Staying in Brussels

An experience I'll never forget is the apartment we stayed at in Belgium. We arrived late at night on the train from London and then met our hosts. Two handsome French gay men, Hugo and Ramon (say their names in a French accent; it's more fun), greeted us. Ramon is an interior designer, artist, and bug collector (as you will see) who is studying architecture in Brussels, and Hugo works at the bank. They were super friendly and helpful even though it was difficult to communicate because they barely spoke English, and we didn't speak French. They would talk amongst themselves trying to figure out what we were asking them, and that is when I wished I spoke French fluently. It's a beautiful language, and I wanted to just pop into the conversation. They'd be fun to talk to, sadly, that didn't happen. One day I'll learn French, at least enough to converse. 

We found the place on airbnb. David picked it out, and his parents and I didn't know anything about it. At first glance I was terrified and had that "I just want to go home" feeling, but after getting used to it, it turned out to be pretty cool. Much better than a bland apartment. It was like staying in a museum; there was always something to look at. The pictures below won't even do the job of explaining the place. In any direction you look, every color imaginable and the most random of things could be found. It would be a fantastic place to play I Spy. Despite all the religious images and symbols, Hugo and Ramon are actually atheist. They somehow understood me when I asked them if they were religious. There were some vulgar images and figurines so please excuse and nudity or offensive symbols below. The stay will always be remembered, and overall it was beautiful — in a cluttered, quirky sort of way. 

The bedroom:

The living room:

The kitchen:

Just wanted to say a quick thank you to you — the people who actually read my rambling and look at my amateur photography. I do this for my own memory. This is like my online diary, and I'm still surprised that people go on here. So thanks. And if you have any questions for me write a comment or shoot me an email. // Before I write about Paris, I'll post about my skydiving experience. So check back in a few days. 

Brussels, Belgium

Day 9 - 09.12.13

We took a bus to the main part of the city and went to explore the Grand Place - the central square of Brussels. There was a vendor in the middle of the square selling watercolor paintings. I ended up buying two, and they are yet to be framed. I'll get around to it eventually. My conclusion from the two days in Belgium: beautiful buildings! The architecture is really something. There were a lot of worn down buildings, but those just added to the historical vibe of Brussels.

We then went to see the Manneken Pis - a statue of a peeing boy made in 1618 to resemble the rebellious spirit of Brussels. During big events, they dress him in different costumes. We weren't there during anything special, so he was just naked. Right next to the statue was a waffle place. I had mine with chocolate and strawberries. A little tough to eat but delicious nonetheless. 

Fries, or frites, were eaten twice that day — both times yummy. The weird thing is Belgians eat their fries with mayonnaise. I hate mayo, but luckily it was completely different than the American version. I'm not sure if it's any better for you, but it was good! We also got to feed the pigeons straight from our hands.  

We did a bit more roaming around and visited a few cathedrals. Also, finding a free public restroom can be quite difficult in Europe. After some searching, there was a library, and we were able to use that. The bathroom was clean, smelled good, and there was no fuss. 

Couldn't leave Belgium without getting some chocolate goodies to take home. 

"Find life experiences and swallow them whole. Travel. Meet many people. Go down some dark alleys. Try everything. Exhaust yourself in the glorious pursuit of life." 

-Lawrence K. Fish

                                                                                

Bruges, Belgium

Day 8 - 09.11.13

We arrived in Brussels, Belgium the night before to our wacky apartment (I'll post about that later). Bruges was the first on the list — an hour train ride from where we were staying. We woke up early and took the first train to make a day out of it. I didn't bring enough cold weather clothes on the trip, so I had to layer up. I may have looked ridiculous and was still cold and wet, but at least it was something.

Everyone speaks Dutch in Bruges (it's closer to the Netherlands), whereas mostly French is spoken in Brussels (it's closer to France). I learned this the hard way... I didn't think to bring a Dutch-English dictionary, so I was completely hopeless trying to communicate. Belgium is known for its chocolate, beer, waffles, and fries. I tried to ask a storekeeper where to find the best fries in town. I kept saying, "French fries," and the man looked insulted. Fries originated in Belgium, and claiming that they are French is like a slap in the face to the Belgian man. After some time (mostly hand gestures and loud, slow pronunciation), we got to common ground and he showed us where to get some good frietjes. 

Random sightings & doings:
- Ate passionfruit ice cream despite the weather (I can never say no to passionfruit — my favorite)
- Licked a stamp while mailing off a postcard
- Lots of bicyclists (Portland would be proud)
- Hardcore grandma riding a vespa (a hilarious sight especially in the pouring rain)
- Had my first Belgian waffle and chocolate

Bruges was an adorable place with stunning architecture. Wandering on the cobblestone streets gave the feel of being back in time in some Dutch town. I only wish the weather was better, so we could have enjoyed it more. Luckily, in Brussels (up next) we got to see Belgium in good weather.

"Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer."

-unknown