Weekend to Holland

On Thursday I packed up my things for my trip to the Netherlands for the weekend. I took my bag with me on Friday and left school early to go to the train station. There I took the train to Halle near the Wallonia-Flanders border, where I met Clive Smith, a ringer, who drove us up to Dordrecht. I did lots of ringing at the Dutch change ringing tower- 't Klockhuys throughout the weekend. On Friday upon my arrival I had some free time as I was not involved for a ringing event at the tower. I spent the time going around taking some photos, trying to speak Dutch with locals, and profiting from my time in Holland. After that I went back to ring a bit before we had dinner followed by lots of delicious Dutch cheeses. I slept the night at Paul de Kok's, a Dutch ringer I met during my last visit to the Netherlands. His house is outside Dordrecht, in Alblasserdam. Saturday I woke up, ate a Dutch breakfast consisting of a wonderful spread of make-your-own sandwich materials. We went into the city for ringing all day, and I got to do some new things, so I would say I am very satisfied with the ringing. On Saturday I had a few more chances to walk around the city, and see the sites. I went to the cheese market to buy my host family some oude kaas, and I am happy to say that I successfully purchased it and talked with the cheese vendor in Dutch. I also got to speak with some locals asking directions around in Dutch, so I am happy I had the chance to practice. Saturday night we had a catered dinner in the church tower, which was delicious, there was pork with mustard sauce, rabbit and mushroom stew, among other tasty dishes. My feet were some kind of sore by the end of the day, it was long but pleasing. Sunday we had a bit of a lie in, and it was Thirza's (Paul's daughter's) birthday. We did more ringing in the city and I had a last chance to walk around and take pictures. In the afternoon Clive took me back to the train station in Brussels, where I took the train to Mons, then the bus back to Saint Denis.
Today was holiday, so I have been enjoying it. I slept in late again, did homework, went for a bike ride, and I wrote a bit. Andrea has gone back to Gembloux for the week, and I start school again tomorrow. Today we had a really good lunch, with mushroom-filled pasta, and lamb chops. And for dinner Spiri fixed me a special Belgian dish- pain perdu, which is sort of like French toast.
See here some of my photos from Holland.