Thursday, November 23, 2006

Today in Antwerpen

I have averaged about 50euro per dental visit recently however 3 visits and my root canal filling is finally done.

The good news is that the Belgian government refunds some of the cost so okay, I'll pay my taxes and Gert will continue to pay his massively high taxes. Somehow the refund takes a little of the sting out of both the dental treatment and the high tax rates.

Now for the other two teeth ... I'm back there next Wednesday.

Children, look after your teeth and when moving countries, try not to get tied up 'in process' for excessively long periods of time.

Everyone else, check that your travel insurance offers realistic help with dental treatment ... it's very important because my cover just wasn't good enough.

I've got an exciting outing on on Sunday ...
There's a rather special breakfast here in the city and I'm popping along to take photographs.
A volunteer's life can be a highly interesting one ...

Gert had one of 'those' phone calls today.
'Hi Gert.'
'Hi.'
'I'm on Korte Beeldekens straat. Can you tell me how to get back to the main street?'
'Where are you?'
'Korte Beeldekens straat and I've just come to Laange van Bloer straat now.'
'I see ...'

He's silent while he pulls his city map up on the screen.
Some time passes ... 'Where are you again?'
'Well you know the street with the big concrete lions at the entrance to the Chinese area?'
'Yes?'
'I'm meant to be there but I'm not ... '
'Okay, I've found you ... how did you get there???'
'I think I turned right 2 streets too soon.'
'I see...okay, so turn right and then left onto Kerkstraat ... then walk straight ahead and that should take you back to the main street.'
'You're a good man, thank you. I was so very very lost this time.'
'I noticed ...'

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

*LOL* I've done this with my husband! :D Gracious it's good to know I'm not the only one, and thank goodness for the GPS!

Di Mackey said...

Even worse, I sometimes doubt Gert ... despite being completely lost, despite him having a map in front of him ... one day he'll surely just leave me out there :)

GPS sounds nice ... I'm still relying on breadcrumbs.