Brussels

Update: We had the Leaver's Serenade at Melissa's school. This involved a big group meeting at the dormitory where some of the kids stay...and all the other 12th graders graduating. So, this was just like an American graduation except...the kids were all drinking and cooking all day and then teachers came over to enjoy the party.  Also, if any teachers didn't come to the party then the group of students (all of them) would go to the teacher's house to serenade them at some point in the night. In other news, most teachers came to the party.

And, Meliss and I met some British folk that bought the house next to the school in which we live. They introduced us to another British couple (ok, both the husbands are British and both the wives are Hungarian) at the May Day Festival. We went to a "Garden Party" with them the other day and it turns out that Brits are more fun and crazy than Hungarians...or at least equal. 

Now, on to the blog...

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We had just been to Rome, Bratislava, and Prague in the last month -- and as such had figured out the cheap flight system here in Hungary. Lots of cheap flights to be had, but the cheapest we had was a flight to Brussels, Belgium. 

I shit you not, the flight (round trip, for two of us) was $24. Now, once fees were added and whatnot, it was about $100, but we thought, "hell yeah, Brussels for $100." We booked the tickets at once and started planning our trip. It was only then that we realized we were flying in to Brussels Charleroi Airport -- which is about an hour outside of Brussels itself. So, our cheap tix to Brussels just became quite a bit more expensive considering the cost of a shuttle bus to the center of town, but so be it. 

Also, we thought the tix were inexpensive because they were at 6 am. Now, a 6am flight out of Budapest means we have to take the last train out of Gyula the night before, get to the airport at midnight, and then waste time 'til boarding...no problem. Except, the last train in Gyula broke down halfway to Budapest. Luckily there were three people on the train, me, Melissa, and one of her students, Soma. He talked to the conductor and figured out (after we were stranded for quite awhile) that we would be sent another train and that train would make sure we get to the airport on time. It worked out well because we got to Budapest airport at about 2am and had to be in line at 4. So, all in all, whew!

We got on the plane and landed in Charleroi, found our way to the shuttle and made our way to Brussels. But, we figured out that, while this was cheaper than taking a regular flight, it was a bigger pain in the ass! We had also learned enough at this point that we didn't need to stay in the center of big cities, just as long as there was a short walk or a metro into the center was enough.

Sometimes, that's good enough...and sometimes it isn't.

Oh boy, where we stayed in Brussels was ungood. The hotel was fine -- but the area around us was shady as shit. Honestly, that probably colored our whole experience in Brussels. We dropped our stuff off and headed to the center and crossed over garbage bags, and feces of all different varieties -- we know some of those were human -- but we made it to the center.

In all fairness, we have talked to other folks that have been to Brussels and Amsterdam (that was our trip, a day and a half in Brussels and two days in Amsterdam) and they had the exact opposite experience, so I guess it depends on where and when you go.

Anyway, here is Brussels...

Meliss stopped to take a picture of some of the garbage

And some more -- honestly, this doesn't really do it justice because we didn't stop to take pics of all the literal shit on the street -- at least half of which we thought was human.

This was some building with a matching one right behind us that seemed to be a make-shift homeless shelter. We had to walk past this to and fro the center. It just bookended our whole time in Brussels and certainly colored our view of the city. 

But then, we made it to the center...

Yeah, Oiler Man made it

Just off this center square were a bunch of streets with restaurants and whatnot...

Mussels in Brussels?

We just walked around, up one side street and down another...

It also happened to be just past the Gay Parade day (not sure if that's the right term, so we apologize -- but we thought it was the Belgium flag for quite awhile til we figured it out. Also, don't ask how we figured it out.).

More streets of Belgium...

The Comic Book Museum

Now, in our minds, Belgium is only known for four things...and Jean Claude Van Damme was not around. So, we were left with Belgium waffles, Belgium beer, and the Belgium little boy peeing statue.

Belgium Waffles

Check!

Belgium Beer -- Check!

And the famous statue of the little boy peeing...

Yeah, even we could understand that one.

um, really 

Yeah, really

With Oilerman

And here was the scene behind us -- so many people to see this little boy peeing
The rain coat was because someone dresses the boy up from time to time depending on the weather.

I guess what surprised us most was how small the statue was -- but not the recreations of the statue...

Here's your souvenir from Brussels

Or these...

Or the chocolate one...do you think people fight over the penis like the ears on a easter bunny?

Anyway, more streets of Brussels...

We stopped and had a drink here

Across from this bar

And Meliss thought this was Smokey Robinson, so we took a picture. Belgium beer is a helluva thing!

Here are some other things from Brussels...

Yes, we had nobody to take a pic of the both of us -- thank god!

Go Panthers!

A bit of a skip ahead here, but we hopped on a train to Amsterdam the next morning...

Brussels Train Station

Oh, I hope this is the right train...

But, we made it to Amsterdam (next blog) but we had to return to Brussels in two days to catch our flight back to Budapest...

We made it -- look, traveling in the Spring is horrendous. Brussels was cold and rainy, thenAmsterdam was cold for one day, then nice the next, then back to Brussels for a day and it was hot. So, yeah, I rolled my pants up in Brussels when it was 85 degrees and not having anything to change in to - and my lovely wife insisted upon sittin in the sun.

But, I drank these...

And ate this!

Of course we enjoyed Brussels because, well - we were on vacation. We take in to mind that others have really like Brussels, but it was not our favorite. All in all, though -- how can you not enjoy a statue of a little boy peeing? Wait, what?

And here's a video of a pigeon sitting next to us eating out of the peanut tray...this is exactly how much fun we had in Brussels.

Next up, Amsterdam!