Brussels

Well last weekend was my birthday and I went to Brussels, Belgium.

My weekend started off Thursday night, as I went home to find that we did not have any heating or any gas services at all so no cooking, nor a Bathroom to have a shower. Therefore, I packed myself for my upcoming weekend and off I went to spend another night at Alex and Karens (its my second home now I am sure). Went to school Friday and then off to London Waterloo in the afternoon to catch the Eurostar to Belgium.

Met up with Tracey, Megan and Alex at around 6pm at the train station. Now its very weird knowing that your about to undertake international travel but your lining up for a train. And the customs process just felt like when you are flying out of a domestic airport in Australia, except you get a stamp in your passport - which is a train (very cute I thought).

Then a travelling we went, through the tunnel between mainland England and France (yes Tracey we have been through the tunnel) and after about 40 mins we were in France. Then a short stop in Lille France and off to Brussels. The train ride went very fast, one because the train was going fast and two because we chatted and didn't notice the time go past - or the fact that we were in a tunnel for 20 mins cough cough Tracey.

Then we arrived in Brussels and made our way to a taxi, not before a mile long hike to find the one and only Bathroom in the Train station - which by that time, was closed so we had to line up and wait for the disabled loo. After that, we caught our taxi to the Hilton Hotel in Brussels, next to the Building - which was lit up with all blue fluros, very easy to spot where your staying when walking home at night. Then as we were all hungry we went and found a Cafe - it was midnight by this stage, but as we found out its the euopean way to eat late, the Cafe was open until 5am. We sat down to find out menus in French, not a problem I think, so we'll ask the waiter ... the waiter described something Mozeralla and Tomato to us, by making a symbol on his hand of a circle with slices, so here we are thinking its a pizza - gotta be. But as it turns out it wasn't, in fact we had ordered a salad which was a tomato cut into 8 with Mozeralla filling the cuts in the tomato. Woops! Well Alex and Tracey ate theirs but I didn't so I returned my meal to a baffled waiter. But all was resolved and I ordered the next best thing that I could understand on the menu - a Cheeseburger. It came out tasted lovely, until I actually looked on the inside an found that it was pretty much raw - now I am not one to complain twice, so I ate what I could and left it at that.

Saturday - Happy Birthday! I awoke to a beautiful sunny crisp day in Brussels. We saw the amazing Grand Palace which is a cobble stone square in the heart of Brussels where a mass of 1600's buildings are, and the detail and beauty of these are difficult to describe so I will let the pictures do the talking. We spent well over an hour just in awe of the sights we were seeing. Then off we went and happened upon a sight that I wanted to see anyways - the Museum of Chocolate. Where we learned about the orgins of chocolate and watched praline be made - and we Sadleirs have been doing it the Belgium way for a long time, I was quite impressed. Then we got to taste some that he had made earlier - sounds like a danoz ad. A little bit later on we happened upon a Belgium Waffle place, where we were all tempted and had to have a Waffle whilst in the place of origin - needless to say it was lovely, but very filling and just too much for one day. But after having eaten one, you come to realise that every where you go the smell haunts you and though it is a nice smell, after just having eaten one it kinda puts you off for another.

Then off we went to explore and shop - found the Mannequin Pis which is a statue of a little boy peeing and the story about it, is that in the 1600's a little boy was lost in Brussels for 2 days and when he was found by his father he was found in the comprising position which is now immortalised at his fathers request. Interestingly with this statue is that he has costumes 600 infact (all housed in a museum, but brought out regularly) which change daily and that are sent to the country by all different countries around the world. We saw him twice once in Tuxedo and the next day completely naked.

Shopping was good fun - I bought throughout my duration there a Handbag, Brooch, traditional Belgium Lace, a rubby Ducky TShirt and Chocolate of course. And was given Moriccian Pearl earrings from Alex. Tracey and Megan have bought me a Hairdryer for my birthday and will be receiving it this weekend - no point in carrying it on the trip.

Other highlights of my trip was to see the Atomium - an atom structure which is 150 Billion times the size of an actual atom. But its full of Barbie Dolls so we didn't bother going in.

Sunday was a day of shopping in the antique markets - where I picked up my brooch and then a little bit more sightseeing and then off again to the train station to go back to London.

Now whilst in Blegium I tried my hardest to speak the French which Tracey and Alex where imparting on me, Merci, Bonjour, Palre Le vou Enlge ... but when I tried to say excuse me in French it actually came out in Italian, ex cusi, Alex pays me out for it now.

The trip back was also very nice, as this time we could see out the window for a while before it got dark. Once I returned to London I went home, to find still no Shower, but we do have heating! And my housemates had bought me a chocolate cake with one candle, where they came into the living room singing Happy Birthday, all in all it was a lovely weekend and a great 26th Birthday.

Where to next, I don't know but I am sure it will be great.