Trains

We have learned a little about train travel in Belgium.  Without a car, one must quickly learn the system that we are dependent on & it is something completely out of my control too.  I can't just hop in the car & go somewhere.  I can't just run an errand or two & be back in an hour.  This has been good preparation for me before we move to Bogota.  Last week, we  had 2 people ask us for help with the train system, so I guess we are starting to at least look like we know what we are doing :).

I think I've posted this picture before, but this is the view as we approach our local train station.

Our stop is Zaventem.

And here is the train as it approaches that we take.  The 1 is for first class & 2 is second class.  We travel 2nd class, but there looks to be little difference inside the train.  You can see Isabella's reflection in the train window here.

B is for Belgium Rail.

This is a view of the channel terminal from the Brussels South train station.  This is where we will leave from when we go to London.

Practicing for London

The girls on the train 

Sitting on the train, this is the board we read to know what our next stop is.  This sign says the next stop is Bru-Zuid, which is the same as Brussels South or Brussels Midi.  Next is is Brussels Central, Brussels North (our stop for church), & then Zaventem.  

Our one Dutch phrase we've learned is: De volgende halte,

which means "the next stop" is Zaventem.

Isabella walking on the train.  This was late at night, so the train was fairly empty.

Brook after a long afternoon resting on the train.

We use the key cards to get us to & from places on the train.  Each time we travel, they have to be completed for the day of the week ,date, & cities we are traveling between.  Each card is 20.00 Euros, & we fill these up very fast.  It has been a month since we've been in a car!

Happy Tuesday!