24 Jul 2009

MEETING A BLOGFRIEND FOR THE FIRST TIME

On thursday when I woke up I thought, wow, today is a special day I will finally meet my blogfriend Jientje who lives just around the corner I would say, compared to others who live on the other side of the world. It is only around 60 km (37 miles) to Antwerp where she lives.

I jumped out of my bed and did a few yoga excercises when suddenly my hand touched something fury and soft. Without my glasses I couldn't see what it was, but then I saw it was a big dead mouse ! Outside it was pouring cats and dogs so one cat must have dropped it in my room. The day started well !

I catched my train armed with an ombrella and thought it is such a pity that it rains just today where Jientje wanted to show me a special Antwerp not the one that I knew as a tourist.
The train passed by the North station and I had a nice view on all the prostitutes who were sitting in their red lighted windows, some of them real beautiful girls. It was only short after nine and there were already customers walking in the street.

When I arrived in Antwerp I admired the beautiful old station

Photobucket

and wondered if Jientje would recognize me, from her I had only seen one eye and one photo last week. I took some other pictures and just when I turned around she stand there with a big smile on her face and we greated each other as if we had known each other our whole life !

She took my arm and off we went with our ombrellas in the rain, deploring both that it didn't stop raining. She took me in a beautiful little café where we could sit and chat and know each other a little better in real life. I had experienced and heard that sometimes meetings between bloggers didn't go that well because some people are just very different in real life then in their virtual life. We didn't have this problem at all ! We ordered coffee and chatted and chatted and chatted.

Photobucket

Photobucket

Then I asked the waiter to take a picture of both of us as a proof that we really met ! It's not so good because he took it against the light but still you can see both of us and even people with an ombrella outside.

Finally it was time to show me around a little and it had stopped raining there was even a blue spot in the sky !

Photobucket

and then Jientje showed me beautiful little places and streets in Antwerp

Photobucket

Look at this little old house sitting amongst more modern once. Of course besides our ombrellas we also had our cameras with us. Both of us agreed that we couldn't live without and going out without a camera is just impossible for us.

Then it was already lunch time and Jientje took me to a nice little restaurant where we had a selection of Tapas.

Photobucket

Photobucket

and here she is at work, taking pictures of an old Jukebox ! Useless to say that we didn't run out of subjects to talk about. Time flew by. I thought to take the train around 4 pm but at that time we still were talking and sitting in another Café having another cup of coffee.

Finally at 6 pm I really had to leave and take my train back, and on the way to the station she showed me this beautiful shopping mall which had been a dancing hall before and she told me that her husband used to dance here. The floor was still from origin.

Photobucket

We then arrived at the station, where I had a train immediately and Jientje came with me and put me in the train. We said good bye and it was clear to us that we will see each other again and more often, and next time she will come to Brussels.

It had been a wonderful day despite the bad weather but Jientje was a good weather witch ! Each time we were somewhere inside it rained and when we came out the sun came out too ! I never had to use my ombrella again !

You can read more about our adventure and see other pictures on Jientjes blog here

Tomorrow for Weekly Winners I will show the rest of the photos I have taken in Antwerp.

18 comments:

  1. WOOT...How exciting. Sounds like you both had a wonderful time. I'm so happy that you got to meet. Love the pictures. There's something for you on my blog my friend. Aloha :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. ROFL!! A weather witch!!! Well yes, that's me. I have been known to use my talents on other occasions as well! What a great post about our meeting! And indeed, we had no trouble connecting, there were no surprises or awkward moments, it was as if we have known each other all our lives! I'm glad you enjoyed the day, I had fun playing the tour guide and find the best places to eat and have coffee. I just love doing that!

    And now this weather witch is going to have coffee with the cat on her lap, and after that she will finish her side of the story! LOL! I'm not as well organized as you are my friend, I still need to finish it! Have a great weekend Gattina!

    ReplyDelete
  3. How wonderful! I would so love to meet some more of my blog friends. I have met a few already! Isn't it great? Looks like you both had a wonderful day together.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Glad you had a lovely meeting, despite the weather.

    We had lunch at that shopping mall on one of our trips into Antwerp.....I think I put a photo on my blog.

    The plants in the window boxes seem to be more advanced than when we were there.

    Have a lovely weekend, Gattina.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I enjoy hearing about bloggers meeting for the first time. The internet is a wonderful place to make friends and then eventually meet. I've only met a couple of friends, but we've met up several times for coffee and I always have a laugh.

    I'm glad you both had such a lovely day and also had so much to talk about.

    ReplyDelete
  6. How lovely! It sounds and looks like you hit it off - well done, ladies! Antwerp looks lovely too, shame about the weather...

    ReplyDelete
  7. How exciting for you both and good that you were comfortable with each other. What a nice time you had even in bad weather.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Gattina- How marvelous, you got to meet the famous blogging photographer- Jientje. I have talked about her wonderful photos many times on my blog. Your pictures are fantastic!

    Stop in and see me sometime.
    Heidi

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ohhhhhhhhh YAY! I'm sO glad you had fun together! I knew you would! I also knew that meeting Jientje would not be like other times you have met bloggers! Antwerp really IS such a quaint little place. But that MALL is gorgeous! Love those steps!!! Can't wait to see more!

    ReplyDelete
  10. wouha!! what I call a nice meeting!
    It's really pleasant to visit places with your blogfriends. i am waiting now blogfriends from north Europe! i will soon have a lot to tell too!
    The old buildings seems very nice! Sounds a beautiful architecture!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Sounds and looks like a great blogger's meeting - thanks for sharing with the rest of us!

    I know you are a great host after my wife Diane was visiting you some month ago :-)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Such a great day! Love to see the architecture pictures! Thanks for letting us tag along via your blogs.

    ReplyDelete
  13. The greatest thing about it - both of your stories match :) You did have great time. Antwerp seems a very beautiful city! And they serve real food. My guess is Brussels is as good. Had great time with your story!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow. I know how you felt. I had the wonderful experience of meeting Melli , a fellow blogger. It is a special event.
    Glad you shared it.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Wow! What a good time you had. Lots of interesting sightseeing plus chatting :-)

    I LOVE that old dance hall!!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. What a wonderful meet-up!! I can imagine you two chatting away... in French, I suppose?? glad the rain heard you two wanted to walk outside without getting wet.

    Oh, comment moderation?? this is new,isn't it??

    ReplyDelete

Dear Anonymous,
Please do not be shy and leave your name, otherwise you will end up in the bin !