Ahhhhh yes, Antwerp, Belgium, the diamond capitol of the world!!

My first time traveling abroad that i haven't been issued a flak vest. Actually i think i blended better in digital camo than i do here and i have one word why...skinnyjeans

that’s right, those straight legged, calf wrapping, thigh hugging, 30 inch waist styling hunks of men's wear might not be what old Levi Strauss envisioned when he first sat down at his sewing machine and came up with an idea for practical trousers for miners and cowboys and kids at the mall, but they are the rage here in Belgium. There's only one problem, when your waist is a bigger number than your inseam you've got a major issue. That's not to say I haven't worn jeans so tight I couldn't bend down to pick up a quarter, but that was usually because it was national pecan pie week and i was doing my best to support our Northeast Wisconsin pecan farmers. So let’s just say i don't exactly blend in with the Antwerp fashion scene and leave it at that....

 Buttttttttt, what a city, i mean this thing is old....check out this Cathedral 

The language barrier isn't too bad as long as you don't need to know what the other person is actually saying. Brian Rouse of Bay Area Diamond...(ahhh helllllooo, the main reason I'm here)......and i met a couple of Antwerp's finest at a phenomenal Sunday open street fair and spoke to them over several beverages.

They didn't really understand a word we were saying. Now don't go getting the wrong idea....Brian's wife Jill was with us and actually took the picture, besides, the one thing we did understand from the ladies was that they were looking for younger guys with skinnier legs.

As for that language barrier...some things are a little confusing.....such as the street signs:

.....for the life of me i can't figure out what it means....Jill suggested it means no peeing in a snow bank, i will go with that as well.

Ok so the reason we are here....diamonds....I means lots of diamonds

...i mean we were in a room with over $50 million dollars worth of diamonds, large and small,

and they were still adamant that they would know if even a really little one would go missing. The fact that you had to hand over your passport before you were even allowed in the door, they had guys with machine guns behind dark glass in towers, and the various places they said they would search me if even the tiniest one came up missing really took the adventure out of that excursion.

Butttt either way, it’s been phenomenal, and this is one time you really have to trust me......you cannot believe how picky Brian and Jill are when it comes to picking the diamonds that they are bringing back home.

The one that will go to the winner is amazing. Not trying to sound like a commercial here, but if you are interested in one of the hand-picked diamonds they are selecting, contact Bay Area Diamond and find out how you can get one for yourself. Christmas is coming up fellas and you know what they say, Diamonds are a girl’s best friend....unless of course he's 6-3 170 pounds in skinny jeans and Italian shoes and he's wearing a scarf and a Rolex and driving a BMW speaks about 6 different languages, and can recite the names of over 127 different Belgian beers and....well never mind....Antwerp just ain't Negaunee.