Europe, Trip Report
This is an edited and condensed form of a trip report that Pat made for the Fodor's travel forums and
Slow Travel Talk websites. This eight-page report was written in the form of a daily journal which
described our travels through Belgium, Rome, and Madrid.
Our 21-day trip to Madrid and Rome also included a three-day visit with friends in Belgium. We lived
in Belgium for a year in the early 1980s and we wanted to spend a few days at the home of friends in
our old "hometown." After leaving Belgium, we flew to Rome and then on to Madrid – two cities we
had not yet visited in our previous travels. Our focus was the art and architecture of these two
wonderful cities – with an emphasis on local food, both in our apartment kitchen as well as out and
about.
Tuesday, 16 October – Friday, 19 October (American Airlines and Belgium)
Our flight to Europe involved only one change of planes, with a 5.5-hour layover in Chicago. Both
were on American Airlines (MD80 to Chicago and a 767 to Brussels). Seat room in economy was
minimal and somewhat miserable on the flight to Brussels, particularly for George. We managed
some sleep. He tried taking melatonin (1-2mg) at the new bedtime in Belgium and it seemed to help
some, but did not by any means eliminate jet lag. The flights were uneventful, weather-wise; we left
Chicago on time and arrived in Belgium at 7:30 the next morning.
It was great to be back again in our former home town. We toured our old neighborhood (on
bicycle!), shopped, stopped for beer and coffee, met more friends, and in general had a wonderful
time. During our stay, we also made a day trip to Lille, France, which is actually an old Flemish town
(called Rijsel in Dutch) of about 225,000. We happened to be in Lille on the day of the French rail
strike (18 October). There were relatively peaceful demonstrations in the town square, which were
quite colorful with flag-waving, fireworks, and flares.
One evening, we drove to the city of Gent for a dinner with two other couples at the fabulous Belga
Queen restaurant, which is housed in a 13th century former grain storage house overlooking one of
the many canals that meander through this lovely old city. One side note was the restaurant's
restroom area… the stalls are all glass, with fully visible interiors until the occupant enters and locks
the door. The glass becomes opaque until the door is unlocked again. The sink area was "unisex" –
and right off the bar. The food was outstanding, and uniquely Belgian – quite an evening, to say the
least!
Saturday, 20 October (Rome)
Our two-hour flight to Rome was on SN Brussels, the reincarnated Sabena airline. Although a
regional jet, it was quite comfortable and seemed to have more leg room than the typical Airbus in
the US.
We had made prior arrangements (via email before leaving the States) for a reservation with Rome
Shuttle Limousine for airport transfer to our apartment (and for a return to the airport). The 35 Euro
cost was about the same as a taxi, and yet we were met in the arrivals hall by our driver who held a
sign with our last name, and helped us to the Mercedes parked at the curb. His English was minimal,
but he did manage to point out some notable sights on the way to our apartment in the old
Trastevere neighborhood southeast of the Vatican (Via della Lungaretta, 171). The apartment was
just south of Isola Tiberina in the Tiber. His attempts to communicate all began with "sorry," as in
"sorry, the Vatican," "sorry, a convent," "sorry, St. Peter." We loved it! We think he meant to say,
“Excuse me, a covent on the right.”