Hello November!

Hello November!!! Gosh the time flies by when you're drinking belgian beers and eating waffles. Our deepest apologies for the delay in updates!! I will try my best to fast forward to our present date. 

THE DELIVERY:

Throughout the transition to moving to Belgium and all the trials and tribulations with moving and furnishing our apartment we came to anticipate quite the unexpected. Maybe our furniture would not fit through our window, or the neighbors might get angry about something, or worse maybe the movers would arrive and then find out that we needed additional paper work for them to send our stuff up to the third story window but to our surprise everything went remarkably smoothly! 

We woke up to Ryan's mobile ringing at o'dark thirty with a Flemish man rambling off foreign tongues.  Thankfully Ryan managed to get dressed, hold the phone to his ear and run upstairs all in one movement to track down Nathalie so she could translate our wake up call. It was the mover and he was going to be here in 10 minutes, exactly on time!!! Used to the standard three hour window of arrival leeway in the States, which far too often means arriving 2 hours and 58 minutes into the arrival bracket, we were SHOCKED and not completely ready!! Ryan ran outside while I ran around the apartment looking for our paperwork and clearing an opening in the living room for our new furniture, which didn't really take more then a second considering we were living in a practically empty space.   

We had only ordered a few key items so we thought maybe a van would be arriving. To our surprise a large semi came reversing down Geldmunt Straat and very delicately turned into our itty bitty street! And a small lift truck snuck right in front of him. I don't know how this was accomplished, but it was, sigh of relief!! I was very excited and a bit preoccupied documenting this miraculous day (the day we would no longer be sleeping on the floor) that I forgot that I was supposed to situated at our window and let the movers inside... I think they thought I was nuts. See in Europe this is a normal routine, people always bring their furniture through the windows because the darn stairwells are so small. The guy operating the very cool lift truck was making fun of me but I didn't care, I was excited and maybe I looked like a fool, but I got pictures, lots of them :)!  

Ryan and I spent the rest of the day assembling our house. We managed to receive everything we ordered in one piece and only had one minor setback. Ryan was thrilled (kidding) when we opened the box containing his desktop, he could finally work from a proper desk except it wasn't the wood color we expected, nope it was NEON green. :) So another trip to Ikea but all in all we successfully filled our apartment with the basic necessities and a few extra creature comforts like frames filled with pictures of our family and friends. It's starting to feel like home. 

Pack Mules & Saint Nathalie

It was Friday, October 7th and two days after that fateful meeting where we found our dream apartment.  Katie and I boarded the train from Gent resembling two overburdened pack mules.  Up to this point, we had had a lot of long days seeing the city, hunting for properties, learning where to find basic necessities, etc.; but this day, October 7th would be the longest.  


The Starting Gun!

We ungracefully dismounted the train loaded with three very large bags each.  As our feet hit the platform the crack of the starting pistol went off in our heads and we glanced at each other with a "here we go" look.  Katie and I made our way to the area of the train station that housed the lockers.  We found two large lockers and deposited everything.  We then hopped into a taxi who took us straight to the bank where we had an appointment to open up our "Fixed Account"* for the apartment's deposit.  My hand quivered a little as I signed my name on the dotted line and handed over a very large sum of cash.


Bank receipts in hand, Katie and I hurried over to our next appointment with Nathalie, our landlord, who helped us through the administrative side of renting the apartment.  Nathalie was intrigued by our spontaneity and asked a lot of questions about why we chose Gent, how we were going to furnish the place, and also where we intended to sleep that night.  We explained to her that furniture rental was extremely expensive so we would be becoming good friends with the local Ikea.  We mentioned that we intended to go there immediately after getting the keys.  Our plan, we told her,  was to buy a cheap mattress and some basic necessities and hire a van taxi to get us back to the apartment.  Katie and I had no idea what would happen next...


Saint Nathalie

Instantly after hearing our ambitious and optimistic plan for getting only the basics needed to get through the night, Nathalie must have thought we were crazy.  It was from that moment that she took us under her wing and now know her as St. Nathalie.  


Not long after we received the keys to our new apartment we found ourselves getting into Nathalie's car.  Mentioning that she had some extra furniture and household items, Nathalie drove us over to her parents house.  They were kind and warm people who poured us a glass of port and offered us some small waffles.  We smiled a lot when her Father, who only speaks french, went on and on in French and smiled a lot.  Nathalie's father recently authored a beautiful hardbound illustrated book about Gent and he went in the back room to find a copy.  He came out with the book new in the plastic, opened it, and wrote an inscription in it to welcome us to Gent.  Nathalie and her mother each took turns writing in it as well.  We were having a wonderful time chatting and getting to know Nathalie and her family, but we had a hard time letting ourselves be in the moment with still so much to do.  Nathalie must have realized this too because it wasn't long until she led us upstairs where she had a couch, a kitchen table, a lamp, some small dishes, and a boar hide.  Yes, a boar hide!!  She told us we were welcome to borrow any of it.


We managed to fit nearly all of the furniture in Nathalie's small hatch back but it took a few trips.  The only thing that wouldn't fit was the kitchen table and as a result I volunteered to carry it on foot.  Based on Katie's online research alone, a cheap couch and table w/ chairs would easily be at least 400 EURO at Ikea and given that we need to be extremely cost conscious we would have accepted Nathalie's proposal regardless of how ugly the furniture was.  Fortunately for us, the furniture wasn't ugly and turned out to be simply perfect for our needs.  In addition to the couch, table, and other items, Nathalie also offered to let us borrow her guest mattress until we purchased a bed of our own.  As if all these things she did for us wasn't more than enough, Nathalie suggested that the three of us go to Ikea on Saturday so that we could put the things we purchased in her car.  Nathalie's kindness, selflessness, and generosity is why we have coined her St. Nathalie.  


After the long day of schlepping things all over town, Katie and I went out and enjoyed a beer and returned to our new apartment for the first time.  We came home, turned on the one and only light in the apartment**, and crawled into our mattress on the floor.  Our muscles ached and we were exhausted; tomorrow we would do it again.


Ikea, A Love/Hate Relationship


Katie and I woke up early and met St. Nathalie for our first trip to Gent's Ikea.  It was the first trip of many.  Although we were grateful for Nathalie offering to drive us, we were acutely sensitive to making sure we didn't overly impose on her or her time.  Ikea in Europe is the same as it is at home: cheap but tasty meat balls, hard to pronounce nordic names for ordinary items like candles, and packed with people on the weekends.  


Nathalie parted ways with Katie and I in the main entrance.  She instructed us to take our time and was being as gracious as ever.  Katie and I knew that we had to make it fast though, but there was A LOT to buy.  I looked at my watch and told Katie that there was no way we could take more than an hour since Nathalie probably only needed a handful of things for herself.  Katie said, "One hour is all I need to make Ikea my bitch!" - I smiled, we high fived and our Supermarket-Sweep shopping spree began!  


We plowed from one showroom to another checking prices, trying to get the biggest bang for our buck, writing down part numbers and warehouse locations.  We threw things in our cart, took things back out, trying to find the perfect recipe to make our large echoy apartment a home without spending too much.  We also made sure to only get things that would fit into Nathalie's car.  As we scrambled through Ikea we filled up two carts and made it out of there in about 1.5 hours with spending at least 25 minutes waiting in line.  Not bad, if I may say so! We filled Nathalie's car up to the roof and had to put Katie in an Ikea bag just so she would fit.  For now this was just the small stuff.  Plates, shelving, towels, kitchen items, the basics.  We would have to go back for the bigger stuff like beds, desks, and rugs and would have to arrange for those items to be delivered.  Not only would Ikea need to deliver these larger items, but our apartment building has a policy that restricts people from moving in and out using the elevator or stairwells.  In order to move the big things, we would need to rent a service with a conveyor belt to bring it through our third floor window.  


This was just the beginning of our relationship with Ikea.. in the coming week we would go back three or four more times to order and prepare for Ikea boxes to come flying through our windows.  More about that soon... and everything wonderful Gent has to offer.


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*For all you renters out there you will think this is awesome-  In Belgium the landlord does not spend... err I mean.. hold onto your deposit.  It goes into a bank account where both the landlord and the tenant can see it but neither can remove the money without both parties approving.


**In Belgium, it is common practice to take all of the light fixtures with you when you move. As a result, we had one light bulb hanging from a wire in the hallway on that first night.  We made our way through our new surroundings with headlamps and candle light. 

Opportunity Knocks!

The buzzer rang like a contestant on a game show with the right answer.  I have never been so nervous in my life!  Nathalie emerged out of the dimly lit entryway.  She is a tall and slender attractive woman in her early 40s.   She welcomed us with a polite quiet smile and led us to the second floor apartment via the tiny three-person elevator. Nathalie's sweet and straightforward disposition instantly put us both at ease, but we relentlessly pursued our goal.  After all, this was our last resort!  

When we arrived to Belgium we had no idea about all the challenges that come with renting an apartment! First, it is standard practice to sign a lease for three years here and it is common to give three months notice when you plan on moving out. We found that relaters wouldn't even consider working with us, as our plan was to find a place for only 3 months. Second, once you sign your lease you are obligated to open a joint savings account with the landlord. To open an account with the bank you need an appointment which sometimes get booked weeks in advance! Third, the listed monthly cost does not include additional apartment complex fees. Finally, to rent furniture for unfurnished apartments it's about the same price as your monthly apartment rent. Very expensive!!

A view of our apartment taken from the Gravensteen Castle

The apartment was flooded with natural light and its layout was perfect! The spacious living room and "study" ;) had four large windows overlooking a beautiful canal to the right and the Gravensteen Castle to the left. I thought that the "study" was considered the second bedroom referenced in the ad, but no... there were two large bedrooms as well!! We couldn't have been more shocked and spell bound by this place! Aside from the fact that it was "perfect" the building had a unique history. The building itself looked very atypical to the surrounding traditional Flemish buildings, which Nathalie told us, was because the building had been rebuilt in the fifties after the Germans bombed the original structure.

There was no need for charming Nathalie.  She was already charmed and we were just as charmed with her.  If we had been trying to get a break on the rent or a deal, it would have been a lost cause because I was gushing, grinning from ear to ear and quite possibly said "beautiful," "amazing," and "perfect" fifty times!  I was talking so much that Ryan couldn't get a word in edgewise. I don't know if Nathalie was in a dire situation and needed to rent out the apartment yesterday, but she never broke her smile!!! 

Nathalie invited us up to her apartment for tea and we chatted for a while.  She mentioned that we would bring life to the building and gave us the contract with just one condition.  We would need to sign a lease for a minimum of six months (rather then three).  As we glanced out at her view, which was about to become our view, we didn't hesitate in accepting.  Grinning ear to ear we left with the papers in hand and high-fived our way all the way back to the train station.  

We took it!  It couldn't have been a more serendipitous day!

From Antwerp to Gent...

Hello Antwerpen!

A brief spell of hot and humid turned into rain in a matter of days. Like a day of sunshine in Seattle people in Antwerp took to the streets in those two days; wearing the clothes intended for the summer that never came in 2011. Katie and I roamed Antwerp on foot and on bike. Rain or shine we visited the medieval city center almost daily as we wined, beered, and dined at infrequent hours. Early for lunch, late for dinner, late for lunch, early for dinner, we couldn't seem to get our timing right. This was partly due to jet lag, but mostly to getting reacquainted with sleeping in.

Lost in the moment of new found European freedom, we enjoyed the company of our friend Laurens who's passion for Belgium may be second only to his passion for cooking. Welcoming us into Belgium with open arms on our second night, he prepared a Moroccan lamb stew on preceded with champagne. At dinner we enjoyed great conversation over a few bottles of delicious Bordeaux and Ponzio Family Grappa. We talked about his recent home purchase and his five year plan for a complete renovation of an early 1900s home and how he would like to utilize Katie's interior design services. After a hearty dinner, two bottles of wine, and the grappa we took to the streets for a night of debauchery. Too many beers and bars to count we found ourself at "home" around three in the morning and rode our momentum until four belligerently dialing family.

In our first few days in Belgium we learned a new verb, Velo. Whether grabbing a meal, going for beers, or apartment hunting, Antwerp has a system of ready to use bikes scattered all over town. Never having to walk more than 1-2 blocks, we swipe a card at a Velo Station which automatically unlocks a bike to ride for 30 minutes and deposit at a location near to where we want to end up. As Katie and I mastered the art of learning the rules of the road influenced by the grace of a few 10% beers, we continued the search for what would be our home for the next three months.

Let the Hunt Begin...

The apartment hunt was starting to concern us. Most leases were three year and furnished flats, used to corporate rentals, were charging astronomical amounts. We approached our home hunt using three different tactics: (1) Find a furnished flat to rent month to month, (2) Find an unfurnished flat and use one of a few companies that rent furniture, and (3) Rent an unfurnished apartment and buy the things we needed to fill it. The reality was none of these were good options... (1) on average was leaps and bounds out of our price range, (2) after bartering down the price, the furniture rentals still wanted 800 EURO per month for the most economical furniture selections, and (3) Landlord's do not typically rent out an unfurnished place for anything less that one year.

Real estate offices here (rental or purchase) always have the word "IMMO" in the title. Not only did we stop at each Super Immo, ImmoMaster, or ListenToImmo that we came across, but we also used the cornerstone tool of the Belgian housing market, www.immoweb.be daily. Despite our best efforts we were continually came up with nothing. After our fourth or fifth day of aggressive searching, we took a day off. We set out by train to explore more of Belgium and first chose the town of Gent (just 40 minutes away by train) to do a little sightseeing.

(As an aside... In Belgium, Gent is spelt Gent but some of you may observe it as Ghent. We are aware of both spellings, but people here spell it without an "H")

Gent captivated Katie and I. Once the textile and medieval headquarters of Europe, this sleepy little picturesque town was mesmerizing. We accidentally arrived on a day when the museums were closed, but spent a while walking around town. Before walking into a single Cathedral, Katie looked at me somewhat starry-eyed and I knew what she was thinking. I asked her, "what do you think about seeing if we can live here?" Politely, she referenced Antwerp and that it was our intention to live there, but Gent was love at first sight for us both. After all, Gent was more in line with what we were looking for with our three month adventure. It was somewhat sleepy, very historical, had a strong sense of culture, it is a university town, and even closer than Antwerp to the French border.

It is being flexible that makes a good adventure a great one. Katie and I agreed to keep our options open and simultaneously search in Gent and Antwerp. From the moment that we had the revelation that we preferred Gent, we instantly stopped meandering around town and put our house hunter "IMMO Madness" hats back on. We searched all day visiting countless IMMOs and had just one option; a furnished "luxury" studio with a common kitchen for more than it should have been. Rather than swinging at the first pitch, we decided to retreat back to Antwerp. I had some work to do and conference calls to take. We decided we would come back to Gent in two days armed with appointments and leads via IMMOweb.

A Paradigm Shift!

Gent got its name from the French word for glove. In medieval times it was said that Paris was small enough to fit into Gent's glove. These days Gent is a somewhat sleepy college and touristy town with beautiful canals and medieval architecture throughout the city. Katie and I took the ten minute walk from the Dampoort train station just as we had done on our first day. As we did on our first visit, we stopped to marvel at the window displays of countless boutiques full of textiles, wallpaper, expensive (non-Ikea) Scandinavian furniture, and bakeries. We loved Gent and our desire grew to fanaticism in the 48 hours since our first visit.

Despite hours on IMMOweb, countless phone calls to landlords, and emailing several people on AirBnB for a long term rental, we had just one appointment. We had only been able to look at one other apartment up to this point; it was a slum and located in Antwerp. Tensions were high for Katie and I, not only because of having very few options, but it was Wednesday and we were to check out of our accommodation on Friday. This meant that we either needed to find a place or book a costly hotel for the unforeseeable future.

It wasn't just the lack of options and the ticking clock on our current accommodation that made us nervous. These were all secondary to the fact that this apartment looked perfect. It was a large two bedroom apartment in the heart of the old town. Situated along a picturesque canal with views of a 16th century medieval castle from the living room, this apartment was literally where we dreamed of living before even setting foot on the plane at SFO. The only thing that stood between us and our dream apartment was the impressions we would make on the landlord who lived in the same building.

We noticed there were just six units in the building as we arrived at the apartment's entrance. Our hearts were racing. Katie and I took turns giving each other the same words of encouragement as you would before going into a job interview, we hummed a few verses of Eye on The Tiger, and pressed the buzzer.

The Adventure Begins!

Hello out there! It's Katie here, typing all the way from Antwerp, Belgium. Ryan and I are excited to welcome you to our travel blog!! We have relocated to Belgium for a few months, which we are thrilled about, and we thought it would be fun to share our quirky little adventure with our friends and family. Our cell phone communication with home (the States) has been drastically impacted because of excessive international costs, so please feel free to gchat, facebook or skype with us!!  We hope you enjoy our posts ;). 

Ryan and I had many visitors the days leading up to our trip!! It was so nice to spend quality time with our family and friends before we left!! The night before our flight my parents were over helping with last minute packing and my brother and his girlfriend came by for a glass of wine. We also got to hangout with Ryan's little sis, who had the very important job of safely delivering our animal-baby Martha to his Mom. She has graciously offered to take care of our doggie while we are away! We couldn't be more grateful! 

We departed from SFO on September 29th (special thanks to my Mom for taking us to the airport and to my Dad for the goodbye hug that morning:)). We were so excited to get upgraded for the first leg of our trip and even more thrilled when we noticed our friend Cody was on the same flight and only two rows away from us!! It was also my first time experiencing business class on United!!!! Wow I got spoiled :).

Cody and Ryan classing it up in Business

 We circled O'Hare Airport a few times making us late for our next flight! Thankfully our departing flight gate was running distance from our arrival gate. We arrived in Belgium around 9:30 AM and our 13 +/- hour travel time to Brussels went very smoothly all in all. We were warmly welcomed by Ryan's friend and former colleague Laurens who picked us up and drove us to his hometown of Antwerp. Laurens was so kind to drop us at our "home" (for the first week of being here) and then later came back to take us out for our first Belgium Welcome Beer! YUM!

right after we made it onto
our second flight... we barely made it!