11th October Ghent to Brussels

 ** It's moving day (again) today from Ghent to Brussels, but the move, similar to most of the previous few, is very quick, time wise. The train trip will take about 30 minutes, which will be less than the time I will need to walk to the station.

** Of all the cities I have visited over the duration of this tour, only two had I visited before. London I was born in, and since leaving back in the late 50s, I have kept returning to every now and again. The other city is one I am really looking forward to visiting again - Brussels. I literally spent just one night there at the Hotel Metropol in 1983. There was, for me, a silly story as to why that hotel, but again, another story for another time and another blog. 

** This weekend will also see a major change in the way I have been living while I have been touring.  As plans are set out for the moment I will be meeting up with my wife, Melody, on Friday in Lille, in northern France. By then it will be nearly 13 weeks since we have last been in each other's company, although there have been numerous phone and video calls during my journey. Modern technology certainly does not allow one to be isolated from family & friends for long. Nevertheless, it will be strange sharing a room, and in fact just sharing period, once again with someone else. 

** Out travel plans for this coming weekend are very much up in the air currently because of a fuel supply strike in France, so further plans of staying in the country with Marie's parents may have to be curtailed somewhat. 

** Had a bad sleep night but I think I do that every time I need to catch early-ish transportation to another destination . 2¼ klm walk to the station and caught the 9:35 to Brussels. All the family in Paris are trying to work out how next week is going to play out 

*" Welcome to Brussels. My appartment is only 7 minutes from Brussels Central station, so there is a win. The building is inside the old city boundaries. Another win. Again, my room is on top of the the building  (there is a loss) and by the look of the very bent beams, this must also fit into the 200 to 300 year old places I seem to have booked along the way. And the stairs, similar to those in the Netherlands twist and turn and in some instances are almost like ladders. Although it had been refurbished with own ensuite (haha) new sink, electric hob, fridge & mictowave kettle & coffee machine, they can't fool me. It's a dive dressed up in sheep's clothes, and this dive was one of the most expensive rooms per night on my trip. You win some, you lose some 

** My first coffee in Brussels. Nice and soft and not bitter.

** The Manakin Pis 

This has changed dramatically since I saw it last in 1983, some 36 years ago. Hardly anyone went there and the statue was displayed in all its glory. Today a very different story. The child is still peeing but is totally covered. I wonder if I still have my original photos I took with my Canon A1 back then.

My first wander around Brussel