On Sunday, February 11th, 2018, the 90th carnival parade walked through the streets of Aalst, Belgium. The sun was shining (occasionally) and we, together with about 90000 other people, enjoyed the colorful costumes, beautiful floats, and the inventive songs. It is a special day for everybody who lives in Aalst and something special to experience for tourists. Here are some pictures and a short movie to enjoy the atmosphere.
Being born and raised in Aalst (Belgium), I really have to promote its ´world-famous’ carnival. Although not as famous as the carnival in Rio or Venice it still attracts around 90000 people to the parade on Sunday each year. If you are in Belgium around that time, you must come and celebrate carnival in Aalst. It is a special and fantastic experience.
We arrived in London after a train ride from Brussels. We stayed at Guoman Hotel – The Tower where our room had a partial view of the Tower Bridge. We opted for a room with breakfast that not only offered a full English breakfast but also a variety of bread, pastries, yogurt, and muesli. Coffee and tea were served at the table.
On a Sunday afternoon, we decided to visit the MAS (Museum aan de Stroom) in Antwerp. The first thing you notice is the impressive red building, designed by a Dutch architectural office. It is 10 stories high and not only has a number of galleries with permanent and temporary exhibitions, there is also the visible storage, a boulevard, and a panoramic view over Antwerp.
When I was a kid, I was fascinated by Egypt, the pharaohs, and the pyramids. So, when we were in Egypt, I really wanted to visit Luxor. We booked a private tour from Marsa Alam through this website. We had a private taxi from Marsa Alam to Luxor and in Luxor for the whole day and a private guide.
When visiting Belgium, most tourists go to Brussels or Bruges while there are many more cities to discover. At only 15 minutes from Brussels, there is Mechelen, a small city but with a lot to offer. Having one of the oldest operating breweries in Belgium, historical buildings, and cozy squares, Mechelen is interesting for everyone.
Madrid is not so popular to visit in contrast to Barcelona. Being the capital of Spain, it has a lot of things to offer. We were in Madrid for 4 days. You can also do all this in a shorter period if you plan it right but we decided to do everything at ease.
When we were interviewed at the airport in Amsterdam about our trip to the US, we got the question why Des Moines? Why? Well, we were invited to celebrate the wedding of friends. It was a very nice and lovely experience to be part of. We had a very good time in Des Moines and had the chance to catch up with old friends.
My last business trip took me to South-Korea. A business trip is still exciting for me, and this one especially because it was the first time for me to go to Asia. After a 10h flight to Seoul, the business partner was waiting for me at the airport. From there we took the KTX train to Gwangju where I would be staying.