Austria and Belgium!!

^^Welcome to Claire's room! (Adele made the sing for me on myvery awesome chalkboard wall)

Hello All!!

I am going to do things a little differently and start in the middle of my journey so far since I haven't really had the chance to sit at a computer, and Belgium is still fresh in my mind, and look over my journal and blog about Austria at Kristens Thursday night....

So, here I am in Belgium sitting in the living room with my old host family here in Mellet. (I studied abroad here during my junior year of high school with afs) It is so great to be back and my two youngest sisters met me and Kristen at the airport with posters (one of my face, that was quite hilarious)....Adèle had spent all day preparing for our arrival and had candles all around the house and it was a very nice way to be greated back in a place I had spent so much time. We stayed up until 1 am talking amongst the family and drinking Chimay in the land of Chimay. And eating cheese. Of course. I have been translating for Kristen and it has been so much fun. My French has really held up (but not quite where I want it to be) so I am ready to hit up France and really work at expanding my vocab and all that jazz.

Our first full day here we had a nice day at the house and all 8 members of the family were here! The 4 oldest are studying for exams so they are only here on the weekends....Kristen became great friends with Bali, the chocolate lab, and we learned how to defend ourselves against the bees that are EVERYWHERE. Kristen taught me to close my eyes and say 'I am not a flower', haha, it started as a funny kristen style of a joke and ended up being a live saver. I highly recomed it to anyone who just might happen tocome to Belgium and experience this first hand.

^^Adele and I having fun time

Day number two was spent visitng Margaret in Binche! Margaret was here with AFS during the same year I was and itwas so great to see eachother again! Pictures are sure to come, I promise.

^^Me in Binche

^^Margaret and I soaking up the sights

^^Margaret and I doing our best impression of the Gilles de Binche

I have spent a lot of time trying to explain to Kristen the difference between French Belgium and Flanders to the north. There is a lot of tension between the two sides over "little things" such as language, money...

So after passing the day in Binche we had a nice rest and hopped on a train to BRUGES!!!!!!! I love Bruges. It is with out a doubt a tourist trap in the summer (a wee bit like Disneyworld for history and Europe lovers), but it is so pretty and Kristen and I came across a hidden place to eat right in the corner of the street over looking a canal. I had a wonderful Duvel to drink and later a Hoegaarden in front of the church. I found my future vacation home! (in the picture below)

BRUGES!
^^Kristen and I fighting off the rain in Bruges

^^So many Belgian beers, so little time....

I love Belgium, and the people here are one of a kind. Adèle is just finishing up two homemade quiches, so I should go lend a hand! More to come on Thursday!! Tomorrow it is off to Brussels and then Thursday to Austria, and Kristen's flat in Graz!