At about 8h I got up, showered and dressed. Breakfast was included at the hostel so I went to eat! I had cereals, 3 slices of bread (with jam), a glass of chocolate milk and a glass of normal milk. I was hungry! After that I finished packing my stuff and at about 9h I left the hostel. I decided to wear my sandals as it was a nice day and my shoes were so dirty from the festival site I didn't feel like cleaning them. I had brought my backpack along but after 3 minutes walking I found it too heavy so I went back to the hostel and left it in a locker (1 euro deposit, which you get back when you bring the key back, so free!) and left to visit Leuven. I walked along Rondgenotenlaan which was the shopping street it seems, stopping as I saw nice things on the way. That brought me to the Grote Markt, the centre, a square with beautiful impressive city hall, a nice church and beautiful houses.

I also walked along Naamsestraat to Saint Michel church, the Oude Markt area where pubs were open at 10h and some people were drinking and the Brusselstraat a bit. Then I walked back to the hostel, got my back and was on the 11h30 train to Antwerpen.

In Antwerpen I found the lockers and stored my backpack for 3 euros. Then I walked to the city centre along a very crowded and shopping street. There were still some very nice buildings/statues along the way…

My foot was getting a blister from the sandal so I wanted to find plasters in a pharmacy or supermarket. But as it was Sunday they were all closed! I finally found a Spar supermarket that was open and bought a pack of plasters and a 7up. I saw Saint-Jacques church, Groenplaats (a square, I had lunch there, a sandwich and my mom called me on my mobile to say hello), the Notre-Dame Cathedral (which I got a nice guided tour of for 2 euros, there were also painting from Rubens inside).

Then I continued on with Grote Markt (a square with a pretty fountain, but not as impressive as in Leuven; it is there that I bought pralines and chocolates for the family where I stayed at in Amsterdam).

Following that I stopped by at Hendrik Conscienceplein with the Saint-Charles Borromée church (really pretty), down towards the water I passed by the Maritime Museum and looked at the boats outside which was free, back to Saint Paul church which was tucked away between houses and walked all the way back to the station.

Antwerpen is a nice city, some beautiful buildings but it was much larger than Leuven so everything was further apart. I liked Leuven because of the more intimate feel. Also a bit on the language. I speak Dutch which I've learned in The Netherlands. The Belgian Dutch is a bit different pronounciation and some words. The radio Belgian Dutch I understood perfectly. The girl at the hostel also. People on trains also. In shops I went to also. Only 2 times did I have trouble, both with younger Belgians. When I ordered my sandwich in Antwerpen, the girl had a really strong accent and I couldn't understand she was asking about the ham in my sandwich! And also at the hostel one person staying in the room asked a question and he had to repeat it 2 times for me to understand! But other than that I adapted well to Belgium Dutch!

I got the 17h28 train to Amsterdam. The trip went fine and no delays. Along the way I saw really how every single space is used in The Netherlands. You never see an empty space that's just empty. If so, then it was planned that way. Most of the time it's used. Even along the train route at some spots there are these cute little gardens. Space is divided into like 25m cube spaces or so. People put a little shed on their space and have grass or a vegetable garden and they go there to relax. It's so cute. Then in Amsterdam the tram 13 around 20h and I was home at 20h30. I really enjoyed my weekend.