Day 8 - finally a day of

On Sunday we had finally some spare time. Maybe the tight schedule during the first week was the reason why we were really looking forward to this Sunday.

We started this precious day with a visit at the washing saloon – of course after the sleep of a good and long night. Apparently some guys underestimated the need for clean clothes. Actually I think the nights at the pubs were responsible for the extensive need of clothes (note: in Belgium smoking is still allowed). But in the end we succeeded in this task and went home with a full and nice smelling case of clothes.

After we went back to the hostel it stopped raining and we decided to visit Antwerp – which was a really rewarding decision.

Antwerp has a very picturesque city center and a lot of very interesting spots like the cathedral, the Grote Markt with the 16th-cetury Guildhouses and the city hall – even the railway station was really extraordinary: a mixture of very old components and new architecture. We also were roaming through the wide, diverse and amazing pedestrian zone in order to get to the sights. Unfortunately most of the shops were closed, what made the shopping for the girls not possible – lucky for the guys. So in the whole day they just gathered some postcards (what took just 30 minutes).

Also a big advantage was the fact, that all the sights are located in a central and relatively small area what made exploring per pedes very comfortable and enjoyable. Thus we also managed to take a look at the shelde and the harbor. Which is playing a important role regarding the diamonds, trade and other industry.

After a visit to the Belgian pendant of McDonalds – called QUICK quality burger restaurant – we were getting on our way home. When we arrived at the hostel we were all very tired although it was our first free day. So we decided to have a very calm and relaxing evening in order to have a fresh start in the new work-filled week.

Alexa und Roman