & Pizzaria, a highly rated restaurant in the Turkish neighborhood a couple of blocks up. We had chicken kabobs with quinoa, olives, cheese, bread, and dips. We really didn't know what everything was, but all was delicious. At the end of the meal, we found out they did not take credit cards, so I ran two blocks to the nearest ATM while the owner kept Alex as collateral. The bill was paid, and we headed back to the hotel.

On return, our room was blazing hot. The air conditioning had failed! Roxana, the clerk who checked us in, moved us to a much larger double king room that was freezing cold! We have enjoyed it immensely! Can't tell you how much we appreciate Roxana's fast assistance. Tomorrow, we visit the Grand Place; tonight, we rest.
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