Well it's been three weeks since discovering that my course is actually taught at masters level, and there has been plenty of associated stress since then! Luckily for my sanity my girlfriend flew over for a final visit before I move back to Dundee so there was plenty of fun and non-law excitement mixed in too.
Law news first...I've had my final class in Antwerpen! I can't believe it's been a year already, it doesn't seem that long ago that I was getting lost and confused by everything in September. Although it's a relief to have finished my classes so I can focus on my External Relations and Globalisation term papers and get started on revision for the upcoming exam season, I have to say I'm going to miss some of my modules. Discrimination was interesting despite the four hour classes at 8.30am, and Protection of Human Rights with Vandenhole was fantastic. Having had Vandenhole for both Children's Rights and Protection of Human Rights, I definitely recommend taking any subject he's teaching - there might be a fair amount of reading but his teaching style is really enjoyable and you really don't notice how much work you end up doing for his classes.
After a fairly uneventful 10 days (the high point was the conclusion of my WTO course - hallelujah) my girlfriend arrived so I could finally have some time off from law. As it was her birthday a few days before, I'd bought her a copy of Le Cordon Bleu's Chocolate Bible, so after doing the food shop we got to work creating the most heavenly chocolate-orange mousse. Seriously, that was one utterly heavenly mousse. The chocolate, the hint of orange, the textual delight of thin slices of caramelised orange rind swirled through the mousse...mmm. Note to self - make again soon!
Since the weather was so nice on the Thursday we picnicked in Plantentuin and went to MoMu to have a look at their latest exhibition on women's daily fashion between 1750 and 1950. The exhibition is on until 12th August so if you're in Antwerpen over the summer it's definitely worth a look - and it's only €1 for under 26's. Unfortunately my Discrimination presentation was postponed from the week before due to a clash with a visiting lecturer in Private Law, so Friday was spent with me quietly stressing over my presentation before having to abandon my girlfriend for three hours (instead of the supposed two) on my campus while I went and presented my paper. The presentation seemed to go okay despite my mega-nerves so fingers crossed for the final exam now!
As a delightful counter to the stress of the day before, we headed to Gent on Saturday to complete our tour of Flanders. After some confusion over train times (the Internet gave a different time to the timetable at Station Zuid) we arrived in the very impressive Gent St. Pieters Station to the south of the city ready to wander into the centre via a canal or two.
Handy hint: if you don't want to buy a whole GoPass 10 but still want to travel cheaply on the weekend, get the Weekend Ticket. This is available for any age and can be used from 19.00 on Friday to the end of Sunday for only €5 each way - that's a 50% discount! Book online and print at home or buy in Antwerpen Centraal Station for use from any Station in the Antwerpen Zone
Handy hint: if you don't fancy walking the 2km to the centre from the south, Gent Dampoort Station is further north and closer to the centre but less frequently served
We started out exploring Citadelpark which, however lovely Stadspark is in Antwerpen, was definitely the nicest park we've found in Flanders. It has secret-looking stairs and paths hidden everywhere! Who cares if it's sort of childish to be excited about secret paths in woods at age 21, it was fun! It paid off too, as we stumbled across some kind of festival with a 1920's style band and dance group parading around. Despite our plans to get to the Plantentuin (Botanic Garden) before the hot houses closed, because of the train confusion we didn't make it in time. Still, the outside gardens were absolutely stunning, complete with secret paths, a lake/pond, ducks (ducks are fabulous birds to have in parks) and the scariest fish ever (it was just floating near the edge of the pond so we wandered up all innocently and it swooshed off making a huge commotion). Definitely worth a visit, and judging from the enormity of the hot houses, worth getting there nice and early to go round them.
Walking up Canal Leie was very pretty, although Brugge's canals were a little prettier and generally more romantic. After lunching in St-Baafsplein we headed up the Belfort to get a view over the city before exploring more at ground level. Not just a large clock/bell tower, the Gent Belfort contains a Bell Museum. Don't be put off - we thought it sounded boring too and only went in for the view at the top, but it was actually really interesting. I now know all about how bells are made! Next up was a wander towards Gravensteen (Gent's Castle) via Groot Vleeshuis (pretty architecturally inside but the hanging lumps of smoked meat were slightly off-putting for a vegetarian like me), and Grasbrug/Graslei. Now I know there are some silly signs in the world, but for the City of Gent to put a sign on an extremely picturesque bridge overlooking medieval shopfronts (rebuilt in 1913 for the World Fair) facing the canal saying 'Photo Moment' seems slightly ridiculous to me. Nonetheless, we followed the instructions like good little tourists before heading onto Gravensteen. Gravensteen is surprisingly large for a castle in the centre of a city. After some debate over the €6 entry fee we decided we wanted to explore some more passages and look out over the ramparts so headed in only to find that for some inexplicable reason we were charged €4 instead. Marvellous! Inside was filled with weapons, torture instruments (interesting in a disturbing sort of way) and grand halls which were rescued after the castle was restored from being a cotton mill in the early 20th Century, and the views from the top and the walk around the courtyard surrounding the keep alone definitely make the entrance fee worth it.
The final day of her visit was beautifully sunny so after a quick trip to the Carrefour by Bolivarplaats (the only one open on Sunday mornings in the whole of Antwerpen's centre) we headed to Stadspark for a few hours lounging in the sunshine, spotting baby rabbits hiding in the grass and the cutest baby bird being taught to swim and find food by its parents. All in all, a great visit! Shame the law had to recommence straight away... Still, with my Private Law paper handed in and the majority of my External Relations paper written, the end is in sight. Back to the grindstone for the final stretch!
