Day 4 - Leuven

So day 4 was the day that we went to Belgium! I left on the 6:50 AM bus to Amsterdam because I had to then go to Amstel station to catch my bus. I didn't know exactly how long it would take me, so I wanted to give myself plenty of time. I was planning on being at the station by 9/9:30...I got there at 8:20 =] So I hung out for a while and what not, and then Ryan came, and we went, checked in at the bus, and then we were on our way! Our friend had emailed us and told us how to get from where the bus would drop us off at Brussels-Noord, to our hotel, on the outskirts of Brussels =] So we made it to Brussels, and we were starving, so we got ourselves some food, and I found out my phone didn't work...wonderful (if you are friends with me on Facebook, you probably saw the whole fiasco about how my phone didn't work to begin with in the Netherlands). I decided, whatever, I was with Ryan and his phone worked. So we grabbed some food and quickly found out English wasn't spoken as prevalently here as it was in Amsterdam. Cool. I knew a few French words, so we were good =] So we look at the train map and compare it to what we were told to do so we could kind of figure out exactly what we were doing, and off we went! Belgium has awesome 3 day train passes that were only 10 euros, and then gave you unlimited train use for 3 days. Since that's how long we were going to be there, we went for it, and boy, it was so worth it! We made it to our hotel, checked in, and were back off to the train station to go to Leuven to visit Margaretha! We texted her to let her know we were on our way, and once we were literally sitting on the train, she texted and was like, you should take this train. We were like...well...we are already on this train, so we'll see you there =] So we arrive in Leuven and we find her about 5 minutes later! It was so wonderful! We hadn't seen Margaretha since graduation back in 2008, so it was wonderful to see here again! And funny enough, no less than 10 seconds later, 3 LDS (mormon) missionaries walked past! I waved them over and was so excited =] It was on my list of things to see, LDS missionaries =] So I talked to them for a few minutes, told them why I was there, asked where they were from (Provo, Washington State and Argentina) so that was really fun! (of course I forgot to take a picture...).

I was taking this picture when Margaretha called to us! And when I saw the missionaries, they were walking from the left of this statue =]

After that, Margaretha took us around and showed us a lot of things! Leuven is the college town where she goes to school (Katholieke Universiteit) so it was fun seeing her university! We first went to university's main library and man, my library has nothing on hers! (Though mine is bigger, square footage wise...I think...) but it was beautiful! The university is really old, were talking hundreds of years, so that was cool.

This, is her library! So beautiful!!

Up close. I love that there is a clock/bell tower on top of the library. So neat!

Doors inside the library

Main study area. Love all the wood, and it is so detailed!

She took us past some dorms, and I was jealous! I really wanted to come to her university (but I don't speak Dutch...). We then saw their admissions building, the town hall (so incredible!!) and just walked around.

Some men's dorms. Love the courtyard area!

Outside of some women's dorms

Inside the admissions building. Love the staircase

Hallway in the admissions building

The town hall! It is incredibly detailed, and is the third most beautiful town hall in Belgium!

Town Hall again

Then we went to her house, and to the store to buy food for dinner, then back to her house to cook. I wish I had taken pictures of her house! I love it! So cool!

Prosciutto and melon (interesting combination, but good =] )

Pasta with tomatoes, mozzarella, cucumbers and ham (and mayonnaise love it!)

After dinner, we went to a monastery and to a store to buy some Belgium chocolate =] Oh and I forgot! On our walkabout, we got Belgium waffles =] So good! The monastery was so beautiful, and we went at sunset, so it was just lit up and gorgeous! Loved it! And we also went for a walk through a garden (though this was before dinner...)

Again, forgot to take a picture before we started eating =] I guess we were too hungry!

Loved this street! I just love the way the houses look, and the curvature of the street. Loved it all!

I love how they mow the grass!

The monastery

I loved how the red wall was lit up by the sun setting =]

More of the monastery. It was absolutely beautiful.

Right past the monastery. The sun was setting through the trees, and the broken fence, it was like out of a painting =]

Beautiful fields of green

Sadly, it was time to go. She took us back to the train station, and we all said goodbye =[ It was a short 5 hour visit, but it was wonderful none the less!!

Goodbye =] (I know it looks like this picture is in black and white, and we are in color, but it really isn't...)