The Purple Penguin

Bloggin in Brussels day two

Today was no car day, so the streets are full of cycles, skaters, skate boards, and anything that’s not a car. So the all important breakfast menu boiled egg, ham, salami, cheese, and gherkins with the obligatory coffee. [editor: yuck. bread and coffee for me. I don’t see how he does it. Though the cheese was nice.]

We decided to leave Kathleen’s luggage [editor: my one small day sack, he makes it sounds like I took loads!] at the hotel and stay close, then pick it up when time for her to go. We started with a slow walk to nowhere and gradually became aware of the lack of cars on the road, but lots of mad cyclists. So arrived at a park (one of those Belgian ones, you know “we were invaded once never again well not thorough a park any way” ones). [editor: Joe has something against the parks in Brussels. I’ll have to do a post!]

Stopping off at a little cafe in the park, we drank coffee (well I did) [editor: I had orange press and even got a little pantomime to go with it] and watch the cyclist crash in to the fountain. Then to the palaces which looked nice with formal gardens and gaping tourists peering in the windows. It’s had to remember what we did next and it was only a few hours ago! Mostly we walked coming across neat things all the time – shops or events related to the fetes. In front of the Palace of Justice there was a whole load of stalls from organic food to farm animals, a farrier, a greenpeace stand, and even a large pink tram out of which a fashion show was happening. We think the tram left soon after to probably do another show at the next stop!

Passing on the over crowed queue for the lift, we walked down a series of slopes (where we saw the second bike accident of the day) in to more little shops and restaurants, passing along we saw a Swiss restaurant (after getting on to the conversation of fondue yesterday) well guess what? Fondue it was, cheese and hot oil. The hot oil was for me to fry beef in and the cheese was for Kathleen to dip bread. I heroically gave up my salad of tomatoes and green stuff so she could have some thing else :). A slow lunch was held, (but the disaster was no hot chocolate and this purporting to be a Swiss restaurant) so a coffee and tea later we were of to the peeing boy (not even going to attempt (manikin Pis). [editor: Joe has the guide book so he can check the spelling!] The first thing you notice is the crowds and the next is its dressed in white, then just as we are leaving there are two blokes in there (dressed in the same sort of outfit as is on the statue) setting up beer barrels.

We then get to the Grand Place and I do my navigation test, can I get back to the hotel? The square is full of the bands and manikins from yesterday. The crowds were large and a bit of a push to get through, but we did. Then through food porn alley (according to Olly where all the restaurants have people outside trying to drag you in, and the bright light going). I got my rocket going looking for my next visual land mark, but I found it, a large multi-colour overpass. Then homing in on the little bar we drank at last night and then the church and finally the hotel.

Now its about getting ready for Kathleen to leave getting all the stuff together and panicking that she has everything. [editor: I did] So a little rest and then off. We decide to walk as there is still a lot of time before she could even check in a the Eurostar. So from the hotel, out to the boulevard where more entertainment is going on, kids in canoes in the fountain pools and singer in tents and it looked like some of the fish restaurants doing small out door servings; we pushed our way through that and came out on to the main street with a direct path to Gare de Midi and the Eurostar. As we walk down you see the culture change to more Arabic. Just outside the station with plenty of time we stop at a bar for a drink to kill some time. We people watch, the cycles and skates, and the people coming for drinks. Then time to move on into the concrete jungle which contains the station, straight through the entrance and to the Eurostar terminal. As luck would have it (well my luck) some thing is snarled the gates don’t open and every one queues. Some phone calls later the gates open a kiss good bye and Kathleen is over the barriers and in the queue for passport control. I wave good bye and leave to walk back to the hotel.

The fete is still in full swing as I move through the city, And back to the room. A check of the map and the address of the conference hotel says it is not where I think so I go for a look. Registration is open so I go into the main bar to start typing this entry in the hopes of free net access but too expensive beer. A chat to a few people but then dinner is called so most leave, a few die hard remain and so the blog goes on, as one of the people start on the piano which is very good.

Walking back to my hotel the cars are back, and the mood of the city shifts, the events are closing and there are no children in the fountains any more (with or without canoes) some still party on but the sense is that of tomorrow we work. So tomorrow I conference.