D28 + D29: Highs and lows.

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Ok, here let's do this out of order. Have today first:

Day 29: Paris - your metro still smells of urine, but I guess I missed you. <strong style="letter-spacing: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">.

Short entry for today. After yesterday’s ordeal I was a bit jaded heading out this morning. So, I decided to shop... I rationalize that with the fact I do need some more work clothes. Ahem.

Other than that I headed off to a nearby park and finished off my book before it was time for me to head off to catch my bus to good ol' Paris. Bus ride was same old - it was full, as Megabus tends to be... but that’s ok, it’s not an over-nighter haha. I was sitting beside a nice Australian girl so we chatted for about half the ride.

It did feel nice to arrive back in Paris. Paris was the first city I visited on my first real Europe Trip... kind of brought back some memories. It’s fun to think of all the places I’ve been since then, all the things I’ve seen. It’s also quite something to think about my life in general and how much I’ve grown since then. I mean hey now, career woman ready to go! It’s nice.

Anywho. Good to see somethings haven’t changed - still the same charm, beauty, history and culture.

Unfortunately, some other things haven’t changed either. Namely, the metro still reeks of urine and is the sketchiest thing ever. And people still automatically assume I'm Quebecoise. (DISGRUNTLED SIGH OF LIFE) there are Canadians that speak French that are not from Quebec. Thank you. Merci.

But seriously, it's nice to just be in a French environment again and get to speak French without people switching back to English. It'll be a nice few days 😊

Day 28: Beautiful city and pleasant day ruined by a drunk man and a creepy pervert. Awesome.

I actually had a great day until about 8pm and then everything just went to hell.

This morning I took an early(ish) train to Brussels - it was peachy and uneventful. I basically just watched field upon field of lazy cows... not a single one was standing. Oh. And I love that a lot of people have goats in their backyards and that they have play structures for their goats. That is all levels of cute right there.

Brussels is a nice enough city, but it’s main square is flat out stunning - the collection of buildings, all the statues and gargoyles, pillars, spirals, ornate decorations, flower arrangements, I mean seriously... stunning. Of them all, I think the Town Hall was my favourite - the most impressive at least. I spent ages just walking around looking up at all the statues and taking way too many photos in the process.

Of course I also visited a handful of different churches in the city, including the cathedral. The bells were ringing and playing some sort of song which was lovely to listen to prior to entering. The inside was not overly grand compared to others in Europe, but it was nice nonetheless. The stain-glass windows are amazing though - I have to give it that.

I had to laugh when I went to see the EU Building... it is... not impressive in the least? Haha. It’s just an oddly designed office building - it has weird shutters, but like, horizontal shutters that go around the building instead of just vertical ones on the windows. I don’t know what I’m saying - it’s hard to explain - but it’s ugly haha. I also liked that the pub across the street was named: “The Old Hacks Pub”.

Speaking of not impressive, I know everyone says Mannequin Pis is smaller than they expected, so I expected him to be small... but holy, he really is small haha. He’s cute though!

I also apparently had my “yay come talk to me and ask questions!” face on today, because there was plenty of that. I had random convos with 3 people on the metro, 1 in a park, and 5 different people ask me for directions in the metro... after awhile you just kind of have to laugh it off. I guess it’s a good thing people feel they can come ask you questions? I don’t know. It passes the time and most people are friendly in a harmless way. Kids are cute too. I had a little girl tell me I dropped something, the mom said it wasn’t mine (it wasn’t) but that didn’t stop the girl from running to get it and bring it to me haha. Sweetie. The mom apologized but I was like hey, no problem.

So, that was the majority of my day. Now for the mayhem and why I wanted to punch several things. I try not to bitch too much in my blogs... but I feel this is a requirement today because in the span of an hour and a half:
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• Watched a guy almost suffocate/get decapitated on the metro.
• Got “propositioned” and it went way too far.
• AND NOW SOME GIRL IN MY ROOM IS EATING LIKE A COW. STOP MAKING SMACKING NOISES OR I’M GOING TO STEAL THE BAG OF CHIPS AWAY FROM YOU AND THROW THEM OUT THE WINDOW.


I told you, I’m a wee bit upset.

A) So. Drunk guy on the metro. There were four other guys in the same car as me. The drunk guy decided he wanted to get off... minor detail the doors were already closing. So, being brilliant, HE STUCK HIS NECK OUT TO STOP THE DOORS. Guess what? It didn’t work. They don’t have motion detectors. They slide shut. That’s it. That’s all.

The guy sitting beside the door, realizing what was happening, quickly jumped up to try and grab the doors to pull them apart or at least delay them. He managed to slow them down, but they were still closing. Two more guys jumped up to go help stop the doors - the drunk guy was completely stuck at this point - the doors were too close to his neck so he couldn’t pull his head back in.

Myself and the other guy (we were three doors down) went to go over too - once we got there, the doors were touching his neck and he was coughing. Out on the platform people were yelling and waving their hands (at the train? haha I haven’t seen any metro staff on the trains). It was complete and utter chaos.

Thank you God either someone on the train saw or there’s a safety feature or what not but the doors opened back up, he stumbled out, and stumbled off on his way. The five of us just stood there in the car dumbfounded. Like. If the metro would have started... that guy would have lost his head in the tunnel.

B) Ok. I don’t usually share these stories on the blog because... well, I don’t know, I just don’t... but I’m really mad about this guy in particular and want to vent because "no means no" and it's important to know how to get yourself out of creeper situations. And for any women out there who travel alone or what not, just listen to your gut because it’s usually right when it comes to creeper men. I’ve had my share of creepers over the years (some funny stories, some not so much) which is annoying as eff because you will just be walking along minding your own business and then BAM, creeper is there wanting the sex.

So, since it’s Sunday it’s pretty quiet on my street... even though I’m near a big shopping area. As I’m walking back from the metro, I hear this guy from across the road: “BONJOURRRRRRR” I’m like oh dear God, no. Not now. I kept walking.

“J’AI DIS BONJOURRRRRR” I look over my shoulder and give him the most “bitch-please-I-hate-everyone” look and his response was to introduce himself and start to cross the road. (The entire convo was French) He said: “oh can we chat for a minute? don’t be afraid. I’m nice!”

AHA. HA. HA. Guess what? When a guy has to say that because everything else is setting off your internal alarms... your gut feeling is still correct.

I said “no, sorry in a rush!” in the coldest voice I could muster, but that obviously didn’t stop him. “Oh but you can talk while you walk.” Again. This time I amped up the look to “I-will-murder-baby-kittens-and-force-feed-them-to-you” but nope, apparently he likes that fight in a girl because now he’s right beside me. In my mind I had to laugh - ‘well, it isn’t a Europe trip until some guy hits on me in a very creepy and unwelcome fashion.’

But then I switched from ‘haha this is so normal’ to anger. WHY is this the norm? And I don’t just mean for me - but I mean for women in general when they travel alone? It’s ridiculous. I’ve been proposed to countless time (marriage and just flat out sexy time), called all sorts of names (both sweet and not so sweet), pinched, you name it... and I’m annoyed that I’m “used to this” while traveling alone. I shouldn’t have to be used to this. When I say “no back off”, I mean it. Do. Not. Test. Me.

So anyway... buddy boy here proceeds to talk to me, using all the flattery and lines in the book. I stopped replying because his sketch factor was off the charts. Usually they go away once you stop answering. Not this one.

When he asked if I wanted to “come over for some fun”, I said “no I’m going here” - I was rather annoyed because nothing on the street was open, so I couldn’t pop into a store to get away... I had to go to my hostel (the door was at the other end of the block) or risk walking further with him.

“Oh, it's a hotel? you’re here alone then?”
No. My friends are upstairs.
“Oh, are they girls?” (ugh the way he said “filles” was revolting)

I stopped answering again and in my mind I debated just running for it... but I figured I was close enough that I was ok and my gut told me he’d grab my arm if I went to run. For the first time in all my travels I had a really, really bad feeling.

He kept talking to me, growing ever more impatient that I wasn’t responding. I made it to the doors and as I went to pull them open, he put his hand out to slam it shut. I just glared at him at told him to move.

“You’re not inviting me upstairs?”
No.
“Why not?”
I said, move.
“Come on, if you come to Belgium you need a Belgium man. Sex with a real man.

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!?!

And you know what’s horrible? You know what my go-to response to that is? (I’m sad I have a go-to response because it’s not the first time stuff like this happens... ugh) I said “my boyfriend wouldn’t be too happy about that” because you know what? 9 times out of 10 the sketchy guys will be like “oh you have a boyfriend ok never mind” because clearly no from a male means no, but if I say no, it’s playing hard to get..?!

This guy was not one of those nine.

“I bet I’m much better than your boyfriend. Let me show you.”

THE JACKASS THEN WENT TO COP A FEEL AND I LOST IT. I hit him really hard in the arm, told him to fuck off (in English, ahem) and pointed my finger right in his face, saying “I’m telling you one last time to get the fuck out of my way before I scream.”

He moved, begrudgingly and as a parting gift he yelled after me: “be a woman!!”

I AM ONE, YOU JACKASS. HEAR ME ROAR AND BE LUCKY I DIDN’T KICK YOU IN THE BALLS YOU PIECE OF SCUM. UGH.

I went straight over to the hostel desk to make sure he wouldn’t follow me in. I looked back over my shoulder and the creeper was still there, but at least outside. And you know what’s worse. The guy at the hostel desk didn’t ask if I was ok, or do anything. No. Actually, you know what’s even worse? When all this was happening in plain sight the hostel guy didn’t even move. He didn’t come see what the problem was.

I am so angry right now. SO EFFIN ANGRY. I should not have to deal with that kind of shit for just walking down the street. AND IT WASN’T EVEN DARK YET. (Not that it would be ok if it were dark, but you know what I mean.)

C) And that speaks for itself. I want to throw her chips out the window. I have zero tolerance and patience right now. Ze-ro.

(Sidenote: I am truly ok, I am just angry. So don’t worry.)

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