It's Really Not

I remember around Christmas of 2005, Pax, husband of Bishop, talked about the overuse of the word amazing. He made one of the most brilliant statements of all time by saying, "Amazing is the new dreadful." Since then, I too have noticed how that one word has been worn down to the nubbin. I watched up to season five of Parks and Recreation and I'm not kidding, every damn episode has the word amazing at least once, usually two to three times, and also, another horrifically butchered word, literally. Which people tend to use when saying something that is anything but literal. You know, I can understand when someone in every day life uses these words, but what I cannot tolerate is when writers use it. I had to stop watching Parks and Rec at season five when they said amazing EIGHT TIMES in the span of a single 21 minute episode. There are so many other words to use - remarkable, outstanding, marvelous, astonishing, wonderful, fabulous, fantastic - why is it that everyone is obsessed with this one word? It's maddening. Right up there with the folks that think verbiage means wording. Guess what, it doesn't.

Shirley Valentine

I hadn't watched this movie in years, but it is still so unbelievably warm and wonderful. Fantastic film.

(photo kidnapped from impawards)

Goodbye forever...

With very little sleep and a heavy heart, I leave Antwerpen for Brussels airport and then home to Philly.

A Last Look

This morning after packing my bags and lounging about the flat, I received a surprise visit from Michel. Dontcha just love when someone shows up at the front door when you haven't showered, the place is a mess and you're still in your jammie jams? Well, I left Michel locked out until I had a chance to throw on a bra, a hat, some pants and clean up a bit. We chatted for a few minutes and he's very nice. I couldn't help thinking that if he and his boyfriends asked me to go out for drinks, even though I can't eat any Belgian food and I don't drink and I'm super awkward and terrified of everything, I would absolutely accept. Oh well, not meant to be.

I had planned on staying in all day, since it was supposed to rain off and on and I wanted to clean up the apartment and get ready for an early morning start. Then I said to myself, "Sod it." and went for a walk to see this gorgeous city one more time. I wish the people here were more open and chatty and warm, but they aren't and although that makes me a little sad, I am so delighted to have had three opportunities to stay in a place as magnificent as Antwerp. I miss it already but hope to see it in my dreams.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brussels

Today I put on my bravery-courage pants and took the train to Brussels to visit the Magritte Museum. I was totally terrified to do this, as I had never been to this part of the city, but I really, really wanted to see the museum. I got turned around and had to hide in a side street corner and pull out my map, but I eventually found the place and was so glad I went. The bathroom mirror was an especially delightful surprise!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Treehouse Masters

One of the few English speaking channels in Antwerp is Animal Planet and I obsessively watch it whenever I'm here. My favourite show is definitely Treehouse Masters because Pete Nelson, the owner of the company and star of the show, comes across as pretty much the nicest guy around. And his crew seem equally as wonderful. I currently have a celeb crush on Alex Meyer, the gorgeous carpenter.
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(photo kidnapped from hulu)

Plantin Moretus Museum

The people that work at this museum were so crazy nice; and they seemed genuinely nice. For some reason the admission price was waved for today, thus saving me €8. Hooray! Of course, I arrived back at the flat to realise that there was a second floor that I was not aware existed. Duh.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MAS

MAS, which stands for Museum aan de Stroom and translates to Museum at the River, was today's destination! The weather was clear and not too cold (about 48°) and thankfully the museum wasn't super crowded. MAS is a museum about the importance of the city of Antwerp and, being that it is a port city, how it has related to the rest of the world's history. The building, built in 2011, is eye catching and super unique. The reason to go is definitely for the panoramic and awe inspiring view of the city. For me, it was just fun to listen to my iPod and wander through the rooms, snapping pictures of whatever caught my eye.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The City Proper and Linkeroever

So today looked as though it might be one of the few decent, sun-shiny days here, so I decided to walk through the city and take the Sint-Anna Tunnel beneath the River Schelde and over to the left bank, also known as Linkeroever. Seeing Antwerp from the other side was spectacularly awesome, but discovering and exploring Vlaeykensgang has rocketed to the top of my favourite things about Antwerp. It's this somewhat hidden little alleyway that winds 'round and 'round and pops you out the other side and onto Hoogstraat. If I could live anywhere in Antwerp, I'd love a tiny little place tucked away in Vlaeykensgang.

Vlaeykensgang begins once you step foot through the darkened doorway. It was utterly dreamlike.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The long descent into the Sint-Anna Tunnel begins!

 

 

The beautiful city of Antwerp.