FRIDAY 28.1.2011
European Commission
@ Square Ambriorix
European Commission
@ Square AmbriorixA very energetic day. At the end of the day, I wanted to go to Place du Luxembourg for an after-work drink, but everyone at the office had other plans already, so I went with one of the interns, Veera (I got her permission to use her real name), to check out one of the offered flats in Ixelles. When we arrived to Ixelles with metro, we went for a meal at a restaurant called ‘Papillon’ – a very special restaurant where we would sit, as one option, on cradles at the dining table. We got an explanation in French on what the concept of the restaurant was about, but to be honest, I didn’t get a word and so I just smiled, and ordered my “pizza slices”. It was delicious, though.
@ PapillonWhen finished eating, we decided to find the flat. After many minutes of walking, we finally found it, with the help of Veera’s skills to read a map. I have no orientation skills what-so-ever, and would get lost on a straight street. The flat was nice, a shared flat, where Veera would live with two other persons in case she would get the flat. The thing was, that she would get to know if she got the flat on Saturday.
@ Le Celestia
@ Michael Collins
So after the checking of the flat we headed for some of the local pubs to get a taste of the Belgian beers. First we went to a tavern and tasted the Kriek raspberry-beer. And some other beer. Then we found an Irish pub called ‘Michael Collins’, where I definitely wanted to go, since I love Irish pubs! There we sat for a while before taking the taxi to the hotel, since it was quite a long walk to the metro station and it was late. Better to be safe than sorry, and the cab doesn’t cost much here.
@ Le Celestia
@ Michael CollinsSo after the checking of the flat we headed for some of the local pubs to get a taste of the Belgian beers. First we went to a tavern and tasted the Kriek raspberry-beer. And some other beer. Then we found an Irish pub called ‘Michael Collins’, where I definitely wanted to go, since I love Irish pubs! There we sat for a while before taking the taxi to the hotel, since it was quite a long walk to the metro station and it was late. Better to be safe than sorry, and the cab doesn’t cost much here.
SATURDAY 29.1.2011
Saturday began so that I drank my usual morning-coffee from the legendary breakfast-machine, made myself ready for the day and headed for town via Veera’s room (she now stayed in the same hotel as I). Had some shopping done and topped up my Belgian prepaid. I went back to Veera’s room, because I was hoping she would come along with me to Ikea. She was waiting to get to know if she got the flat or not, and in case she wouldn’t get it, she would have to go to see another flat at 3pm. We went to get her a metro/tram/bus-card while waiting to get some news on Veera’s flat and to the city mall to get something to eat. We went to 'Miki's' - a Chinese fastfood restaurant. Haven't experienced that before. We took some spring rolls and I simply had to taste a chinese beer called "Tsing Tao".
Indians singing and playing on the shopping street. It was quite beautiful and harmonising, actually. Nostalgic.
After that, Veera hadn’t gotten any information about the flat yet, so she decided to go to see the other flat, and I went off to Ikea, where I bought stuff for my flat. The landlady had in beforehand told me that I needed to bring a duvet, sheets and towels. So that was approximately what I bought. I took a meal with Swedish meatballs and fries, as per usual when visiting Ikea even in Finland, but I have to say that it was quite poor. The meal was cold, the sauce was lame and there was no salt-what-so-ever on the fries. So no more meatballs in Anderlecht-Ikea. No recommendations. When I got back from Ikea and Anderlecht, Veera informed me, that she got to know that she got the flat. Finally!!! She has been stressed out about finding an apartment for so long now, so we decided to go to the ‘corner pub’ called ‘Manneken Pils’ to get a Kriek for the sake of the flat.
You can get some escargots with fries in almost evry street corner here ;)
Indians singing and playing on the shopping street. It was quite beautiful and harmonising, actually. Nostalgic.After that, Veera hadn’t gotten any information about the flat yet, so she decided to go to see the other flat, and I went off to Ikea, where I bought stuff for my flat. The landlady had in beforehand told me that I needed to bring a duvet, sheets and towels. So that was approximately what I bought. I took a meal with Swedish meatballs and fries, as per usual when visiting Ikea even in Finland, but I have to say that it was quite poor. The meal was cold, the sauce was lame and there was no salt-what-so-ever on the fries. So no more meatballs in Anderlecht-Ikea. No recommendations. When I got back from Ikea and Anderlecht, Veera informed me, that she got to know that she got the flat. Finally!!! She has been stressed out about finding an apartment for so long now, so we decided to go to the ‘corner pub’ called ‘Manneken Pils’ to get a Kriek for the sake of the flat.
SUNDAY 30.1.2011
Sunday was my moving day. The move to my own flat. Also in Ixelles. Yay!!! I couldn’t wait, because of that I sincerely had had enough of the hotel living, with no options for cooking or even storing any food in a fridge, und so weiter.
I had to check out until 11 am, and so I did. Before that, though, I took my luggage and big Ikea-bag to Veera’s room, since we had decided with the one who was moving out from the flat where I was moving in, that I would arrive at the house in Ixelles at 1.30 pm. We went to Mc Donald’s to eat, since I hadn’t eaten any breakfast, just had my coffee. So I took a CBO-meal this time, “for old time’s sake” ie. in memory of last weekend’s hamburger-marathon.
We went back to Veera’s room but the cleaner was there, so we went down to the lobby for a coffee. Then I had a phone call from one of my dear friends in Finland, and had a long conversation with her. What we talked about was concerning the drama people sometimes prefer to introduce, and the thing, that all people do not get the thing with “new beginnings” in the context of learned lessons, but they think that “the time for a new beginning” means starting all over, which it certainly does not. It concerns evolution and the adaption of lessons of life.
view from 4th and 8th floor and entrance
breakfast-machine
no smoking
anynomous man
hotel room
We went back to Veera’s room but the cleaner was there, so we went down to the lobby for a coffee. Then I had a phone call from one of my dear friends in Finland, and had a long conversation with her. What we talked about was concerning the drama people sometimes prefer to introduce, and the thing, that all people do not get the thing with “new beginnings” in the context of learned lessons, but they think that “the time for a new beginning” means starting all over, which it certainly does not. It concerns evolution and the adaption of lessons of life.
view from 4th and 8th floor and entrance
breakfast-machine
no smoking
anynomous man
IxellesIxelles
The hotel receptionists have been very nice to me right from the beginning, and when I asked the receptionist if she could call a taxi for me for 1.20pm, she kindly did. Veera and I took the taxi from the hotel to Ixelles. It was necessary to take the taxi with all my stuff and luggage. Veera also brought one of her small suitcases to my new flat, because she would be able to move in on Monday to her room, and she had to check out from the hotel before work on Monday, and therefore carry her big suitcase to work. I met the Danish lady, who was moving out, at the front door, and she seemed very nice. She told me that she had been living in this flat for 3,5 years, and now she wanted to move out to get a more ‘private’ flat. I can understand that, since in this house, there is 6 rooms with a shared kitchen, and 2 flats, which of one is mine, then, and you can hear about everything that is going on in this house. She also told that there had been a burglary in this house a few months ago, so I don’t think I will be leaving anything of value here while I’m out. Veera helped me to re-organise the flat and unpack my clothes and stuff. Sweet. Then we decided to check out the way to work, as well. We walked, and it took about 40 minutes, because we stopped at a few local shops, to get some bottled water and stuff. Ixelles was lovely, and we found the right path to work and the EU-quarter. I had to play tourist and snap some photos along the way. Then I walked home and Veera took the metro to the hotel. Fresh air and walking for almost 1,5 hour. Refreshing!
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