I'amsterdam

I visited Amsterdam last month to meet Carrie Hanshaw and her daughter Nicole, visiting their extended family currently living in Bonn Germany.  When friends from home are anywhere near Brussels, I promise to come find you - or you are welcome to come visit me.  Its so nice to see friendly faces... and enjoy being a tourist with others.  I drove up to Amsterdam (only a 2 hour drive from Brussels) and met up with Carrie and Nicole and did a quick tour of the city.  In just the short time I was there, I am already super excited to go back.  What a charming city!  All the bikes and the canals and houseboats and row houses.  Just awesome.  The bikes however - quite aggressive... definitely stay OUT of the bike path or get run down.  No apologies.

We visited the Anne Frank House on Sunday morning.  It was absolutely incredible.  Seeing the actual hidden attic, climbing the stairs behind the moveable book shelf - well, it was intense.  I cried seeing the photo of Otto Frank, back in the secret attic after his release from Auschwitz.  The despair and grief displayed was unlike anything I've ever seen.  I've known loss in my life, but his hallowed eyes were just haunting.  It may sound silly, but I feel truly honored to have experienced this place.  No pictures are allowed inside so I bought a great photo book of the attic.

On the way back to Brussels, we stopped in The Hague, the judicial capital of the United Nations.  While there, we visited the M.C. Escher museum.  Very cool to see the actual works of the artist I admired so much growing up.  The museum is actually in the Queen's Palace so not only are the works incredible, but the building itself is something to see.  Each room had the most unique chandelier.  From bugs, umbrellas, to a skull and crossbones.  Very cool.

Catching up!

Sorry its been so long since really posting.  Part of the excuse if a broken personal computer, the other - well just laziness, I suppose.  Although I have been more busy outside of work than I was when I originally arrived - a very good thing!

Michelle came and visited the week of November 5th.  As I wrote in the previous post, it rained the ENTIRE time she was here.  Fortunately, we made the best of it and still had a great time.  The funniest part was how often Michelle took pictures of her food!

We visited the Butte du Lion, the mound constructed on the battlefield in Waterloo, Belgium where Napolean surrendered.  We climbed the many steps up to the top!  Of course, while we were there, it rained!  :)  I work in Waterloo and the battlefield is only a few kilometers from my new office.  Its touristy stuff like this that I wish I could share with my Dad.  He would have loved it.

During the week, I took Michelle to Brugge, the Mannekin Pis museum (to see a few of the 800 costumes gifted to the "Pride" of Brussels), the Atomium (built for the World's Fair in 1958) and many of the fine food and drink establishments of Brussels. We met some traveling Americans in Delrium (the famous bar boasting a minimum of 2010 beers available, in January, they will guarantee 2011!) and I introduced her to a few of the new friends I have made.  We did TRY to go the Stella Artois factory - but in typical Belgian fashion, service is lacking and tours are randomly canceled without notice at whim).  Guess we will save that for another visit.

It was great having her visit and showing her where I'm living these days.  Most of all it was nice to have someone to eat with - eating alone is... well... lonely.  We feel in love with the moules et frites at Chez Lion in the tourist area... good thing we found that on her last day or we may have gone back every night.

10 Year Storm

I know its been a while since I last blogged.  I visited Hong Kong for business and then Michelle was in town for a weeks visit.  Additionally, my MAC crashed and so I had to take it into Apple for repair.  Hopefully will get it back soon and then will blog with photos from the past couple of weeks.

Had a nice visit with Michelle - although, after a VERY nice Fall... wouldn't you know it, but it rains for 8 STRAIGHT days the entire time she is here.  It stopped raining the day she left (about 6 hours later) and the weather is reporting that it was a 10 year rain storm.  Of course!  It was beautifully sunny yesterday with a nice forecast for the rest of the week.  Ugh!   We had fun though and now at least Michelle knows the "worst" weather she will see on any visit.  I mean, it won't be like that again for another 10 years!  And I plan to be LONG GONE by then!

Momentum

I'm starting to feel a bit more settled in here in Brussels.  Maybe even gaining a bit of momentum.  I definitely miss my home and my family and friends.  I still cannot look at my watch or a clock without immediately determining the time at home.  I still can't call this place home - but I do feel like I'm getting more settled, and well, thats progress.


I went to Leuven, Belgium last weekend.  Leuven is a really great University town about 25 minutes east of Brussels.  It is a great little walking city and is also the home to the Stella Artois brewery.  I didn't take the tour yet, waiting to have a visitor to do that.  Here is a great pic of the town hall of Leuven.


This week I successfully purchased a car.  Yeah, no more crazy rentals.  I have yet to take a picture with my actual camera but I will soon.  Its a 4 year old VW Golf.  Basically, the same car I had at home, except this one is 4 door, blue (instead of white) with a smaller engine (when the yearly road tax is based on engine size, better to go small).  Getting a car registered with plates and insured is no simple task, but thanks to some coworker recommendations, I worked with a very nice dealer and a FANTASTIC insurance agent.  The agent, Patrick, came to my work to pick up my passport and then went to the commune (think city town hall and secretary of state all rolled into one) to get my license plates.  Then he came and delivered them to my home for me around 9:30 at night.  He even helped me figure out what buzzer was mine on the outside of the apartment.  Belgium isn't known for its service, but this man is wonderful.  


This weekend, I stayed around town.  It rained most of Saturday, but I did meet up with some new friends for dinner and a movie Saturday night.  I met a couple of girls through the meetup.com group I joined (Helen is from Manchester and Rekha is from Chicago).  Helen and I also met up for an InterNations event on Thursday (InterNations is a group, network based, of people from any and all Nations living in a particular city).  We met some great people there too and I had a couple of new facebook friend requests by the time I went to work on Friday.  It felt really nice to do something "normal" this weekend, meeting friends for a movie.  And yes, the movie was in English.  In Brussels because of so many different languages spoken here, all movies are shown in their original tongue with subtitles for the 2 other languages.  We saw Social Network, the Facebook movie and it was subtitled in both French and Flemish.  


Took a walk today to the Sablon Square (when its sunny in Brussels, one MUST take full advantage).  I checked out an antique market and found a really cool new chocolatier.  Yum!  
Here is a good pic from today.   This is a view looking toward the Grand Place from the Museum of Fine Art.  I also found what appears to be one of the original gates of the city in the Sablon area.  Very cool.

I am very excited that Michelle has decided to come for a visit.  She will be here for the second week of November, arriving on the 6th.  Perfect timing, as we have a holiday on the 10th and 11th.  Not completely sure what we will do yet, but it will be nice to show her where I live.  I'm definitely thinking we will hit that brewery tour in Leuven. :)

Sightseeing Solo

Last Saturday was beautiful here in Brussels, so I decided to jump on a train (a short 5 min walk from my apartment is Central Station) and head to Bruges.  Bruges is a magnificent city about an hour west of Brussels.  It is quite touristy, but is a wonderful walking city with surprises around nearly every corner.


Here are some of my favorite photos from the day.

A beautiful courtyard - postcard perfect.

The only Michelangelo statue outside of Italy- this is Madonna and Child located inside the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk (Church of our Lady).  

In the central Market - the busiest Square in Bruges is the site of the Belfort.  You can climb the 366 steps to the top to see amazing views of the city.  I didn't go up on this visit, wanted to save that when I had a visitor. :)

Simply beautiful!  I could have sat and starred across the water all afternoon.
















*** I will post my other pictures on facebook - there are many beautiful pictures  ***  


Oh wait, just one more - Mr. Crum, this one is for you! :)

Marking Time

Today is officially one month since I arrived in Brussels.  30days.  Have to admit, it seems MUCH longer.  I wasn't the typical expat that was overly excited about the relocation opportunity, perhaps because my family is staying behind while others have their immediate families join them.  That being said, I was told my "crash" wouldn't be as severe since I wouldn't be coming off a "honeymoon phase".  Don't know if thats better or worse.  I do know that its been harder than I expected work wise and about what I thought living wise.  I know that I miss Jeremy and my family tremendously.  I know its hard to be a new colleague in a new office in a new role in a new country. 

Hopefully each month will get a bit easier.  My sea container arrives on Monday (cannot wait!) so I am certain that will help make this place seem more like where I should be (still can't call it home).

The day I left Michigan, my Mom gave me a little pocket cross to carry with me.  On the back, it reads "Do not be afraid, I am with you Always".  I've carried it everyday.  Its a good reminder of who I am and whose I am. 

Smart Girls want to be told they're Beautiful.....

.... Apparently, Diamler didn't get the message.  Smart girls like to be told they are beautiful and beautiful girls like to be told they're...

Well, anyway - Diamler calls this little gem SMART.  I don't know what they're thinking.  I call this a toy. I can pedal my bicycle faster than this thing moves.  Sure yes, perhaps it is better for the environment, although with its extremely small size, I am tempted to jump the curb and drive on the sidewalks to get out of traffic.  So yes, maybe "SMART" for the environment, but extremely dangerous for the public.

This was the rental car assigned to me after a 90 minute (infuriating) conversation and wait at the airport rental desk on Sunday (and I did have a reservation, can't imagine if I didn't).  Additionally, this SMART little POS included a portable Garmin (navigation is really a must in this town, especially when its Asia/Europe relation week and 50% of the roads are just closed).  The good news?  The Garmin doesn't work!!!  Good times.  I suppose to look on the bright side, I have been successfully learning the city in short order this week, as I have found myself turned around (who can tell in this little piece of junk) many times.

I was told the rental company would come and switch the car for something different today, but alas, this is Belgium and service is not exactly a source of pride in this country.

Zero to 60 in 5.2 minutes.... zip zip!