Dagmaraka goes Dutch

Kayak. It was a kayak. Learn the Eskimo roll. I suggest shallow water and appropriate attire.

BRUXELLES!!!

I'm in love.

It was like a blind date that you have to drag yourself to and then end up having the most amazing sex... or something. Walked about at night in a rain, taking one million pictures.
People here are also nice, they actually smile, cars stop and let you cross, and i got a chocolate with my postcards. More later, but I'll be back in Brussels as often as I can, that's for sure.

It is supposed to be great, I'm glad you're finding it so.

Now I'm sorry I didn't ask for a postcard. (I think of them and the mailing from Eurp to US as fair expensive.) Next time...

I've an arch. historian pal that loves Belgium.. and now I have a context for it, your walking in the night rain taking photos and all. I'll be avid to see your photos, Dag.

Cars stop and let you cross? Wow. I'm remembering the strategy I developed in Germany (late '60s). Cross your fingers, put your head down and make absolutely no eye contact. Wander across like you're semi-comatose, and hope for the best.

Whenever I go to Italy (pause for wishes), for the first few days I tag along with italians crossing a street in, say, Rome - scooting along behind them. After a day or two I'm italian myself.

Never dart. The drivers count on you to continue whatever your behavior is.

Well, I mean, never stop start dart as a short term pedestrian visitor. Watch and learn.
Me, I think they're pretty good drivers, a lot of the time.

Yeah, well Kamakazi pilots were pretty good too, if you allow for relatively little experience.

The square of the Martyrs. I recognized it from my parents' photographs from 1969, when they lived in Brussels for 3 or 4 months.





EU buildings at the end of Nieuwstraat...the New Street.

La Bourse, St. Nicolas church, and the Parliament in the back


the Grand Place in the rain

The Parliament


Little green men on the rooftops


The EU Commission...my main man, the commissioner for education, youth, culture, and training (and a Slovak) sits there.

I don't know about the kamikaze, Roger, are you saying european drivers are trying to kill other cars and the people in them? I did watch drivers in italy for an extensive time. I remember you lived in Germany. Just because people in some italian cities don't do our lane thing with the usual 15 - 25 mph over speed limit doesn't mean, perforce, ineptness. I see them as pretty attuned and not usually blotto drunk, etc., as in some of our places. Indeed, the effort is Not to hit another car/pedestrian and still to survive oneself.

And since at least around older cities people aren't driving behemoths, they tend to have more facility with maneuvering that we do, say, in the southwest US.

rain rain rain

Ooooh, love the night photos. Also happy re the day photos..

Brussels is really a very nice place (and the Belgians are nice as well ... if you don't talk about domestic politics with them), and your phtos give an excellent idea of that place. Thanks.

Speaking about Belgium ... how good is your Dutch, dag?


De Morgen.be

I'm sure, no drunken brown bears are something you have to fear ... but perhaps Sinterklaas and de Zwarte Piet during the next couple of weeks

Had another look at those pictures of Brussels.

Joe(Makes me want to gosee)Nation

Germany, really?

I always think the Germans are the best behaved people in traffic in all of Europe. Well, I've never been in Norway and the like, but - in Germany, pedestrians actually stop at the red light before crossing! I mean, all of them!

It always takes me about a dozen stern and angry looks from older Germans before I'm acclimitized properly and start behaving like them when I'm there...

Absolutely worst traffic navigation anywhere in Europe, for sure: Tirana, Albania, at least back in '99. If you thought Italy was chaotic, you should head across the Adriatic and experience real and total anarchy.

Ah yes, Belgians. They are very friendly and polite. Um, compared to the Dutch. Compared to the Dutch they're friendly and polite and, you know ... soft-spoken, appropriately dressed ... it's like ... they're civilized.

ah yes, going in february again. come see joe, before i blow this joint!

actually, the purpose that i wanted the netherlands to serve has been served. it was intended as a purgatory before i go to heaven or hell (slovakia) FOREVER (which in my head sounded like dying).
now i am quite accustomed to europe again and am even mildly excited about moving back home. so help me Old Goat.