Belgian waffles are as good as advertized!

As teased in my previous post, I took a day trip to Brussels, Belgium, while in Amsterdam for a few days. It's about a 90-minute train ride from Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport to Brussels Central and I bought my round-trip ticket for €80 (about $98). If you have been reading my previous posts, then by now you should be tired of my repetitious tips about taking advantage of cheap deals to neighboring countries you are visiting. There's virtually no country I visit without making a stop to another. This trip was yet another example of this type of travel.

 

I had about seven hours to spend, which was by design. There are train trips by the hour from Amsterdam to Brussels, so you can start as early as 7 a.m. The return leg doesn't have as many trips, and the last train back during the period I was there was about 7:10 p.m. So be very careful about not missing the train back, unless you plan on spending the night in the city. A lot of the popular stops to make are situated around the Grand Place, a UNESCO-heritage recognized square, close to the city central. The City Hall and Museum of the City of Brussels are on this square. These two sites were not open to tour on the day I visited, so if you want to get the beauty of this place in all its glory, such as its famous Flower Carpet displays, then you should plan your visit for late summer or early fall. I heard the square looks magnificent at night, but since I had a train to catch, I didn't get to check this out either. But there are plenty of notable sites in the vicinity.

 

Everard t'Serclaes' Monument
Located on the Rue Charles, about 0.3 miles from the center of the Grand Place, this monument draws some traffic (though not as much as its nearby neighbor, the Manneken Pis.) Everard Serclaes, was a famous resident of Brussels, who as a lord, liberated the city during the 14th century war against Flemish troops. In 1897, a monument was erected in memory of the city's liberator, and today the sculpture is synonymous with granting the wishes of those who touch or rub on it. When I stopped by, it was relatively quiet and empty, save for the school kids surrounding it with their notebooks, taking notes as if it was a school project. They stayed in front of the monument having discussions until I finally had to ask them to step aside. What? I'm not coming all the way to lose out on the supposed good luck it brings when you touch it. I touched it all over for extra luck...then used my sanitizer after. Ha!

 

Move out of the way kids, I want some good luck!

 

 

 

Tintin Mural
Heading toward the Manneken Pis from the Everard t'Serclaes, you will pass by the Tintin Mural, which a fellow traveler friend of mine had told me about. Not necessarily billed as a tourist attraction, although TripAdvisor will have you believe this since it has its own page dedication, it doesn't hurt to pass through this street as you head to one of Brussel's most recognized sites. But, feel free to skip it altogether because it isn't much to look at. Graffiti at the base of the statue has destroyed its beauty. I was disappointed by it.

Base of the mural has been ruined by graffiti 

Manneken Pis
For a monument so widely recognized, the Manneken Pis is located in an unassuming corner of the street on the same lane as the Everard t'Serclaes and Tintin Mural. Brussels official site describes this statue as the emblem of the city's rebellious spirit. If you're lucky, you might turn up to the Manneken clothed in one of its more than 900 costumes, dressed for a special occasion. I wasn't. But then again, maybe I was. I prefer to capture images in their full glory. No pun intended! Its history stems from it serving as a symbol of Brussels' development of a drinking water distribution system in the 15th century. Its legendary status grew when it survived the bombardment of Brussels in 1695. It has survived several thefts and damages, and today what tourists stroll up to take pictures of is a replica. The real thing is housed in the Museum of the City of Brussels after restoration from damage sustained after a successful theft and recovery.

Indulge in Belgian waffles
When in Rome...err...Belgium, do like...you know how that goes. I haven't been the biggest fan of waffles since I was first introduced to it in the U.S. It's probably because my first taste was thanks to Egg-O frozen waffles. But, as it is the most synonymous food, besides chocolate, to eat in Belgium, there was no way I was leaving without sampling some. OH MY GOODNESS!!! It was amazing. I had mine plain from this shop by the Manneken Pis and it was soooo good even without toppings. Please believe me when I say you have to try some waffles when you visit.

 

 

 

Parc du Centequanaire
After making my rounds around the Grand Place, I had about four hours to spare so I headed to the Parc du Centequanaire just for the photo op. It is an impressive structure, shaped like a U, and was commissioned by King Leopold II in 1880 in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Belgium's independence from the Netherlands. One side of the building houses the Military Museum. I didn't go in for a tour, but walked the grounds, which is well maintained and offers breathtaking views of ponds, well-manicured lawns and everything in between. I could only imagine what it would feel like walking or running through the park grounds in the spring. It was so cold and windy as you can see how much I struggled in my videos.

Atonium
After reading the less than favorable reviews, I was hesitant to go to the Atonium, commissioned in celebration of the World Fair of 1958. I still had time to spare before catching my train back and its accessibility by metro won me over. I initially wanted to go to the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the world's fifth largest church, but it involved getting on a train, two buses and a significant bit of walking to make it to the church. With only about two hours to spare, and not wanting to spend a lot of money on Uber, I opted to go to the Atonium. And I'm so glad I went because it offered the best spots for memorable photos. Having both the Be.Welcome sign (Belgium's equivalence to Amsterdam's I.Amsterdam sign) and the huge metallic atomic balls, this should be the iconic/most photographed part of Brussels. While the Manneken-Pis is nice, it could've been located anywhere in Europe, and is more of a symbolic structure. The Atonium should be more recognized as a landmark that leaves no doubt that you are in Brussels. You don't need to go in to appreciate its beauty. But if you do, please come back and leave a comment on your thoughts since I didn't make it in.

 

 

Note: Accessible by metro from Central Station. Take the 1 or 5 to Beenkant and transfer to the 6, taking it to Megrode.

I took the train back to Brussels Central and caught the 7:10 train back to Amsterdam. There were many more places I wanted to visit that I couldn't, so I would suggest spending the night in the city and taking the opportunity to get breakfast in the city and make a few more stops. I am already thinking of going back to Brussels and those delicious waffles.

Goodbye Brussels. Until we meet again.

Amsterdam...more than just a Red Light Special!

In the last week of January, I took a trip to Amsterdam, on my way to Abuja, Nigeria for a wedding. It was a four-day trip I had pre-planned with my friend Enni, who lives in Aalsmeer, Netherlands, a small town about 30 minutes outside Amsterdam, in northern Holland. Enni and her husband were about two months away from expecting their first child when I visited so they weren't able to accompany me on any of my trips around the city, but they were the loveliest hosts in their amazing house. My 15-minute walks to the bus stop outside their suburb, where I caught the bus into Amsterdam Central, was serenity at its finest! Never have I felt safer walking around a city I knew nothing about, than in Amsterdam. As my friend said to me during one of our talks, prisons in the Netherlands are being used to house the homeless and destitute because there are no criminals to occupy them. As I walked around the city at night, and even back to my friends late at night, I thought disappointedly about how unsafe I feel back home in the U.S.

 

Now, let's get to the fun part! If you know anything about Amsterdam, you'd know it is the capital of bicycles. There were bikes EVERYWHERE! I shot so much footage and took so many pictures that I planned to write a separate entry on Bikemania--locals estimate that there are about 600,000 bikes in the city alone. But I may have corrupted my video files so the only videos I have are from my cell phone. I didn't ride any bikes on this trip, but it inspired me to come back home and pick up biking again. In the absence of bikes, I opted to walk everywhere. Something to note: I was able to do everything in two days! There are obviously a lot more places you can go to, but most of the famous places to visit or things to do in Amsterdam can be done in two days.

Bikes are everywhere!

My first stop on Sunday was the Van Gogh Museum, which is located in Amsterdam's Museum Square. I suggest going in the morning as the crowd starts building by midday. The admission fee is €17.50 and it definitely paid to invest in the €5 for the audio guide, which I credit for my spending three hours at the museum, and which I recommend for non-art connoisseurs like me. The audio guide helps depict the moods, periods, inspirations and conflicts that helped shape the artist's individual artworks. Even with little knowledge about art, you'll come to appreciate Van Gogh's craftsmanship. You can opt for a 45-minute guide if you would rather speed through the museum, but I think you would love the organization at this museum that you'll want to stick around to hear all the stories.

Tip: No pictures are allowed around the art (though you can get away with it if you really want one,) so you don't need a camera if you're not heading to other tourist sites. You can't take a bag in, but can check it in with your coat for free. There is a small café inside the museum for some snacks and hot drinks.

Outside Van Gogh Museum

One of many self portraits of Vincent van Gogh

Since I had such a good time getting to know van Gogh, I decided to give the Rijks Museum a try as well (OK, I'll admit that I had already planned my itinerary before starting my day.) Since the famous Iamsterdam slogan is situated between Van Gogh and Rijks, I was able to stop there for a brief photo-op without sacrificing much time. You can't come to Amsterdam and not take a picture by one of these slogans. There is another one right outside Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, and a third one changes locations at any given time. Basically, you have more than enough opportunities to take a picture by the famous slogan. Be aware that it is almost impossible to end up with a solo picture of the whole thing as thousands of tourists crowd around it every day.

The popular slogan in the foreground of the Rijks Museum

I continued on to Rijks, which is the Dutch National Museum and is dedicated to the arts and history of Amsterdam. With so much to learn, I was disappointed in the touring experience. The entry fee is also €17.50 and the website advertises downloading an app for a free audio guide, but I didn't find it helpful. Perhaps I didn't know how to use it. I chose not to buy the audio guide and it may have contributed to a less than enjoyable experience compared to van Gogh's. The only advantage to this place was the freedom to take pictures. It was somewhat confusing following the different periods especially as some of the stairs didn't lead to all floors. I used the map provided to focus on all the highlighted work, but pretty much went through the motions for much of the tour.








The main highlight of this museum is the Rembrandt painting of The Night Watch; Rembrandt van Rijn's most famous painting and one of the most recognized artworks in the world. The original painting was so large that in 1715, it was cut off on all sides to get into the city's town hall. So what we now view as the original is the altered version. This was the only painting to have guards permanently posted by each side, which was not surprising. And to the right of the painting is a smaller replica of what the original painting looked like. We were allowed to take pictures even though the informational cards highlight how much deterioration the painting has suffered over the years, including scratches. Speaking of the guides, I found them to be extremely useful in giving more detail to specific parts of the painting. One example is the suggestion that Rembrandt painted himself into the artwork. These cards were available at the more famous artworks like the second most visited painting at the museum: Lucas van Leyden's The Last Judgement. I tried hard to enjoy this museum, but struggled. If you had to pick one, I would say head to the Van Gogh Museum.

Tip: You can also store your bag and coats at this museum. It also has a small café toward the back entrance of the museum.

Above is the replica of the original. Below is the original today

I took a day trip to Brussels, Belgium on Monday morning, and resumed my tour of Amsterdam on Tuesday morning with a visit to the Anne Frank House. Gosh! Talk about an emotionally gut-wrenching site to visit. Hardly anyone who is aware of the existence of the Holocaust can say they've never heard of the story of Anne Frank, the teenage Jewish girl whose diary about the time she and seven others spent hiding in the annex of an office during the Holocaust became a worldwide bestseller. Visiting this house was the highlight of my tour in this city (besides seeing my friends of course.) Scoring tickets for this tour, which is €9, can be tricky as a major ongoing renovation means you can only buy tickets online. I bought mine two days before my visit, so don't believe the reviews out there that suggest buying months in advance. Unless you're absolutely sure about going, I wouldn't advise anyone to buy months in advance.

Outside the Anne Frank House

The house is on Prinsengracht Canal street in Central Amsterdam, and you are only allowed to get in line 15 minutes before your scheduled block start. The museum says you must show up during your 15-minute window of entry or forfeit your ticket. I'm not sure how strict they are in enforcing this, but I didn't want to find out. You definitely understand why it isn't open entry once you begin the tour. It is a narrow house with only few people able to access some areas at the same time. It is a place of retrospective history and I was very appreciative of how everyone respected the mood. Only hush whispers between people. Not a single phone rang even with no signs cautioning against use of phones. No photos are allowed, but one girl in front of me couldn't resist taking a picture of the cupboard hiding the doorway into the office annex.








I took some pictures at the end of the tour where you can listen to a collection of stories or comments about Anne Frank by some who knew her, including her father, Otto Frank, the lone survivor of all the occupants of the house. Famous people like Nelson Mandela and Whoopi Goldberg also spoke about the bravery of Anne. You can also leave some words and donations at the end. The audio guides are free (a major plus to experiencing this tour as is truly intended,) and don't require earphones. Starting at the bottom and heading upstairs through sometimes steep and narrow steps, you listen to an audio retelling of her words from her diary and sometimes get to see video footage of her dad or fellow friends in captivity.

Was a somber feeling touring this museum

This helps to provide crowd control because it would be a nightmare standing on the steep and narrow steps waiting to climb. You may have to wait for some videos to restart when you walk into a new room, but none of the videos are more than five minutes so you never have to wait too long. If you're expecting stories from other Jews held in captivity during that period, save yourself the trip. This is specifically about Anne Frank, her family and the other occupants of the house, and rightfully so. In South Africa, there are tons of museums dedicated to various perspectives of the apartheid experience. I must've visited at least seven of them and each one left an indelible mark because they told a different story. I say it was perfect as is. Anne's words, coming from the life of such a young girl reverberated around the world in a way that deserves to be commemorated by itself.

Tip: Free entry with Dutch Museum Card, but still requires scheduling a time slot on the website.






About 50 feet from the Anne Frank House is Westerkerk. Also known as the West Church, it was famously written about in Anne's diary, in which she wrote about listening to the chiming of the church bells while she hid in the annex. Built in 1620, this church should serve as a must-stop for an education in Amsterdam's history, but it pains me to stay I was underwhelmed. It is definitely recognized as a tourist attraction because there's all the trappings you'd come to expect: postcards, fridge magnets and an in-house artist painting and selling his art. But it didn't feel like a church or sacred place to me. It merely offered me the perfect place to rest my feet after a long tour. The most spectacular thing about this church is its large organ above its entrance. Some may talk about the view from the top (which you have to pay to see,) but it would be no different from any other tall building in the area. But that organ? Tell me a place you can find another like it, and I'll call you a fibber. What isn't heavily promoted is that this is the final resting place of Rembrandt, Netherland's most famed artist. There's a headstone with his name on it, but it doesn't attract many people to the church. In fact it was virtually empty when I visited.

Tip: There's an Anne Frank statue to the right of the church, marking its connection to her story.

Westerkerk Church was built in 1620

After grabbing lunch at an Argentinean Steakhouse close to the church, I took the Blue Boat Canal Cruise around the city. It was about 75 minutes long and cost €18, but it never really stopped long enough for great pictures at the various spots pointed out by the audio or tour guide. It was a waste of my money. After the cruise I closed out my trip with a quick stop at Red Light District, which wasn't much of an attraction to me. I spent 20 minutes walking around quickly just to take in whatever it is that draws people here. If you are not seeking 'excitement' from the window displays or businesses in this area, then you won't enjoy this place much. Just be careful/discreet if you choose to take pictures as you might be 'approached' by some of the men standing outside these businesses. I walked by Dam Square on my way to the RLD. I don't think I had a good opportunity to truly appreciate it for two reasons. It was dark and there was a protest against Iran going on, so it was filled with people and police. I found it weirdly refreshing when I asked a cop what was going on and he started with "we are protesting..." It wasn't about him letting me know if he sided with the protesters. It was about how free he felt to voice his opinion openly without fear of reprisal or doubts about his ability to do his job in spite of it.

Observing a protest at Dam Square

Amsterdam is no doubt a worthwhile city to pass through while traveling through Europe. I'd like to think of it as an understated tourist-attractive city. It may not get the buzz cities like Paris and Rome draw, but I recommend making a stop for a couple of days I guarantee you won't live disappointed.

The IJGB Experience in Nigeria

Note: This was largely based on the overcrowded experience in Lagos when I visited in Dec. 2016, but loosely relates to Abuja as well. I wrote this in Jan. 2017, but never published it.

"Hey girl, I didn't know you were around. When did you get back?"

That's how most of my conversations begin whenever I run into someone for the first time when visiting Nigeria.

"Really, you just got in, and you're already out...Na wa oh! You're rocking. Na you dey enjoy!"

Out at Zenbah, the same Thursday night I arrived

The IJGB phenomenon, also known as I Just Got Back, was coined in reference to the return of scores of Nigerians living in the diaspora; usually visiting during the Christmas holiday period or relocating back home. What started out as a sarcastic, but humorous way of distinguishing us from our counterparts with local addresses, has become a term used with disdain. In a lot of cases, with good measure.

The 2016 holiday period was particularly special because virtually every local I encountered assumed I came back to flenjo, a slang that indicates one's intent to flaunt your wealth, goodies or whatever it is that is sure to identify one as someone of esteem.

"Hmmm...you guys are not playing this year oh! See how all of una (all of you) just pack yourselves come because you want to come and oppress us with your dollars and pounds."

Amid economic and political issues in Nigeria, the Naira has significantly plunged in value to the current black market rate of N480 to $1 and N590 to £1. And the Christmas holidays are notorious for a major spike in prices, not just because it is the holidays, but with so many people back home with cash to spend, vendors are willing to take advantage of our [presumed] cluelessness for the value of local products and services. So it's no wonder that locals abhor our coming back. Did I also mention that the already insane traffic hold ups in Lagos seemingly quadruples with the influx; particularly around the Lagos Island axis?

I've never liked being referred to as an IJGB for many reasons, but this year was even more annoying to be tagged a returnee. For one, it was my second trip to Nigeria this year; something I have never done before (and hope to never do again.) As much as I love my country, I am not fond of flying home every year because of how expensive it gets. When you're flying from the U.S. compared to Europe, ticket prices can sometimes climb into the $2,000 range for an economy seat. That's pretty insane to me considering as an avid traveler, I have so many countries I'd like to visit; and can visit for much less. And that includes my hotel, food and entrance fees to tourist attractions (none of which I typically have to pay for in Nigeria.) Both trips were to attend the weddings of close friends, which skipping would have come at a steep penalty (say the loss of a friendship.) Needless to say, I definitely wouldn't have made two trips if I didn't have to.

Traditional and white wedding in Lagos

There's also the superficial accent you're expected to return with. Everyone MUST know I don't live in Nigeria, as if this somehow establishes my level of wealth or status in Nigeria. I've watched too many returnees perpetuate this myth that because we've been gone for so long, we inevitably lost our ability to communicate with our original accents. Even people I know who left Nigeria barely two years ago are guilty of this crime, and I don't want to be associated with this generalization.

So hot and humid even my hair suffered

But the biggest reason I hated coming back this year is that I despised benefiting from the deplorable value of our currency. While I can't deny that having more money at my disposal felt nice, as a Nigerian, I could never derive pleasure in knowing that our currency is slowly becoming as worthless as the Zimbabwean dollar. It is shameful celebrating the fact that I'd have a lot more money than on previous visits. Never mind that this didn't encourage me to spend any more or less than I normally would.

 





Most of us spend about two weeks on average in Nigeria, and then everything goes back to the way it was. This holiday period, I chose to come in earlier than I ever did, and stay longer than I ever have. In nearly a month, I have come to realize that despite the raised eyebrows we draw from the moment we join the custom's arrival queue at Murtala Muhammad International Airport in Lagos or Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, IJGBs are essential to the Nigerian holiday experience. You feel our presence everywhere: from the countless concerts and parties in Lagos to the Eastern Shores, which are a must-go for Igbo indigenes. And as much as our local brethren might hate to admit it, we bring a different, but much needed kind of excitement to this struggling country, no matter how short-lived the excitement is. For me, I may complain about everything from the excess heat to the rude customer service, but nothing beats going home. Going back gives me a chance to reconnect with all the things I grew up on: going to the market, eating tasty (and real) food, and hanging out with my friends. Nothing in the U.S. beats that. Which is why I know I'll be headed back again sometime soon!

Do you have any stories to share about the IJGB experience? Share it in the comments.

Private beach house party with friends

Falz performing at the Rhythm 93.7 Christmas concert

Oando Christmas party

Post blog update: I returned to Nigeria in Jan. 2018 for yet another wedding; this time in Abuja. See, I told you I couldn't stay away!