Antwerp

This is the entrance to the garden of famous painter Peter Paul Rubens.

At 08.00 the tiler arrived and began work right away.

09.45  Picked up Pita, ex-colleague at the police academy, at the train station.  She lives in Zutphen in the north.  She told me last year that she would like to visit me in my neck of the woods.  The original plan was to drive to Brugge, but she wanted to catch the 07.25 train back to Zutphen, and a train ride from my place to hers takes two hours, so I changed the destination to Antwerp... which turned out to be a very good decision.
11.00  Paid parking (outrageous prices!) in Antwerp -- they'd torn up the free parking area and I wonder what they will build in its place.  Most likely part of the plan to discourage private car usage.  No problem... grrr.

Spent the next three hours in the old city centre.  First a slice of apple pie and coffee for her and leek soup and bread for me, then an hour exploring the Rubens House -- a lot of his paintings on display, but the house itself made our eyes pop, including walls covered with Delft blue ties, of which every tile was unique and there were no doubles at all, and other walls covered entirely in leather, and then St. Jacob's Church, where we visited his crypt.  We also thought of passing by The Steen ('Stain'), a castle along the Scheld (river) but it was so busy along the quay due to the Tall Ships Race, which had just come from Harlingen (see blipper Molke's post, and also KarinHK's post a day or two later).  I will catch the Tall Ships another time.  And anyway, Pita had already seen it during a previous visit many, many years ago.  I visited it in 2016 and so no regrets we didn't stop for it today.

16.00  Drove back home but now through the scenic route of Wuustwezel, Wernhout, Zundert, and Meer.
17.30  Passed by our house and AW and Pita explored the back garden and the waterfront.  The tiler was long gone and his work is now drying.  He'll be back on Monday to put in the mortar.
18.00  Pita and I were seated at one of the best restaurants we've ever eaten at.  It is really a good place and I'd like to treat AW there some time.
19.10  Dropped off Pita at the train station for her trip back.

By the time I'd gone back home, AW had left, on foot, for Sweed's place, where I'll pick him up in a few minutes.  No MOOCking today, and not much housework either.  Pita and I will see each other again for our annual dinner at our favourite restaurant in Apeldoorn sometime in autumn.

A wonderful time!