Becoming a Brussels Local

Click to see photos I took of Brussels.

 I had to move again (for the 3rd time) as my hotel was fully booked, and the weekly rate was too expensive anyway (120 euros compared to 70 for the weekends).  Fortunately, through the Lonely Planet website, I found a really cute B&B (not the one I stayed earlier) that have a single room for me for 70 euros/night for two nights.  This place is called Phileas Foggs.  Thank goodness, it accepts credit cards so I could save my cash.

Because I did almost all of touristy things so now I've gone local...  Currently, I'm into knitting and decent yarns are really expensive in Thailand due to import taxes.  So I searched for yarn shops in Brussels.  I found a few.  Though I know that most shops (except some antique shops and retail stores in the main shopping areas) are closed on Sundays, I checked it out anyway just to see the neighborhood.  And it wasn't that far from where I stayed.

To make use of a yoga mat I brought, I did some yoga yesterday (5 Sun A and 5 Sun B + a few stretching poses) and today (per Amorn's recommendation, 8 Sun A and 8 Sun B.  He told me to do 10 of each but I talked myself out of it...)

The neighborhood was interesting and cute.  Local shops like clothing stores, bakeries, cafes, groceries.  This area is almost out of the tourist map I have.  As I was trying to be creative, I attempted to return via a different route.  Because I don't have a map and I was too confident, I got lost.  I came back to the same main street: Avenue Louise, but made a wrong turn.

Anyhow, to secure my land-and-sea trip to Finland, I needed to buy a ferry ticket which cannot be bought on line.  I searched the location of the ferry line office and went there.  I have only a building name and the phone number.  I went in twice but couldn't locate it, not sure if it was on the street level or in the office section.  So I called only to get a French message.  Luckily, I was near the Info booth so I was helped with the translation.

Well, though the Grote Markt (tourist attraction, town-hall plaza with golden spires and facades) is really awesome, it isn't that awe struck anymore after seeing it for the 4th or 5th time.

Finally, I've found the ferry-line office and bought the ticket.  All cabins are full so I've got a deck seat which is cheap.  I don't mind as I just want to get there.  Now, I have to do my last leg from Turku to Vaasa.  And I'll be all set to go.

I missed Thai food so I had lunch at a Thai restaurant.  In Brussels, most Thai restaurants have labels Thais, Chinese, Vietnamese.  So I wasn't sure if it was really Thai.  But in this one, I heard kitchen staff talking so loudly in Thai.... Their conversations made me want to join in.

I asked myself if I miss having companies.  Of course, I FB-chatted and skype talked with friends.  But I do realize that I talk to myself all the time as well.

I love this Philease Fogg B&B: very homey.  And the owner lets me use her kitchen and her garden.  So I plan to cook today!!

Tomorrow, I'll check out the Magritte Museum and another yarn shop.  Might as well do them as I'd probably be so sick of Brussels that I won't come back in a long time.  But I must say that I am very lucky to be stuck in Brussels.  Lovely city (not too big and not too small).  Friendly people. Safe to get around.  Lots of things to do.  Not too expensive.  Good food.  A traveling hub.