antwerp and driving home

As far as getting out of the rental house goes, it wasn't so bad.  I had totally and completely over packed on the food but other than that it was pretty easy.  And everyone was pretty cool about a quick picture in front of our place before we left.

It was only a 90 minute drive to Antwerp, Belgium where we were going to have our stop for the day. I really wanted to go the Cathedral of Our Lady to see the altar pieces and go through the Sint Annatunnel.  Those were the goals.

We parked and could not find the tunnel.  We saw signs but it turns out it was just in this random building across the street from where we were.  We took the elevator down 31 meters and then we got to the tunnel.  It is a 572 meter tunnel under the Scheldt River in the 1930s.   I thought it was pretty cool but not all members of the family (coughMarycough) were happy about it. But I encouraged them by reminding them that there was a playground at the other end!  So it was mostly okay.

After getting everyone settled at the correct playground (not the first one we found but the second one) Emma and I walked back through the tunnel to the Cathedral of Our Lady to see the altarpieces by Reuben.  Oh. My. Word.  The paintings were just so incredibly beautiful.  The Cathedral was beautiful.  I just don't get over it.  This cathedral was almost like an art gallery there were so many paintings. Sigh of happiness.

After we left the cathedral we stopped to get some Belgian chocolate (a must!) and found some super weird bathrooms in the visitors center before we met everyone back at the car and fed everyone lunch while we drove.  We made it to the Eurotunnel, got to leave on an earlier train and made it home early enough to unpack and not have it be a hard evening.  Thank you Netherlands!  It was awesome. Also there is so much laundry to do...I may cry.