Brussels

After crossing - or should you say "undercrossing"? - with the Eurostar (very pleasant train journey, very crowded waiting areas), I landed in Brussels for a short visit.

First the unpleasant: at the train station, I almost fell victim to a pickpocket trick! If someone with an angelic face, child's voice, and broken language asks you something at the train station: be careful! Behind them is the second person (wearing dark clothes) who wants to steal your bags! Luckily, mine were empty. I was alerted by the loud exclamation of a victim who had just been relieved (after loudly cursing, he got his wallet back - or does that belong to the plot? No idea!) Heart pounding 😅!

But now to the positive: the sidewalks of Brussels have become much cleaner. When I was there in the 90s, you always had to look at the ground to avoid "landmines". Probably the city leaders read "A Year in the Merde" by Stephen Clarke (which is about the topic) and thought: we can do better!

If you've been following the blog for a while, you know that I often seek out (deep-fried) local specialties. Yes, there's something going on! For example, at the "Frites Atelier".

Otherwise, I am always amazed by the comics on the buildings. And of course in magazines, for example, Tintin (yes, I know: not politically correct). And recently I learned that Asterix also owes its Belgian influence.

Finally, for cyclists: on the Eurostar to Paris, you have to disassemble and pack your bike. To Brussels, they take the whole bike. That's why I chose this route. There are surely weighty reasons for the different handling, but it cannot be due to the train: the same train cars are used for both routes.

"They're crazy, those from Eurostar..."