Day 9: Brussels

Brussels day 9:

Cathedral of St. Katherine

After the morning activities I boarded my train to Brussels. I figured I would be there by noon after a two hour train ride and then go to Luxembourg for the day. As it turned out the train was over three hours which was fine it just meant that my plans would be a little different. Trying to do too much in too little time. Sometimes it works not this time.    The train was nice and there was plenty of room for my bags and me. Good thing the train started in Amsterdam, otherwise don't know if I would have had space. I ended up sitting near an Aussie and we talked for a good two hours near to when she got off at Antwerp. She has been doing odd jobs and such so that she can travel and has been going for over two year. I can't imagine that long living out of a backpack even if I would be in one place for months at a time. We were both able to laugh at the number of bags that I'm lugging around. If I ever do this again no more three bags. I'll get a bigger backpacking backpack and that will be it. 

Jesus

Found my way through the metro and the streets to drop off my bags because I can't check in yet. I've been walking around for the past few hours, following signs and finding things. I'm definitely going to say here tomorrow during the day to keep exploring. I found the church of someone. Beautiful. Then I found the Centraal Station. Again I guess. And then to the grand palace and such. It is a beautiful European area. So old, gold, and European. I visited the museum. On the top floor was info about the pissing statue and a good video about him. They also stored all of his costumes there so it was cool to see all of ten from across the world.  Many from USA, several from Israel, none from Australia.  

My friends, when I travel alone

After this I decided that I needed to eat something or else my stomach would start yelling at me. I found a really nice area of Greek cafes and I decided to get a falafel, the first one I've had since leaving Israel about a week ago. Wow! I can’t believe it’s already been over a week that I've been traveling. Time goes so fast when you don't have time to see how slowly it goes. I did manage to spill tichina sauce on my shirt luckily both were white.  The waited brought over several more napkins, after he was finished laughing at me. I managed to randomly find the pissing statue!  Yea, mad props.  It was so exciting!  Mostly because it is something that everyone is supposed to see while they are here. In the movie from the museum, the narrator asked people what the statue represented and why. Most of the people had no idea  .  Apparently king whatshisname prayed for a son and the duke’s visit allowed his wife to conceive.  And then then the child pissed on the duke, so thats why it exists.

This is how I feel when I get lost

Goal: to find the Atonium statues. Goal status: incomplete. I officially checked in to the hotel. Not a bad room. Up top on the fifth floor even though it says floor four and private bathroom for the five of us. I decided to take the top bunk. The only top bunk. Well see if I grow to regret that or if I even had a choice (it’s often hard to tell which beds are taken and which are available).  Next goal is a surprise: To hear an organ concert! Let's just say that this didn’t work. I wasn't at the right place at the right time so I night try to go tomorrow; I'm not sure yet. I did sit down with my maps and my advise and circled everything I wanted to do in the next day. I really like Brussels! It might be my favorite city, well, so far it is. I like it more than Amsterdam and am almost wishing I to have two more days here while I barely have one more. I'm not sure if I will actually accomplish anything on the list but I really want to make sure that I visit the Atonium (the giant nine ball carbon atom). Its a little distance but these legs have proven themselves time and time. I am sitting down for dinner now. I usually wait till past I am hungry to think about eating which is fine unless I have specific plans which I don't so all sails have been risen (I’m not sure if this is a real metaphor or just some strange attempt at one). I ordered a glass of wine with my meal. How classy!   Update on the wine: I didn't get it. Rain started pouring down and I ended up talking to the Americans sitting next to me. They forgot their camera outside so I brought it inside to them. We kept talking outside after the rain about how lucky I am to be able to take advantage of this opportunity. To be able to travel the world and actually go round full circle. I told them how much I love Melbourne since they had only been to Sydney before. Oh, and the waiter took my food when I told my waiter that I was just going inside for a minute so he brought out some more green beans. I don’t usually like complaining, but it does work. I expected to do my nightly research before bed but nothing was open. I also had amazing advice from the roommate that I had not talked to. “Don't eat the cheap mussels”. Wow, that’s beautiful. He told me this after he was done puking up his dinner.  Thanks guy, I will definitely take your advice and will never eat cheap mussels.