a visit to Antwerp

When I found out we were moving to Eindhoven I wrote a buddy from architecture school who is from and currently living in Antwerp. We took the train on Saturday morning for a day in the city with HC. It was great to see a familiar face and to get such a personal tour of the city! We are just a 2 hour train ride away so there will definitely be more visits in the future. Such a lovely historic city with modern additions and insertions into the city fabric. On our way to the new MAS we found a hidden gem which displayed a satellite view of the Antwerp port which you can walk on. We didn't realize that it's the 4th biggest port in the world, and this display shows this monster port as it dwarfs the city.

arriving at the amazing Antwerpen train station

at the market

iphone camera does not compare...

with my beloved canon s90!

the cathedral, HC's favorite building in Antwerp,
rises out of the old city

truly unique side aisles

old city of Antwerp in the foreground,
port of antwerp extending to the feet up there!

loving the satellite view

some great beer to finish our day

Thanks again, HC, for your hospitality and a great time! 

cheese and chocolate all begin with the cows

to the mountains!

the ladies of Murren

earlier this spring we were lucky to have good friends erin and rob (and baby bump!) visit us in lausanne. since howie was really busy with school at the time, the rest of us took off for the mountains. i now know why the interlaken area is such a well known spot in switzerland- the views and the mountains there are amazingly beautiful!

crazy slide while waiting for our gondola

we stayed in Murren for two nights, which is a tiny town away from all the tourist activity which was great. it is well known for its cows, probably because there are more cows than people (i just made that up, but it seems true?!), perched on the steep hillsides eating grass mixed with billions of wildflowers. our b&b was amazing, and it was a good thing because we spent almost an entire day there when the skies clouded over, it started raining, then hailing, then snowing. (!)

we had great fun reading books, playing cards, napping, and when it finally cleared up, e&r played some chess while i sketched a little.

it was so much fun to have them here- since their visit we have taken all other visitors for breakfast by the lake, and picnics in the vineyards (not forgetting food!)

Rob decided I needed a real size beer

balancing act at Epesses

thank you guys for coming all the way over here for one last adventure together before parenthood :)

welcome, baby gil!

i'm so excited that one of my bestest friends just gave birth to a baby girl! congrats Beth & Ryan, i'm so happy for you- overjoyed really- and i am so wishing i was there right now to see you all and give you big hugs and kisses. 


i'm itching to ask you all sorts of questions like, what is her name? is it the one you told me this summer?? who does she look like? did you have to walk to the hospital in the middle of a snowstorm because you couldn't get the car out?! etc.  but, we will talk soon enough and we'll discuss all of these important details. 

i'm also remembering that it was not so long ago when we were watching this everyday:

swooning over these:

and laughing about this creepiness:

disclaimer: this is NOT baby gil...

maybe its because i'm so far away, but i can't believe that you are now holding your own little bundle of joy! are we really that grown up already?!  


ah, good times. i can't wait to come visit!! congrats, congrats!


xoxoxoxo


update: just as i was posting this i heard the news that baby gil's real name is Sydney Teresa Gilfillan, 7 lbs 2 oz, 19.5 in, born 19 February at 12:38 pm. from what i heard, she was happily welcomed 2 weeks early :)