Belgium nudged memories of the Belgian nuns who had taught me at St. Because of this connection, Belgium became more interesting. The peoples of these countries hold back the sea via locks, dikes and pumps. The second thing I observed was how wealthy Belgium is.
Billions of dollars are exchanged in Antwerp, the diamond capital of the world. The Antwerp harbor is the second largest in Europe. Brussels is the capital of the European Union. And yet Belgium seems relatively low-key compared with other European countries. Its towns and cities display a sense of order, neatness and discipline. Even the red-light district in Antwerp is orderly. Prostitution is legal in Belgium as it is in the Netherlands , and the district is patrolled by police for safety.
There is a medical clinic nearby for medical or psychiatric emergencies. While Belgium has legalized prostitution, it has deep-seated Catholicism. In Antwerp, we saw paintings by the famous Peter Paul Rubens in the cathedral.
This contradiction made me consider my Belgian nuns. I wondered just how much of their values were injected into me. They were strict but excellent educators. Eventually, the sisters modernized their clothing and favored blouses and skirts. Somehow, I just had to search for traces of my Belgian nuns in Belgium, not literally, but to find some evidence of them there. The O. Mother Marie Louise started her missionary work in India in where she established an orphanage. Our cruise group, dominated by British vacationers, went to Ypres to visit the World War I Memorial where more than , allies died from German artillery and attacks.
Two hundred thousand German soldiers lost their lives. I went to the first big church I saw, but it was not the Abbey. I asked our tour guide where the Abbey of Notre Dame was, and he sent me to St. Finally, I went to the tourist office and asked a woman who appeared puzzled when I mentioned the Abbey.
