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Where did I leave off...
The night that I wrote last I got to Filip's apartment just in time, with moments to spare a heavy thunder and rain storm started with lightning in the evening. I went to sleep very early as there was not much else to do and perhaps I should catch up on my rest to battle the jet lag. The next morning I was up and out around 8am. Filip was still asleep having gone to bed very late in order to work his next shift overnight.
I left the apartment and took a new route to the Markt square, I crossed over the 2 oldest bridges in Brugge took my time everywhere I went, my destination with for the Wednesday Market (a farmers market). The morning was fairly clear and I was hopeful for good weather so I wore my new sweatshirt and I attacahed my umbrella and my rain coat to my backpack. While looking through the market, buying nectarines, smelling cheese I did not choose to smell and people watching the rain came and it was heavier and faster than it had been. Immediate pour and all shoppers ran to the
nearest awning for coverage. I asked the man next to me if he could hand me my umbrella as it was strapped to my bag, he did and I continued on with my journey. I walked in many new directions with a local church as my next stop. The church has the Michelangelo "Madonna with Child" sculpture, I went in to have a look and took a photo. Many more beautiful parts of the canals and the Lake of Love were passed. There was few other things to see and I was soaking wet on my pants and feet so I decided the journey to the train was the best idea, head to Brussels much earlier.
The train ride was fine, when I arrived in Brussels I began to follow the directions Manuel gave me to find his apartment. As I went I noticed each stop seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. Business buildings mostly surrounded me. I walked anyway when i exited Schuman stop and was in search of a book shop or coffee shop to have a rest and read my book to kill time. I found a small area, an Italian district with a
place Paola Libre, some books for sale and coffee and light meals. I bought a tea and drank it slower than ever to kill time. As they started to stare when I was finishing I bought a panini to buy more time. Once I felt as though my time was done I headed to the metro again, finiding an office for the EU that said "information." I later found out that the information was only on the EU and not tourist info, howver in the office I made a friend with Francis the desk worker who allowed me to check my email and send some and helped me look up info I would be needing for my journey this week. He was very helpful. I had also noticed at the coffee shop that my raincoat had gone missing however the strap was still buckled... Either Mr. Umbrella dude took it, someone in the train station or it walked away. Francis told me of an indoor mall to seek a new jacket, who would guess you would buy a raincoat in Europe in July? Certainly not the retail shops! I am now ever so thankful for my green hoody, however I
really miss and want my tiny crunched up travel BLACK REI jacket!
I got back on my way to find Manuel's and after waiting on the sidewalk for nearly 2 hours he arrived. So thankful to finally get off the streets, I was frozen by then. Manuel took me in, showed me to my "bed" and told me a bit about him and his girlfriend Andrea from Hungary. They then took me with them to see a film that we found out was not spoken or subtitled in languages we could understand so we went for pizza instead. Manuel is an absolute gentleman and his girlfriend is wonderful and sweet. I feel so lucky lately! He treated me to pizza dinner and then we went to a hip bar with many people hanging out and lively music. Around 1am we went back, he gave me full computer access, apartment keys and maps of Brussels as well as sheets and blankets for my stay.
Today I got up and took my time (there is not too much to see in Brussels) and I headed to Le Grand Place. Then I met a great guy named Remi from France that
lives in San Francisco, together we walked to see the Mannequinpis statue and had lunch together at a baguette place. Next thing I know during our chat I was kicked in the arm... I turned around at it was my lovely Professor Kari and Amber, they had just arrived and stumbled upon me. I said farewell to my new friend and took off with them, joining them for lunch too. They had to go to Conference check in and I continued my journey around town to see the Palais de Royale (King of Belgiums old Palace) and some other sites as well as a view of the city. I met Kari and amber later for dinner, ending at Italian food again. I actually tried a bite of the Moules en Frites (Mussels and french fries), not bad! Kari treated me as an early bday. We took a couple photos and ended the night with a yummy yummy wafle... MMMM. The rain started again and it was already 10:30 so I came back to Manuel's. They have arrived home from a movie and I am going to shower and pack to get ready for tomorrow.
Tomorrow at 1:00 I will
meet the girls for our presentation at the Conference, and afterwards begin my journey to London. Goodbye Belgium!
I know these are always so long, they will probably die down as time comes... real quick forgot to mention. I asked a young man at the bus today how to get to a certain place, he tried very hard in English to tell me but it was difficult. He is 21, Russian but born and raised in Belgium and speaks French. He talked to me and his mom would keep asking him things, they rode the bus with me to my next stop where by then his mom had told him that our age difference was no problem. We get off the bus she points to her rind and says married... i say no, she then says her son is no married... then grabs both of us and says married... (in a way i picture big fat greek wedding).. he blushes, she talks to him in french. She was very sweet and cute, he was bright red. They both walked me through the metro station to the metro where she pulled out paper and pencil and said, "internet," then handed
it to me, I gave them my email address and she wanted mine so I gave it... Then she made her son take the metro with me and walk me all the way to the door of the hotel to meet Kari! So yes people, I could always marry a Belgian born Russian that speaks French! 😊 haha, such a random day.
PS - $1 now gets me .66 euro so for $10 I get 6.66 euro (a typical dinner is atleast double that, so about $20 average, UGH!)
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