Brussels! Part 2

Written: June 2nd

Didn't see the peeing baby, but got the peeing dog

We went out last night to scope some restaurants.  Italian and french we were saving for... well Italy and France.  We were all sweeted out from chocolates and pastries so we went for thai.  Odd choice? yes. Regret? Nope!

Street murals

We walked in and played "guess the asian".  Nita was convinced Thai and I agreed (though I was also thinking Filipino).  We sat down and Nita realized a few mins later that they were Laos! (Laotian).  I goaded powerfully for Nita to speak to them in Laos.  She did and they had a cool convos about our trip.  Lemongrass chicken for me, Pad Thai made for Nita.  Small and bustling the restaurant was great.

We went back and met with our hosts.  He had bought us speculoos cookies and a sweet spread.  The calorie count on it was off the charts.  Accommodation to the max he gave me an oral history and personal experiences with trapist beers.  If you want to wiki it, don't.  There was something special about hearing it first hand with a beer in your hand.  We proceeded to do a taste test of two Chimay beers and a La challe.  He assured me that he does not offer these beers most of the time, and I'm glad we clicked.  I will remember them fondly as we talked late into the night. Perfect.

Trapist beers

This morning Nita and I got ready and are now on the train to Amsterdam.  We are starving and I am craving some meat after our bready and sugary time in Brussels.

Brussels!

Still Saturday June 1st, Day 2

What a day!  We took the train where I got a very dense 45 mins sleep.  Suffice it to say, we were quite drained from the lack of sleep when we arrived.  I wanted to use the washroom for my upset stomach and the washrooms on the trains had no water in the bowl which worried me.  Lack of water doesn't scream solid matter.  I flushed some tissue just fine, but didn't want to risk the potential awkward scenes.

The train station had pay washrooms which I was warned about.  I am not complaining though, I actually prefer the toll.  The washrooms weren't great by any stretch, but considering it was a public toilet at a major train station, it could have been much worse.  I chalk it up to the 0.50 euro fee.

We boarded a local and realized it was j j j a a a m m m e e d p p a c c k e d d!  full of people.

Nita said halfway to watch for pick pockets.  Apparently a mysterious hand checked her pockets on the 8 min ride.  Luckily all it got was a good feel of her snotty kleenex.

Travel Tip
 - Keep money close to your body.  Jacket pocket works well if you keep your arm over it.

We got to the BnB and met with a man so accommodating it was extreme.  He talked about - - well everything.  A worldly fella, he has lots of stories and attention to detail.  A bit trying after so little sleep.  I still couldn't get mad as he was super friendly.  I politely took my leave and joined Nita for a long awaited and much needed. nap.

We set our alarm for 2:30pm but it was the fight of my life to get out of the thick & comfy bed.  Apparently their newborn (1 mth) cried a little, but I didn't notice.  We had already missed the sold out culinaria 2013, but took the opportunity to walk the city.  With local know-how from our gracious hosts we set off to a bakery owned by a french pastry chef who apparently worked in some michelin * restos.

Fishmongers

A couple of amazing croissants later we went to a local fish monger who served up croquettes, fish soup & a fried solette. A spectacular & rich (an often occurring trait of our food) snack/meal before exploring the city.  We started on the locals side and strolled through cobblestoned streets into trendy and hipster-saturated toy stores, art galleries, and boutiques.

Chocolate... mmm...  They made the chocolate on site.

We then strolled down more cobblestoned streets into the tourist-crowded areas filled with chocolatiers, waffles, souvenir shops and even more chocolatiers.  One chocolatier/dessert stop for every 2 regular stores.  We walked past football jugglers, marionettes & street buskers into a small agora market with local crafts.  We headed back for a rest but not before being treated to an outdoor busker group consisting of 2 saxes, an insane (or eccentric) bass player, and 3 accordions.


Currently?  we are resting at the BnB before heading for food.  I'm listening to Christopher Tin and Nita is sleeping on my shoulder.  Time for food!

Neat to Know Basis
- Lil' Wayne was playing at a small grocery store in the train station.

Landed!

Saturday June 1st,  Day 2

This is midnight in Ottawa, or 6am in Paris... no sleeping yet!

Made it!  We got in with the local time of 5am.  I didn't get any sleep, but watched an aged Arnie in "The Last Stand".  It was a wonderfully bad movie which I caught most of.  The movie, for me, stopped with Arnold giving a suplex to a Columbian? Mexican? drug lord.  We left the plane and hurried to the nearest toilet.  When we discovered there was a line for the women's, we went to the next nearest toilet.

The bathroom mentioned ripped from someone else's blog. It actually looks much better if you see the rest.

Exaggeration aside, it was the nicest bathroom I've ever used.  I had a small window of opportunity to snap a cell pic, but hesitated and it was quickly filled up by a large arrival.

We took a train past endless graffiti lined walls to the Paris Nord station, and I

began feeling very hard the fact that it was 1-2 am for my body.  We ditched the super heavy coffee-mate cans that we were quested to bring and ate some croissants at a local cafe/pub.

We hopped our train to Brussels where I am currently writing from.  Fun fact?  Some European toilets (public ones) don't have lids.

Congrats ladies, I officially feel your squatting pains... I thought the first one was broken, but a stop at the closest McD's confirmed the lidless porcelain.  I don't blame them, I'd want to discourage those rear-exit shenanigans too.

Fun Fact #2?  Parisian McD's sell Macarons... looks tasty...

I'm lovin' it, or would have if I bought any.

Departure! Part 3! Still in flight.. and obviously bored.

The older lady beside Nita put her blanket over her head.  Nita is now sleeping with her hoodie covering her face and head...  I feel like I'm flying beside two dead bodies.

Departure! Part 2!

It's 7:20pm EST.  Flying over the atlantic by the "Charles-Gibbs FRACTURE ZONE!"

Don't know what that is, but it sounds cool.  (still too lazy to look it up)

We boarded the plane, it's a huge 2-level thing with the middle rows.  When we hopped on the attendant pointed far.  I took this as her telling me we were at the window.  I found our row and parked away the stuff.  We sat for about 10 mins when this woman (young lady with some friends, to give you a better mental picture) said "Oh, sorry, I think that's my seat."

"I'm sorry? oh I tho--"

I was cut off.  The guy behind me butted in.

"What seat do you have?"

"Uh... 45F..."

I noticed we were meant to be in the middle rows.  I of course apologize, Nita and I  start grabbing our things.

"Yeah, you don't want to be in the middle" he says loudly

"Oh, it's uh no big deal..." she says this and is obviously taken aback, probably trying to not make us feel bad.

"Oh, yes it is, you don't want to sit there, not on an int'l flight" (<-- jerk.)

... REALLY!?!?

So while Nita and I move, obviously apologetic for our honest mistake, this ass-hat springs up like he's inputting anything other than his douchery?

We move and let the lovely young lady sit.  The whole time I'm stink-eyeing captain justice.  We're halfway there, but I hope there is still time for him to go to the washroom and by some freak accident get his balls torn off from the high pressure toilet.  I then sincerely wish he stumbles out, ball-less, to fall in the aisle by me and proceed to bleed to death.

We had shepherds pie and I had a heini, then watched Jack Reacher.  I hope I get some sleep.

Pretty good actually.