Since I didn't include any photos of the city yesterday, I am posting a few that I took on my walk today. These are from the Graslei, which overlooks the River Leie, and is supposed to be a very popular spot in the Spring/Summer for sitting, talking, eating, drinking. This area was part of the medieval harbour, and boasts some amazing guild houses, with intricate architectural details:





This building used to be a post office:



And this is a view from the Hoolarrd bridge:

I'm a little behind on my posts... so here's a quick recap of what I've been up to the last few days. On Thursday after class, three of my housemates (who are finally done with exams) took me on a little tour of our neighbourhood to show me where to eat, where to party, where to see some beautiful architecture, and where not to venture alone at night. We ended up for a quick drink at this place called the Pink Flamingo; it's completely dedicated to kitsch. Here's a photo of my lovely housemates enjoying some Jupiler:



And just to give you an idea of the bar's interior decor, here's some creative lighting in the form of a Barbie chandelier:



The place also features a wide array of Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Alf memorabilia, as well as portraits of the Virgin Mary and other divine beings.

Friday night was a reprise of Wednesday's birthday celebrations. My three Finn friends and I went out to the Charlatan, the bar where I had my first Belgian beer experience just a week earlier. But before we went out, the Finns prepared a popular Finnish bar shot, fisu. It's made by crushing up Fisherman's Friend candy and dissolving it in vodka. The result is surprisingly tasty: an anise flavoured shot. Our version was not entirely true to the original, since we couldn't find the right flavour of Fisherman's candy. But despite what it looks like, it was quite drinkable:



The Charlatan was a lot of fun on a Friday night, a mix of hip hop and reggae, a full dance floor and a giant disco ball! We had a great time, and the Finnish-Canadian bond just keeping getting stronger and stronger...







The next day, we ventured out for some delicious and very traditional Belgian fare: frites with mayonnaise. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it...



I've also posted a few new photos from the Polish party (please check them out below).
xoxox

I've been having some problems with my wireless Internet connection, but I just borrowed an Ethernet cable, and I'm back in business.

I've now been in Ghent for more than a week, and I have to say I'm really settling in. My new Dutch class friends are... well, awesome, and I'm finally getting to spend a little bit more time with my housemates, and they are the friendliest people! I can now admit that I was a little bit scared coming here, not knowing a soul. And then I saw my room, and I thought for sure things were going to go down hill from there :) but things are looking up! And I'm really looking forward to the semester (it begins on the 5th of February). And the setting is pretty much perfect; every day I'm discovering new cafes and bars and tiny alleyways and amazing architecture.

Here are a few photos from Wednesday night, we were celebrating my friend's birthday until the wee hours of the morning (the morning was kind of rough as a result, but most of us still made it to class!). This is us in my little polka dotted room:



And this is us on the way to the pub, we're already in very good spirits:



And this is the drink special:



We all admitted that the process of preparing the drink was much more fun than actually drinking it... first you light the shot and then you caramelize a sugar cube over the blue flame:



And of course, I'm including some more pictures of Ghent:

My weekend started on Thursday. That day, I finally decided to venture out for a Belgian beer... it was on my lonesome, but a night out nonetheless. My roommates were happy to suggest a place just down the street called the Charlatan. I took my journal with me, so I would look like I'm doing something very important. Really, it was just there for a pint and some people watching.

On Friday, I went to a party with my new friends from Dutch class, including three Finns, two Hungarians, and an English girl. The party was organized by a Polish student group, and took place at a bar called the Pinut right near St. Peter's Abbey (what a location!) We had a lot of fun... The drink special was the Mad Dog, a vodka shot with raspberry syrup and a bit of tabasco sauce. Mmmmm? The bar was packed and by two o'clock, everybody was in a very good mood: all the flat surfaces in the bar were occupied by dancing, hopping, or at least swaying students, the music was... well, an interesting mix of pop and dance, with some Polish tunes thrown in the mix. Here, they don't close down the bars at any particular hour, so it was up to us to leave. Finally, right before four o'clock we decided we were pretty beat and trekked home.

UPDATE:

Here are a few photos from that Friday night. And that's St. Peter's Abbey in the background of the 2nd pic... postcard perfect.










Saturday was a lazy day, spent trying to find a decent sandwich place, wandering through the city streets, taking a few photographs. I visited one of the churches near my place, St. Bavo's Cathedral (there's a photo of the exterior below, labelled with it's Dutch name: St.Baafskathedraal). Parts of the building date back to 942, although the current exterior was more or less completed in the 16th century. It is currently undergoing some renovations, but it's still a beautiful structure. When we were there, the harp and organs were playing, completing what can only be described as a spiritual experience! The church is home to a very famous painting, The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, which dates back to 1432 (this is just a google image since you're not allowed to take pictures inside):



The painting consists of 12 panels, eight of which are painted on both sides. The lower left panel was actually stolen in 1934, and has now been replaced with a copy... Some people claim they know the whereabouts of the original, but by now most believe it has been destroyed.

And now for a couple of photos from my lazy afternoon. Here is one of my new Finn friend taking a picture of the Town Hall with the Ghent Belfort in the background:



And here is a photo of St. Nicholas' Church:

Ik heet Kasia en ik woon in Gent in een huis met acht andere mensen. Ik com van Canada. Ik ben niet getrouwd en ik heb geen kinderen.

Today I had my first Dutch language class. In typical Kasia fashion, I got lost on my way to school, got directed to an office where the receptionist had no idea what course I was talking about, had to knock on a bunch of different doors, and then I finally found my class. I am two days behind, but I feel like I've missed so much more! Our teacher is very young and enthusiastic. She speaks to us almost entirely in Dutch, and we nod as if we know what she's saying. She doesn't seem to mind that we completely mispronounce everything. We even got to sing some Dutch phrases today. It's going to be an interesting few weeks!

Back in my room, I am making a little bit of progress covering up the walls:



I still need a lot more posters! At my desk area, I have placed the collection of photos of my favourite people (it's a fold up album I got as a going away present from Catherine!):



And of course, here are a couple more pictures of Ghent. The first picture is of St. Baafskathedraal:



And this is my street:

First, the story of my room. I finally got the keys this morning. My building is on the East side of the city; the location is beautiful, right near one of the canals. I'm on the top floor (which was a pain later on in the day when my luggage finally arrived and I had to drag it four flights of stairs...) The room is small, and it would be very quaint if it wasn't for the interesting paint job. See for yourself:



This was my initial reaction:



So I thought and I thought...



And I decided that I will cover it up with photos and posters and anything else I can find. I will update you soon. I just have to mention that I have met some of my housemates, and everyone is really friendly. We are sharing the kitchen and three of us are also sharing the shower facilities (the other lucky ones have showers in their rooms). They are all in exam mode right now, so are mostly hiding away in their rooms, but I think we'll have some fun when that's over with!

And now, for some photos of Ghent. It's an absolutely beautiful city, filled with little cobblestone streets, castles (the one below dates back to the 12th century), churches, winding canals. I can't believe I'm here! Here is just a taste of what I saw today:

Well, I guess I should have anticipated my trip would get interesting right from the beginning. I'm in Stockholm right now... One of my flights was delayed due to a combination of bad weather and mechanical malfunction. It means I missed my Copenhagen connection, and got re-routed to Sweden! I'm just killing time at the Arlanda airport, waiting for my final flight to Brussels. I've been here for six hours already. Two more to go. I'm not sure where my luggage is... I last saw it in Toronto. I hope to be reunited with it shortly!

I should be in Ghent by tonight, and it looks like I'll be spending my first night at the Youth Hostel "De Draecke." I have to wait until tomorrow morning for the housing office to open. Can't wait until I'm "home" in my new place!

I leave for Belgium in the morning. I am so excited. My flight over is going to be a long one. I went for the cheapest student airfare I could find, which means I'm making a few stops along the way: Toronto, Newark, Copenhagen, and then finally, Brussels. I'm going to be exhausted by the time I get in, but I'm counting on the adrenaline to keep me going. I start the Dutch language course bright and early the next day, so my plan is simple: find my new place and go to bed early... but I might do a little bit of exploring, take some pictures of the neighbourhood to share with you.

It's been an amazing last weekend in Ottawa... it all started with a UPS package. My Corp Comm class sent me a going away present: a Seneca hoodie, and a card signed by all of them! It was so sweet! They're such a great group of people, I am so happy I got to meet all of them...

And thanks to everyone who came out last night! It was the best surprise party ever! Thanks Mom, Ania, you totally got me. I had so much fun, and all the gifts, cards, wishes are very much appreciated!!! I am one lucky girl to be surrounded by so many amazing people. Thank you to all my "Aunts" and "Uncles"! The homemade doughnuts were to die for, and the cake was a piece of art! And thank you to all the "gang" (for lack of a better term), you guys are the best! I will miss you very much!

Well, I'm going to finish packing and try to get some sleep. I'll be in touch soon!
xoxoxox