IS427:AY1314T1 Europe (G1) - Learnings

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Day 1: (Arrival and city tour around Ghent)

We arrived at our first stop – Ghent, after a 12-hour long flight from Singapore to Frankfurt, a 1-hour transit to Brussels then a bus ride to our destination. For most of us, this is probably the first time stepping onto the soil of Europe. We were all hyped up and prepared for the wonderful experience over the next few days.

Ghent is a very small and ancient city of Belgium. Everyone commutes to work or play by mainly bicycles or even by foot. Private vehicles were very rare and it does not seem wise to own one in such a small city. We got a chance to tour the city on horse carriages as well as a river cruise tour to view the magnificent and marvel of old architectures. All the buildings looked very preserved and castle-like. And they surround the city centre which makes Ghent look like a little medieval city where knights and horseman belongs.

However, do not be tricked by this facade, Ghent is also a place for the foodies and drinkers. The lip smacking Belgium waffles and chocolates are heavenly! We were also introduced to the famous “nose” candy which was recommended by the tour guide during our walk around Ghent. This interesting candy, in the shape of a nose, could be kept for 2weeks! Other than these snacks, we were very privileged to be hosted by iMinds to lunch by the river at Lys and Scheldt which serves local cuisines such as stewed beef and pumpkin soup. These were just some of the many dishes that we have tasted. Furthermore, we even had free flow ribs in the evening for dinner! To top it off, bottles after bottles of red wine and jugs after jugs of beer teased our taste buds further. This small city really has many surprises.